Sic semper tyrannis

“Sic semper tyrannis”是一个拉丁语短语，意为“这就是暴君的下场”（thus always to tyrants）。完整的表达可以是“Sic semper evello mortem Tyrannis”（意为“我就要这样消灭暴君。”）。

这句话被欧洲以及世界上其他国家引用，视其为对滥用权力的控诉。它是弗吉尼亚州和阿伦敦市官方格言。约翰·威尔克斯·布斯在刺杀林肯时就高呼这句口号，把林肯比作暴君。

历史

此句常被认为出自马尔库斯·尤利乌斯·布鲁图斯刺杀恺撒的时候说的，但普鲁塔克认为，布鲁图斯没有机会说出这句话，就算他说过也没人听见：

“Caesar thus done to death, the senators, although Brutus came forward as if to say something about what had been done, would not wait to hear him, but burst out of doors and fled, thus filling the people with confusion and helpless fear...”（恺撒就这样死了，虽然布鲁图斯上前像是讲了一些话，元老们也没有听他讲，而是夺门而出，人们心中充满着疑惑与无助的恐惧……）^[1]

美国总统林肯废除奴隶制和南北战争期间，南部的许多人认为林肯违反了宪法和人民的意志，在南方州宣布独立后用战争强迫南部投降，是当代暴君。1865年4月14日，约翰·威尔克斯·布斯在其日记中写道，他枪击林肯后喊出了这句话。^[2]^[3]1995年4月19日俄克拉何马城爆炸案，蒂莫西·詹姆斯·麦克维被捕时身穿印有林肯和这句话的T恤。^[4]

格言

此句由乔治·梅森在1776年建议加入弗吉尼亚公约（英语：Virginia Convention），作为联邦徽章的一部分。弗吉尼亚州徽上，美德的化身手持长矛，脚踏暴君，王冠掉落一旁。此徽由曼森策划，乔治·威思（英语：George Wythe）设计，此人曾参与签署独立宣言，并教授过托马斯·杰斐逊法学。^[5]至少在美国内战之前，弗吉尼亚流行一个笑话，说的是州徽上的“Sic semper tyrannis”的意思是“别把脚放在我的脖子上。”（Get your foot off my neck.）^[6]

参考

^ Plutarch, "Caesar", Plutarch's Lives （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, with an English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1919. ch. 67.
^ Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth. [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2010-12-29）.
^ TimesMachine April 15, 1865 - New York Times. The New York Times. [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2013-04-02）.
^ Kilzer, Lou; Flynn, Kevin. Did McVeigh Plan to get Caught, or was he Sloppy?. Denver Rocky Mountain News. 1997-12-19.
^ Rowland, Kate Mason. The Life of George Mason, 1725-1792. G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1892: 264–265 [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2014-07-02）.
^ von Borcke, Heros. Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. American edition, vol. 62 (New York: Leonard Scott & Co.). April 1866, 99 (606): 462 [21 August 2010]. （原始内容存档于2014-06-29）. ...the coat of arms of the state of Virginia, bearing the motto, Sic semper tyrannis, which the soldiers translated, "Take your foot off my neck", from the action of the principal figure ... representing Liberty, who, with a lance in her right hand, is standing over the conquered and prostrate tyrant, and apparently trampling on him with her heel.

外部链接

Webster entry（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） - audio pronunciation

[1] Plutarch, "Caesar", Plutarch's Lives （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）, with an English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1919. ch. 67.

[2] Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth. [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2010-12-29）.

[3] TimesMachine April 15, 1865 - New York Times. The New York Times. [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2013-04-02）.

[4] Kilzer, Lou; Flynn, Kevin. Did McVeigh Plan to get Caught, or was he Sloppy?. Denver Rocky Mountain News. 1997-12-19.

[5] Rowland, Kate Mason. The Life of George Mason, 1725-1792. G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1892: 264–265 [2013-04-05]. （原始内容存档于2014-07-02）.

[6] von Borcke, Heros. Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. American edition, vol. 62 (New York: Leonard Scott & Co.). April 1866, 99 (606): 462 [21 August 2010]. （原始内容存档于2014-06-29）. ...the coat of arms of the state of Virginia, bearing the motto, Sic semper tyrannis, which the soldiers translated, "Take your foot off my neck", from the action of the principal figure ... representing Liberty, who, with a lance in her right hand, is standing over the conquered and prostrate tyrant, and apparently trampling on him with her heel.

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