Terry;56766 wrote:

Thank you again!

One quick question.  Due to the length of the second two, is there a "recommended" place to split the sentence.  What I’m asking is if I wanted to put part on top and part on the bottom is there a logical way of doing so.

 

 

Question for other members:  Is splitting a motto, top and bottom of the achievement an okay thing to do or is it looked upon unfavorably. 

Personally, I like #1 and #3

#3 can be split like this: "ΑΡΕΤΗΣ ΑΝΤΑΜΟΙΒΗ" (virtue’s reward) and "Η ΤΙΜΗ" (is honor)

#2 can be split like this: "ΤΙΜΗ" (honor) "Η ΑΝΤΑΜΟΙΒΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΡΕΤΗΣ" (the reward of virtue)

I heard back from my Latinist friend…here is what he recommended for the translation on the two

Quote:

"Honor is the reward of virtue" can be rendered:

Honos praemium virtutis

 

"The Honor of virtue" can be rendered:

 

Honos virtutis

kimon;56764 wrote:

Since all uppercase is the norm for mottoes, here are the capitalized versions:

"ΑΡΕΤΗΣ ΤΙΜΗ"

"ΤΙΜΗ Η ΑΝΤΑΜΟΙΒΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΡΕΤΗΣ"

"ΑΡΕΤΗΣ ΑΝΤΑΜΟΙΒΗ Η ΤΙΜΗ"

But this is not the case with mottoes in Greek. I have seen more Greek mottoes in upper and lower caser than those all in upper case.

Kenneth Mansfield;56770 wrote:

I don’t believe there are hard and fast rules on it - certainly nothing that would prevent it in an emblazonment.

Actually there are hard and fast rules for various countries:

Canada, England, Ireland & South Africa: Motto below; crie-de-guerre above. With two mottoes, older one or one of greater importance below; newer one or one of lesser importance above.

Scotland: Motto above; crie-de-guerre (or slogan in Scottish heraldry) below.

France & Spain: When used, motto below; crie-de-guerre above.

Germany, Finland, Russia & Sweden: When used, motto below.

I strongly believe that it is inappropriate to split an heraldic motto into two parts with one part over the achievement and the other part below the achievement, if your motto is so long that it is awkward as a motto, then maybe it is not a motto but rather a phrase (which has no place in heraldry).

David Pritchard;57213 wrote:

But this is not the case with mottoes in Greek. I have seen more Greek mottoes in upper and lower caser than those all in upper case.

Good to know

David,

Thank you for you input and for sharing your knowledge.  I was having a heck of a time trying to find the info you posted.

Luckily, I have chosen "The Honor of Virtue" to be my motto.  In either Greek or Latin it is nice and short