General writing etiquette question

[hazel43]

The Prioress is a character in the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer. She was a nun wearing a broach on which was written "A, Amor* vincit omnia." According to the book, this is French for love conquers all. I would like to use it as a quote in my posts. My question is, should it be cited as being said by The Prioress, or by Chaucer?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Latin mottoes are pretty much public domain. I don't think you need to reference the quote.

---dr.M.

 

[Weird Harold]

I would like to use it as a quote in my posts. My question is, should it be cited as being said by The Prioress, or by Chaucer?

I agree with Dr. M.

I think if you researched it a bit, you'd find that a "proper" attribution for the first time that phrase was used in print would turn up some obscure Roman that Chaucer stole it from.

 

[hazel43]

She may have lived between 1360 and 1400.

 

[BlackShanglan]

So you're saying she's out of copyright?

Shanglan

 

[snooper]

So you're saying she's out of copyright?

Shanglan

The Latin tag was at least 1500 years out of copyright when Chaucer used it, let alone now.

 

[oggbashan]

Virgil said it

Virgil (70-19 BC) wrote it down in his Aeneid, but inverted as:

"Omnia vincit Amor: et nos cedemus Amori."

Love carries all before him: we too must yield to Love.

Virgil didn't claim he invented it. It has been found inscribed on Roman rings.

Probably some Greek said it first...

Og

 

[Guest]

French/Latin, it's all Greek to me.

Says she who was forced to study latin for three years at grammar school.

Ecce!

That's about all I remember.

Lou