Help translating an epigram

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aorange
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Help translating an epigram

Post by aorange »

Hi everyone, I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to help me translate Oscar Wilde's famous epigram "I can resist anything but temptation" to Latin? This is not for a homework or anything similar, promise =)

aorange
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Re: Help translating an epigram

Post by aorange »

Nobody?? :(
Google translate returns "Resistere Numquid non temptatio" but I doubt this is very reliable.. and then I came across "Nisi omni tentationi resistere" resist everything except temptation?

mwh
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Re: Help translating an epigram

Post by mwh »

Google translations are good for a giggle, not much else yet.

Here's a quick shot: Nulli rei non possum resistere nisi quae me illiciat.

Or as an iambic verse: Nil non resisto, nisi quod gratum mi fiat.

But since Wilde plays on the English catchphrase of resisting temptation, it doesn't really work in Latin.

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Smythe
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Re: Help translating an epigram

Post by Smythe »

Ūllum rem resistere possum nisi temptātionī.

or converserly

Omnia resistere possum nisi temptātionī.

That's me winging it as well. There're prolly some special rules about the use of ullus, nisi, and the dative of tempatio that I am unfamiliar with. But hey, if you're just getting a tatoo, it's good enough. It's only mostly forever. :D

-s

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Smythe
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Re: Help translating an epigram

Post by Smythe »

Actually, this would prolly be better than my other two suggestions:

Omnia resistere possum praeter temptātionem (it removes my nagging doubts about using the dative case for temptation).

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