Sic semper tyrannis

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Great Seal of Virginia with the state motto.

Sic Semper tyrannis is a Latin phrase meaning "thus ever (or always) to tyrants." Recommended by George Mason to the Virginia Convention in 1776, the phrase is attributed to Marcus Junius Brutus^[1] at the assassination of Julius Caesar. It is sometimes mistranslated as "Death to tyrants." It is the state motto of Virginia in the United States (and also that of the USS Virginia). The Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia shows Virtue, sword in hand, with her foot on the prostrate form of Tyranny, whose crown lies nearby. The Seal was designed by George Wythe, who signed the United States Declaration of Independence and taught law to Thomas Jefferson. The phrase is also the motto of the U.S. city Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, and is referenced in the official state song of Maryland.

1 Meaning
2 Modern use
3 Use in media
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Meaning

The meaning of Sic Semper Tyrannis is that tyrants will always get what they deserve. As seen in the Virginia state seal Virtue has slain the "tyrant".

[edit] Modern use

According to some witnesses and an excerpt from John Wilkes Booth's diary, he is said to have shouted the phrase after shooting United States President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Coincidentally, both his father and his brother's names were Junius Brutus.

Timothy McVeigh was wearing a T-shirt with this phrase and a picture of Lincoln on it when he was arrested on April 19, 1995, the day of the Oklahoma City Bombing.^[2]

[edit] Use in media

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In an episode of Seinfeld ("The Pilot"), Jerry Seinfeld finishes his monologue at the taping of his new show Jerry only to be interrupted by "Crazy" Joe Davola who yells, "Sic semper tyrannis!" (incorrectly translated by Jerry as "Death to tyrants") and then jumps off the audience bleachers and onto the set in an attempt to attack Jerry.

The phrase has been used as the title for politically motivated songs. Virginia rock band Mae wrote a song for their August 2007 album Singularity entitled "Sic Semper Tyrannis". Progressive metal band Architect used the title in their January 2007 album, All Is Not Lost.

The phrase was also used in the episode I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills of The Venture Bros. by Monarch Henchman #21.

The sketch comedy troupe the Whitest Kids U'Know used the phrase when John Wilkes Booth jumped onto Abraham Lincoln's balcony at Ford's Theatre and started throwing random objects at him in a satirical sketch about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The phrase is also used by the Whitest Kids U'Know as the password for a group that meets underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at midnight on fridays in the sketch "It's Illegal to say."

Richmond based Punk Hardcore band Strike Anywhere abbreviated the phrase for a song name on their debut full-length album Change is a Sound. The band later released a T-shirt with the phrase in full printed on the front.

A modified version of the phrase is used the sixth episode of Clerks the Animated Series, Dante claims that a grudge against the Golden Girls would be nothing but trouble, to which Randal replies "I regret nothing! Sic Semper Bea Arthur!"

In the movie Bedazzled there is a scene where Elliot (played by Brendan Fraser) makes a wish to be the President of the United States. The Devil makes him Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre on the night of his assassination. He is seated in the "State Box" and Alison reveals that they will be watching Our American Cousin. Elliot realizes that this is exactly where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and he starts searching for his pager to cancel the wish. John Wilkes Booth emerges behind him, he pulls the hammer back on his pistol and yells "Sic semper tyrannis!", Elliot signals for him to hold on a second while he dials 666 on his pager to cancel the wish, then just as the wish is being cancelled he signals him to shoot so that he doesn't accidentally distort history.

In the video game "Mass Effect" on Noveria when Commander Shepard is asked for a password in order to authorize blowing up the hotlabs, the player can either choose to say the real password, or have Shepard quietly mutter "Sic semper tyrannis".