Haec ornamenta mea
Gracchi, by Noël Hallé (1779, Musée Fabre
)Haec ornamenta mea is a
Gracchi brothers (Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus). When women friends questioned Cornelia about her mode of dress and personal adornment, which was far more simple and understated than was usual for a wealthy Roman woman of her rank and station, Cornelia indicated her two sons and said this famous locution.[3]
The original text differs slightly, since in reality Valerius Maximus wrote: haec ... ornamenta sunt mea.[1][2]
The phrase is used by some writers to dedicate a book to their dearest relatives.[4]
References
- ^ a b (in Latin) Original text at The Latin Library.
- ^ a b (in Latin) Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri IX, IV, IV, incipit.
- ^ a b Anton, Charles; Adams, Francis (1847). A Classical Dictionary. New York City: Harper. p. 376.
- ^ For example: "this book is lovingly dedicated to my wife Irene and my daughter Maria — haec sunt ornamenta mea" or "Haec+sunt+ornamenta+mea"%22&pg=PR1 "In honor of my children and my grandchildren / “Haec sunt ornamenta mea”".