Paris' ancient, defiant motto: "FLUCTUAT NEC MERGITUR" - Buffeted by Waves, Yet Still Afloat

[Surya Gayatri]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluctuat_nec_mergitur

Fluctuat nec mergitur (Classical Latin: flvctvat·nec·mergitvr) is a Latin phrase meaning "Tossed but not sunk". The motto has been used since at least 1358 by the city of Paris.

This eternal motto is being sprayed and painted all over the city as we speak.

The illumination included the defiant Latin slogan of Paris, "Fluctuat nec mergitur", meaning "It is buffeted by the waves, yet remains afloat."

"FLUCTUAT NEC MERGITUR" - It means "Shit on Death"

[Cha]

1. Mahalo Surya! Beautiful images~ All kinds of angles.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. I'm SO proud of my adopted city and people right now. They always do

the right thing in the end.

What a brave and resolute contrast compared to the shrill, fear-filled tirades I've been hearing on the US media.
(Morning Scar today, for one example).

[Cha]

5. I bet you are proud.. so much to admire about the resilience of the people of France.

The whole world is sending their healing thoughts and prayers.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. And, they do it all with so much class--that inimitable "je ne sais quoi..."

[Cha]

7. Gotta love the language of France.. French!

"je ne sais quoi..." and joie de vivre.

[n2doc]

2. .

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Thanks, n2doc, hadn't seen that one!

[Cha]

8. And, thank you for this.. I hadn't zeroed in on it yet.. it was a bit overwhelming at first..

this is what you hang on to.. it's so vital.

"Fluctuat nec mergitur", meaning "It is buffeted by the waves, yet remains afloat."

I'll have to post it to my sister on her FB page. She's been to Paris.. and loved it, of course. She has your flag as her avatar now and her and her granddaughter's face superimposed on the flag too.

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Or, "tossed but not sunk", as Wikipedia translates it...

Your sister will like it, for sure!



Interesting story of why a ship is the symbol of Paris. The Vikings or Norsemen or "Normans" (hence Normandy) were the first to sail up the Seine from the North Sea coast and to stake a claim on the small Celtic settlement that was already here. The Seine is Paris' artery.

[Cha]

10. She does! she shared with her daughter.. I posted the words you wrote and both translations..

but, I posted that pic that n2doc gave you. I like that drawing.

lol

[Hekate]

11. This needs a kick

[Surya Gayatri]

14. Hi you! Thanks. Don't you just love Paris' ancient motto and symbol?

Tempest-tossed, but still sailing...

[Hekate]

20. I hope to be able to visit someday!

[Surya Gayatri]

22. She'll always be here to welcome you in all her splendor.

[hifiguy]

12. Thanks for these.

Only been to Paris once, but fell head-over-heels in love with the city and the country.

They survived the Nazis, so there is no doubt Parisians will bravely soldier on after the sad little shitstains of ISIS have vanished beneath the waves of history.

Vive Paris! Vive la France!

[Surya Gayatri]

13. Glad you enjoyed them. Paris est éternelle - elle vit toujours dans l'imaginaire du monde.

Paris is eternal - she lives forever in the imagination of the world.

[Cha]

15. KICK!

[Yorktown]

16. If I may suggest a different translation?

"Merde à la mort" would be "Fuck death" rather than "shit on death"

Otherwise, nice post.

[Surya Gayatri]

17. Yes, I agree, that in a word-for-word translation, F--k death could do more

justice to the mood. However, "que la mort aille se faire foutre" would be a more exact word-for-word rendering of "F--k death". (And, I'm not a partisan of the 'F' word).

Wanted the idea of Parisians taking a massive dump on the death cult of Da'esh.

[Yorktown]

18. Second translation disagreement ;)

For "que la mort aille se faire foutre", I would suggest "death can go f** itself".

Oh, well, nitpicking for fun.

[babylonsister]

19. Whoa, Parisians are

living up to their motto! I love it; merci beaucoup!

[Surya Gayatri]

23. The "bras d'honneur" is Parisians' favorite "attitude" to authority.

Here's the back story:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027349115#post19

[suffragette]

21. The City of Love can not be drowned by hate.

K&R

[Surya Gayatri]

24. Never, ever. Remember the "Bridge of Love" - also known as the "Pont des Arts"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_des_Arts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_lock