At the HSBC Bank in Shanghai, China, there is a board/panel in the building with the following Latin words :
Historia
Probitas
Fortitudo
Scienta
Prudentia
Ordinatio
Terperantia
Aequitas
Philosophia
Subtilitas
Iustitia
Labour
Vertitas
Sapientia
Fides
Experientia
1). What do these words mean ?
2). Is there any significance in these words being together ?
Thanking you in advance for any replies to this post.
Historia : History
Probitas : Honesty
Fortitudo : Strongness?
Scienta : Science?
Prudentia : Prudence
Ordinatio : Rule, order
Terperantia : ?
Aequitas : Equity
Philosophia : philosophy
Subtilitas : Under title (Subtitle, Real meaning?)
Iustitia : Justice
Labour : Work
Vertitas : ?
Sapientia : wisdom, knowledge
Fides : Faith, promise, word of honor
Experientia : Experience
There you go…
I find the presence of these in a bank rather confusing, it has to be said. Are these the things they avoid?
Anyway, I think it goes as follows, but be careful as some of these words were not current in classical latin or their meaning changed a bit over time.
Historia : History
Probitas : Honesty
Fortitudo : Bravery
Scienta : Knowledge
Prudentia : Prudence
Ordinatio : Rank
Terperantia : Temperantia = balance
Aequitas : Equity
Philosophia : Philosophy
Subtilitas : Subtlety
Iustitia : Justice
Labour : Work
Vertitas : Truth
Sapientia : Wisdom
Fides : Faith
Experientia : Experience
It was once commonplace to include personifications of virtues in the decorations of public and semi-public buildings; for instance, railroad stations. Possibly this list is something similar?
I have to wonder whether you made a type or this bank actually spelled labor, veritas, scientia, and temperantia incorrectly in a public place…the latter would be quite unfortunate.
Historia : History
Probitas : Probity (a good word)
Fortitudo : Fortitude
Scienta (Scientia*) : Knowledge
Prudentia : Prudence
Ordinatio : Order
Terperantia (Temperantia*) : Moderation (Temperamentum “temperament” would seem more pertinent though)
Aequitas : Equality
Philosophia : Philosophy, pursuit of knowledge
Subtilitas : Finesse
Iustitia : Justice
Labour (Labor*) : Labor
Vertitas (Veritas*) : Truth
Sapientia : Wisdom
Fides : Faith/Trust/Loyalty
Experientia : Experience
Nice renderings. It was pointed out by Vincent earlier in the thread that “terperantia” is just a mispelling for “temperantia”.
-S.