Talk:De mortuis nil nisi bonum

Death C‑class Mid‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Death, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Death on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.DeathWikipedia:WikiProject DeathTemplate:WikiProject DeathDeath articles
C	This article has been given a rating which conflicts with the project-independent quality rating in the banner shell. Please resolve this conflict if possible.
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Classical Greece and Rome Mid‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Classical Greece and Rome, a group of contributors interested in Wikipedia's articles on classics. If you would like to join the WikiProject or learn how to contribute, please see our project page. If you need assistance from a classicist, please see our talk page.Classical Greece and RomeWikipedia:WikiProject Classical Greece and RomeTemplate:WikiProject Classical Greece and RomeClassical Greece and Rome articles
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Latin Low‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Latin, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Latin on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.LatinWikipedia:WikiProject LatinTemplate:WikiProject LatinLatin articles
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the importance scale.

Lawrence of Arabia[edit]

The most accessible use of this Latin phrase in the 20th and early 21st centuries (in its most abbreviated form, "nil nisi bonum") is likely in the opening sequence of David Lean's epic film Lawrence of Arabia.

Although Lean takes certain liberties with the truth (in part necessitated by the nature of the cinematic medium, in part to create a hero required for an immensely popular entertainment product) this up-front commentary on Lawrence's contribution to history is quite in keeping with actual early 20th century judgment of T.E.L.'s deeds and misdeeds. More is the pity, though, that it was disguised for the eyes (ears) of most viewers, save those who could count Latin among their studies.

Greg Hecht 26 Dec 05

Translation[edit]

One suspects a bar-room joke here, too, for the classical scholar: De Malt uisghe Nil ni Sybarum en ce bar-room. 210.50.72.93 07:29, 19 December 2006 (UTC) Ian Ison[reply]

A more proper literal translation might be "nothing but good is (ever) spoken of the dead," but I will defer.

Bileman 15:03, 16 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I think a decent literal translation would actually be "Nothing except good should be spoken about the dead." --Dd42 (talk) 01:35, 5 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I know it in a different form, which one is accurate now? "De mortuis nihil nisi bene"--87.169.3.64 (talk) 20:02, 8 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Both are correct, and both are in use. "nil nisi bene" is adverbial, as in "do not speak but well", while "nil nisi bonum" would be "speak nothing if not a good thing". Both versions get more than 100 hits on google books even in publications older than 1850, so it is completely pointless to maintain a lengthy "list of uses" on this page, the phrase used to be ubiquitous at least throughout the 19th century. --dab (𒁳) 07:12, 26 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Included a reference[edit]

There is now a single reference in the article, for the 15th century Latin translation of Diogenes' Laertius. (I also found a public domain, free to use, photo image of the 1473 edition, which I might try to upload.)

I wrote the prior comment last year (2012), but forgot to sign my name at the time. Also, I will correct the reference to ASU Library, which is showing some strange red font error. I think it is due to the citation template having multiple author field or title values. I will fix it. --FeralOink (talk) 06:57, 12 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

A suggestion[edit]

Perhaps this page should be moved, or linked to an entry on the Wikipedia sister site for quotations? I think the website is Wikiquote. --FeralOink (talk) 06:09, 28 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Say nothing I'll of the dead, but the truth.[edit]

I've found this longer version on the Russian part of the net, and was curious if this is true or if it is just fake media. Essentially, it changes the meaning, as, in Russian, it is structured this way: "О мертвых либо хорошо, либо ничего.", which translates as: "About the dead, you either say good, or nothing". With the addition of the part "but thruth", it changes the meaning quite a lot. 178.168.35.219 (talk) 06:38, 5 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]