Titvs Classics delivers the Latin word of the week along with questions to engage with your kids on how the word is used, what it means, and how it influences our English Language today. Sign up for our Newsletter today!
Fortis– Brave
This week’s word of the week isFortis. It means valiant, strong, powerful, brave, steadfast, sturdy. It is Nom. 2nd Declension.
Bravery
What is Bravery? The movies give us an idea. They give us a hero who goes into harm’s way without a second glance. They show someone willing to sacrifice it all with a determination as solid as rock.
Roman Bravery is a key theme to the culture of Rome. Romans were obsessed with Bravery
– Gladiators anyone?
In past Latin Word of the Week editions, I have talked about Roman Values, one was Virtus – Bravery. Virtus is specific to male bravery and military bravery.
When researching what the Roman’s thought about Bravery, there was always a second virtue that was tied to bravery – Duty.
Romans had a deep deep sense of duty to their country and to their values. Bravery was not just acts of valor, but were displays of commitment and duty to their country and culture. They valued Rome and the values of Rome above their own welfare and even their life.
Bravery without Duty?
So this leads me to ask a question – Can you have bravery without duty?
Perhaps we don’t feel duty to our country in the same was as the Romans – but can one be brave without a sense of duty to something?
I only ask this because our culture is becoming increasingly self-absorbed. We only have duty to ourselves. – If we only have duty to ourselves, can we be brave? or will we always run away out of self-perseverance?
I think we know answer, because our culture is becoming increasingly afraid. Not many stand up for what is right anymore. Some of us, don’t even stand up for ourselves our of fear.
The news today is all about Niki Minaj. I know. I’m as shocked as you that her name is in one of my newsletters…isn’t this about Latin?
If you are still catching up, Niki tweeted a warning about a possible side effect of ….well…the jab. I want to link an article to you guys about it – but honestly, they are all cringe worthy so you will have to google it yourself.
Since tweeting that people should think and pray about getting the vaquine, the star has been banned from twitter and made fun of on every possible platform out there.
I don’t know what duty is motiving her. But she is clearly being brave here, and for her, the stakes are truly high.
I have to ask myself this question – what am I willing to sacrifice for what I know is right? I think many of us (Christians) – have known in the back of our heads that a day would come when we would be asked to make sacrifices. But I don’t know if any of us really know what that means. It’s not as black and white as I think many of us may have thought it would be.
Where is our sense of duty? Is it to our country? our family? our LORD?
How will we be Brave? Steadfast? Powerful? Strong? Valiant?
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