As it is impossible to imagine the life of a metropolis without a traffic light regulating the movement of cars and pedestrians, it is impossible to imagine a civilized society without rules and norms that allow building relationships between people with different needs, views and beliefs. About the importance of laws, about the statement "Dura Lex Sed Lex" (how this phrase is translated), the proposed article will tell.
Authorship of winged expression
In the picture above, you can read the most common version of the translation. The phrase Dura lex sed lex is translated from Latin into Russian in this way. Its origin is unknown, but most often the author is called the politician, philosopher and orator of Ancient Rome during the transition from the republic to tyranny - Cicero. Thanks to this man, his literary heritage, I c. BC e. known to scholars and history connoisseurs. Cicero is famous not only for his brilliant political career and for upholding the ideals of the republican system, but also for his excellent oratory practice in the courts of ancient Rome.
His fate, unfortunately, is tragic. Betrayed by his disciples, he fell at the hands of killers sent by sworn enemy Mark Anthony. Once he uttered the famous phrase: Dura lex sed lex (translation from Latin is presented above), but at the same time allegedly told Octavian Augustus, who appointed him an honorary tribune, that there are exceptions. This refers to the fact that Cicero for such a high rank was not a representative of a noble family. After his death, Octavian himself repeated the statement about the exception, expressing his attitude to the execution of the philosopher.
Why the phrase was born in ancient Rome
The life of society, in fact, is governed by morality and law, the norms of which were formulated by early civilizations. So, Ancient Greece is considered the progenitor of modern art. Humanity is grateful to the Jews for the development of universal values. Ancient Rome is a recognized leader in the development of legislative norms that have become the basis of the modern world legal system. This is confirmed by the fact that in the buildings of Russian courts in prominent places you can read the phrase that has become almost universally recognized: Dura lex sed lex . Translation from Latin is sometimes not required, people understand what is at stake.
Future lawyers are studying Roman law without fail, for it laid the foundations of public and private legislation. Its main principles are as follows:
- A state is a kind of agreement between citizens of a country to resolve legal issues with the help of previously adopted rules, achieved through consensus.
- Justice is needed, the achievement of which is due to the existence of parliament, the election of its members and their accountability to the people, the creation of a system of checks and balances, etc.
Literal translation
Let's get back to the expression itself. If you try to search the dictionary for each individual word, you get the following:
- Dura - "cruel, tough, harsh."
- Lex has the sole meaning of "law."
- Sed is a union more often used in the meaning of "and" than "but."
So, Dura lex sed lex is Latin. The translation of the phrase can be interpreted both in the generally accepted and in the following statement: “The law is cruel, for the law” (it always restricts people and can be severe in relation to them). Another option is also possible: “A cruel law is a law” (it acts, despite the behavior of a particular person, desire or unwillingness to fulfill it).
The main interpretation
Why is the generally accepted translation considered the only true one? He was born after analyzing a number of sources and winged expressions that have come down from ancient Roman times. What is the meaning of the Romans in the statement: Dura lex sed lex ? Translation from Latin allows you to draw the following conclusions:
- The law is obligatory for everyone, for it is the law.
- When defining responsibilities, he implies responsibility.
- Ignorance of the rule of law is not a reason to violate them.
- No matter how harsh laws may appear in relation to a specific person, they are still created for the good of society.
- If the legal norms are not severe, they will not reduce respect and may be violated by individual citizens. Then their creation will not have its original meaning.
Free interpretations
In modern society, where the law is often compared with the drawbar, one can find other interpretations of the phrase Dura lex sed lex . Translation from Latin in this case interests people only formally. A completely different meaning is embedded in the expression.
At the state level, one can cite the example of the ban on entry into Ukraine of Russians who visited Crimea. So, for this reason, actress E. Yakovlev and the participants of the play "Territory of Love" were not allowed in, breaking the tour. The main argument was precisely the law. Then why does the “Time Machine” appear in the neighboring republic, although A. Makarevich has definitely been to the Crimea? Is it the loyalty to the current authorities, and not the law itself?
Among the majors in Russia there is such an interpretation of the catch phrase: "Stupid laws - for suckers!" Ordinary citizens about this category of society also respond impartially, emphasizing that it’s useless to write laws for fools. And only with the coincidence of life circumstances and legal norms is a person able to put the generally accepted meaning into the disassembled expression.
Finally
Many would like the legislation to be perfect, and the Latin phrase have its true meaning. The more exceptions are required, the more likely it is to fall under them. As happened in the life of the author of the statement, Mark Tullius Cicero.