Command orders in battles

[Gaia]

Does anyone know what do the roman officers say when you order them to for example march forward? Sometimes they say something like "legio parati" and I wonder what are the other latin orders...

[Friar Chris]

Sorry to necro this, but it's actually interesting and educational (in my opinion, anyway!). OP (and any others who still might be interested), here are some examples explained:


'Legio Parati!' literally means 'Legion ready!', as in '[the] Legion [stands] ready!'. It's used as an acknowledgement when you click the units to indicate they're awaiting orders, essentially. Not sure if I recall correctly, but there might be a variant wherein they say 'Cohors Parati' also, which is the same but means more specifically '[this] Cohort [stands] ready!', referring to the single cohort of troops within a legion.

(I'm actually unsure why the inflection of paratus is 'parati' in this case - as I understand, legio is female singular noun, whilst 'parati' ending in -ti is the masculine singular genitive or masculine plural nominative inflection, so if any Latin buffs could clarify for me, it'd be appreciated)


'Mandata tua' means 'Your Orders'. Depending on the context it could be meant in two slightly different ways. If it was asked questioningly when you selected a unit, it would mean '[what are] your orders?', but I think in Rome II it's said when you give an order, so it's an acknowledgement meaning '[by] your orders!'

'Sic domine!' is another one that they say when acknowledging your orders, and it's as if a Centurion or Legate was answering you directly: 'Domine' is the vocative (addressing you - 'Sir!') of 'Dominus' - lord, commander, or - in this case - best translated simply as 'Sir'. 'Sic domine!' is essentially the Latin equivalent of a simple 'Yes Sir!'. 'Sic' actually means a variety of things, and in this case means somethings along the lines of a poetic 'In that way' or 'Thusly' as in '[it will be done] in that way [which you have ordered], Sir', but in practical translation, 'Yes Sir' is the best equivalent to the sentiment expressed by the two-word Latin phrase 'Sic domine!'.

Sometimes, the Gladiator units respond 'Morituri te salutamus'. It means 'We, who are about to die, salute you', and is a present-tense adaptation of the oft-quoted historical line said by gladiators to Augustus in the arena before they commenced their fighting.



I can't think of any others in Rome II off the top of my head right now, but I'm sure others can remember some. I'm happy to translate further if there aren't any more experienced Latin-writers around.

[Friar Chris]

I've found a few more when playing yesterday that I had forgotten:


'Oboediamus!' is often exclaimed by troops (Generals Bodyguards and Cavalry, often) when given an order, and simply means 'We Obey!' - in fact, these troops seem to vary between this and English voice responses that do literally say 'We Obey!'; it's the same Voice Actor but saying it variably in Latin and English!


'Ordinem!' is another one them comes when an order is given to your troops, and is actually quite hard for me to translate directly into this thread: it's the (wait for this) first-person present active subjunctive singular of 'Ordino', which is the verb to arrange, make happen or set in order. There isn't a good one/two-word English translation of what this one response in Latin means, but it can be considered as the office saying 'Let me make it so!' - less so much a question as a statement of poetic acknowledgement. Perhaps the best way of understanding it would be to consider it much like a more modern phrase: 'Let's go!' or 'Let's do it!' in the sense that it's actually an indirect command, but in this case instead of 'Let us', the Centurio is using the first person. As such, he's practically saying 'I will make it so!'.

[Octavius Vatco]

I think the "Sic, Domine" better means as "As you wish, Sir." Since Sic does not literally mean yes in Classical Latin.

[Friar Chris]

I think the "Sic, Domine" better means as "As you wish, Sir." Since Sic does not literally mean yes in Classical Latin.

It doesn't mean it literally, no, but the best translation (and not transliteration) is 'Yes Sir'. In the context it almost undoubtedly translates to modern English in such a way, but you're not wrong in that if we were to look at the literal Latin it is more poetic, along the lines of:

'In that way, Sir' or 'Thusly, sir' - as in '[it shall be done] in that way [which you have ordered], Sir'.


It's very floral and poetic, but the most appropriate translation for the military context and what the officer means is, accordingly, 'Yes, Sir'. It's not really appropriate to write it out as a longer, more complicated translation in this example; the fact it's a quick Latin phrase of two words and two syllables total would suggest that, though the way 'Sic' is used in this context to draw from its implicit meaning, the actual meaning of the man saying 'Sic' was effectively in translation an acknowledgement of orders in the affirmative, and not an attempt to be a Roman poet

[Octavius Vatco]

I learned something there Friar Chris...

[Friar Chris]

I learned something there Friar Chris...

I don't mean to be condescending, but I do find it very interesting.