# power



## Annakrutitskaya

Hello!

What is the correct way to translate in Latin "Power is attractive", by 'power' meaning a combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'?

Google gave me an option of 'virtus attractiva'. Does it reflect what I would like to say?
I would be grateful for help!


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## Scholiast

Salvete!

Annakrutitskaya (and everyone else) would be best advised to avoid Google "translate" altogether for Latin.

Could  we have a context, please? It is (for example) sometimes said that  women are attracted to (politically or economically) powerful men, or  indeed vice versa, but it is not clear from this enquiry that this is  what is meant.

A





> combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'


 would probably be _virtus_ in Latin (which means both more and less than its derivative "virtue" in English), and for a general formulation, "Everyone finds these qualities attractive" one could suggest:

_virtute trahimur_ ("By virtue we are drawn")
_virtus omnibus miranda_ ("Virtue [is] to-be-admired by everyone")
_virtus virtutem alit_ ("Virtue nourishes virtue" - i.e. these qualities exemplified by one individual encourage their growth in others)

There's no simple, single, solution. I should like therefore to know more precisely what Annakrutitskaya wants to say.

Σ


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## Annakrutitskaya

Scholiast said:


> Salvete!
> 
> Annakrutitskaya (and everyone else) would be best advised to avoid Google "translate" altogether for Latin.
> 
> Could  we have a context, please? It is (for example) sometimes said that  women are attracted to (politically or economically) powerful men, or  indeed vice versa, but it is not clear from this enquiry that this is  what is meant.
> 
> A would probably be _virtus_ in Latin (which means both more and less than its derivative "virtue" in English), and for a general formulation, "Everyone finds these qualities attractive" one could suggest:
> 
> _virtute trahimur_ ("By virtue we are drawn")
> _virtus omnibus miranda_ ("Virtue [is] to-be-admired by everyone")
> _virtus virtutem alit_ ("Virtue nourishes virtue" - i.e. these qualities exemplified by one individual encourage their growth in others)
> 
> There's no simple, single, solution. I should like therefore to know more precisely what Annakrutitskaya wants to say.
> 
> Σ



Salvete, Scholiast 

Thank you for your reply and analysis. 
I thought that I described the word power - by 'power' meaning a combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'; I'd say politician cannot have these types of qualities


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## Kevin Beach

Annakrutitskaya said:


> Salvete, Scholiast
> 
> Thank you for your reply and analysis.
> I thought that I described the word power - by 'power' meaning a combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'; I'd say politician cannot have these types of qualities



So, who _can_ have these types of qualities? Can you give us any examples of the sort of person you have in mind?


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## Annakrutitskaya

Kevin Beach said:


> So, who _can_ have these types of qualities? Can you give us any examples of the sort of person you have in mind?



well, actually, I did not plan to discuss these type of issues  instead of was looking for the help in finding the right expression  but I am sure that you can find a lot of examples of such people in real life and in literature


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## Kevin Beach

Annakrutitskaya said:


> well, actually, I did not plan to discuss these type of issues  instead of was looking for the help in finding the right expression  but I am sure that you can find a lot of examples of such people in real life and in literature



This is the difficulty. No word in any language has an absolute meaning. What you  mean by "power" in relation to individuals may not be the same as my meaning or somebody else's meaning.

It is only by understanding your meaning more fully, e.g. by reference to known individuals whom you regard as possessing personal power in the sense that you mean it, that anybody can help you to find the appropriate Latin word.


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## Annakrutitskaya

Kevin Beach said:


> This is the difficulty. No word in any language has an absolute meaning. What you  mean by "power" in relation to individuals may not be the same as my meaning or somebody else's meaning.
> 
> It is only by understanding your meaning more fully, e.g. by reference to known individuals whom you regard as possessing personal power in the sense that you mean it, that anybody can help you to find the appropriate Latin word.



I agree with you that is why I have provided an explanation for the word 'power' as "a combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'


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## wandle

Annakrutitskaya said:


> I agree with you that is why I have provided an explanation for the word 'power' as "a combination of 'intellectual, physical and extreme moral strength and will'


May I ask why you think that a Latin word exists to match your specification? Have you perhaps met such a term before and need help in recalling it?
My impression is different from that, namely that you have simply listed a number of qualities which you wish to express.

I am not aware of any one word to meet that exact specification. In my opinion, the word *Scholiast* focused on, *virtus*, is about as near as you are likely to get.
L&S give the following meanings for *virtus*: 
_manliness, manhood, i. e. the sum of all the corporeal or mental excellences of man, strength, vigor; bravery, courage; aptness, capacity; worth, excellence, virtue_.

You can see that this word is based on the Romans' conception of masculinity, which may not suit your needs, but it does combine the idea of excellence in a range of human capacities (performances) with the ideas of courage and strength, and we may say that courage implies will.


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## Annakrutitskaya

wandle said:


> May I ask why you think that a Latin word exists to match your specification? Have you perhaps met such a term before and need help in recalling it?
> My impression is different from that, namely that you have simply listed a number of qualities which you wish to express.
> 
> I am not aware of any one word to meet that exact specification. In my opinion, the word *Scholiast* focused on, *virtus*, is about as near as you are likely to get.
> L&S give the following meanings for *virtus*:
> _manliness, manhood, i. e. the sum of all the corporeal or mental excellences of man, strength, vigor; bravery, courage; aptness, capacity; worth, excellence, virtue_.
> 
> You can see that this word is based on the Romans' conception of masculinity, which may not suit your needs, but it does combine the idea of excellence in a range of human capacities (performances) with the ideas of courage and strength, and we may say that courage implies will.



Thank you very much! Yes, Scholiast and you helped a lot! Thank you once again


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