Help Translating a Phrase

[jgcooper]

Hi,

there's a certain phrase i'd like to translate into latin, but my skills turned out not be so good, i've only managed to figured out a few scattered words, which might even be wrong, here's how the phrase goes:

"my ideals are my spear, my convictions are my shield"

i cant think of a plural for "idealis", but turned 'convictions' into "convictiones". for 'shield' i used 'scutum', though for 'spear' i'm not sure which word to use.
what i got to was:

"idealis(pl) mei sunt mea lancea, convictiones scutum"

which is probably awful.

thanks already!

[Kasper]

I find ‘ideals’ a bit hard to translate. Idealis is more an adjective derived from ‘idea’, which is quite rare and late latin, and means something like ‘idea-like’. If you want to use it, the plural is Ideae.

I’ve used consectatio instead, which means something that you vigorously strive after, or pursue. Studium is also an option, which is something you quite eagerly desire or strive after.

for spear i have used 'pilum', whcih is more a spear for throwing about. I basically just like the '-um' ending of it opposed to that of 'scutum'. Hasta or lancea also are valid translations. Does anyone known what exactly are the differences between these (and other) words for 'spear'?

I’ve also left out the word ‘my’ three times. It just seemed ugly in latin to use it 4 times in a sentence. It’s pretty well implied I think.

For convictions I have used ‘decretum’, which has the meaning of a doctrine, or principle that you adhere to with some resolve.

“consectationes meae sunt pilum, decreta scutum.â€￾

or

“studia mea sunt pilum, decreta scutum.â€￾

[jgcooper]

gratias tibi ago

ideals, is meant as something which is aimed for, in some way.
and convictions, as to what to stick to.
i think that works.

[ptolemyauletes]

How about something like this? Latin will tend to avoid abstractions, so a verb like credo along with an ablative adverbial phrase to denote the ideals and convictions. There is alos some balance and contrast in this phrase.

in rebus bonis hastae, scuto in extremis credo.