Vi veri universum vivus vici

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (August 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Vi veri universum vivus vici is a Latin phrase meaning: "By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."

The phrase may also be written Vi veri veniversum vivus vici.

This Quote is often attributed to Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, where it appeared supposedly as Vi veri ueniversum vivus vici, however no direct citation has been found. Note that v was first the consonantal u, and was written the same before the two forms became distinct, and also after in many cases, when u and v were both capitalized as V: thus, Veniversum. Also, universum is sometimes quoted with the form ueniversum (or Veniversum), which is presumably a combination of universum and oeniversum (two classically-attested spellings). The 'V' sounds are properly pronounced as English 'W' sounds in Classical Latin pronunciation. Ecclesial Latin uses Italianate pronunciation, retaining the English-style "v" sound.

Aleister Crowley took this phrase as his magickal motto as a "Magister Templi".

The phrase has recently been made popular by the motion picture V for Vendetta, where the phrase is embossed onto the surface of a mirror in V's house. In the movie version, the main character credits the phrase only to Faust. In the original graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, on which the movie is based, the quote is attributed to "a German gentleman named Dr. John Faust."