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. Virginia state seal Source http://usa. ... Virginia state seal Source http://usa. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... For other persons named George Mason, see George Mason (disambiguation). ... The Virginia Conventions were a series of five political meetings in the state of Virginia in response to British colonial rule. ... For other uses, see 1776 (disambiguation). ... Marcus Junius Brutus (85–42 BC), or Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, was a Roman senator of the late Roman Republic. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... USS Virginia (SSN-774) is a United States Navy attack submarine, the lead ship of her class and the tenth ship of that Navy to be named for the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... In May of 1776 the colony of Virginia declared its independence from England. ... Personification of virtue (Greek ἀρετή) in Celsus Library in Ephesos, Turkey Virtue (Latin virtus; Greek ) is moral excellence of a person. ... This page is about the religious concept of Tyranny. ... George Wythe George Wythe (1726 – June 8, 1806), was a lawyer, a judge, a prominent law professor and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. ... The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were Free and Independent States and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Nickname: Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis Pennsylvanias location in the United States Allentowns location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Lehigh Founded 1762 Government  - Mayor Ed Pawlowski Area  - City  18. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The Great Seal of Maryland Maryland, My Maryland is the official state song of Maryland. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N...

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".

Modern use

According to some witnesses[2] and an excerpt from John Wilkes Booth's diary[3], 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.[4] John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, at Fords Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. ... Assassination of Abraham Lincoln From left to right: Major Henry Rathbone, Clara Harris, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, and John Wilkes Booth. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... Year 1865 (MDCCLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Photo of Booth Junius Brutus Booth (May 1, 1796–November 30, 1852) was a British and American actor. ... Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. ...

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] McVeigh redirects here. ... T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the U.S. government in which the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed in an office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ...

Use in media

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. Seinfeld is an Emmy Award-winning American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989 to May 14, 1998, running a total of 9 seasons. ... The Pilot, Part 2 is the sixty-fourth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. ...

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. For other uses, see Mae (disambiguation). ... Singularity is the tentative title of Maes third full-length release and their major label debut. ... Progressive metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music which blends the powerful, guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex compositional structures, odd time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing of progressive rock. ... Architect is an American technical metal/mathcore band from Syracuse, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

In The Venture Bros episode I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills Monarch Henchman #21 attempts to use this phrase but ends up saying "semper fi tyrannosaurus." The Venture Bros. ... The current version of this article or section is written in an informal style and with a personally invested tone. ...

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." This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, at Fords Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... Fords Theatre at 511 10th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. is an active theatre in Washington DC, United States, used for various performances. ... Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject (individuals, organizations, states) often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... Assassin and Assassins redirect here. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

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. Strike Anywhere is a melodic hardcore band from Richmond, Virginia. ... Change is A Sound is a punk rock album by the band Strike Anywhere, released in 2001. ...

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!" Dante Hicks (played by Brian OHalloran) in the movie Dante Hicks (Born 1972) is a fictional character and one of the protagonists in Kevin Smiths View Askewniverse, played by Brian OHalloran. ... Dante Hicks (left) and Randal (right) Randal Graves (b. ...

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. Bedazzled is a 2000 motion picture, and is a remake of the original Bedazzled (1967) originally written by Peter Cook. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... Fords Theatre at 511 10th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. is an active theatre in Washington DC, United States, used for various performances. ... This article is about the play. ... John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, at Fords Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. ... This article is about the year AD 666. ...

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". This article is about the video game. ...

References

This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Webster entry - audio pronunciation