Latin question

[Daniel]

What is the difference between "ae" and "oe"?  For example, I sometimes see "heaven" spelled "caelum" and other times spelled "coelum".  Are they interchangeable?

Also, just making sure, but the "ae" and "oe" are interchangeable with the "æ" and "œ" ligatures, correct?

[Ancilla Domini]

No, they are not interchangeable. In Classical Latin ae and oe represent two different sounds. Caelus was the Classical Latin word for heaven. In the Middle Ages these two sounds merged such that they were pronounced the same way. As a result medieval scribes sometimes confused the two.

As for the ligature, that is a medieval writing convention. Some scribes used it and some did not. But you will not find it in Classical Latin, except where later scribes have imposed it in copying texts from the Classical period.

[drummerboy]

No, they are not interchangeable. In Classical Latin ae and oe represent two different sounds. Caelus was the Classical Latin word for heaven. In the Middle Ages these two sounds merged such that they were pronounced the same way. As a result medieval scribes sometimes confused the two.

As for the ligature, that is a medieval writing convention. Some scribes used it and some did not. But you will not find it in Classical Latin, except where later scribes have imposed it in copying texts from the Classical period.

But the devil made them do it... lol!

[perdurabit]

Funny....oe and ae are still distinctly different and the ligatures still used in English English.  As in onomatopoeia and mediaeval.

They're also still used in classical Latin on this side of the Atlantic.

[Mono no aware]

How does one say "all things will be restored in Christ" in Latin?  Instaurare omnia in Christo, I think, means "to restore all things in Christ."  I need to know how to say "all things will be restored."

Thank you.

[Jayne]

How does one say "all things will be restored in Christ" in Latin?  Instaurare omnia in Christo, I think, means "to restore all things in Christ."  I need to know how to say "all things will be restored."

Thank you.

Instaurabunt omnia in Christo.

[Mono no aware]

How does one say "all things will be restored in Christ" in Latin?  Instaurare omnia in Christo, I think, means "to restore all things in Christ."  I need to know how to say "all things will be restored."

Thank you.

Instaurabunt omnia in Christo.

Not your fault at all, but that is such a disappointing answer.  Instaurabunt?  It's so flat-sounding.  It does me no good.  I think I'm going to have the character say "instaurare," even though it's grammatically not quite correct.  But thank you for the help.

[Jayne]

Do you like "instaurent" better?  That is the present subjunctive and you could translate it, "May all things be restored."

[Mono no aware]

Do you like "instaurent" better?  That is the present subjunctive and you could translate it, "May all things be restored."

That does improve it slightly, but a vowel ending has a more pleasing, Mediterranean ring to it.  -Ent and -bunt are harsh and flat to the ear.  Blunt.

[Jayne]

I just realized that I should have changed the verb to passive voice, so it should be "instaurabuntur".  If you want it to end in a vowel, perhaps you could do something with the imperative.

[Mono no aware]

I just realized that I should have changed the verb to passive voice, so the it should be "instaurabuntur".  If you want it to end in a vowel, perhaps you could do something with the imperative.

By imperative, would that be something like "all things must be restored in Christ?"  Because that would work.  Certainly if it ends in a vowel.

[Jayne]

The imperative would be "Instaurate omnia in Christo" - "Restore all things in Christ".

Or you could say "Instaurari in Christo omnia debent" to get "All things must be restored in Christ".  That's the passive infinitive form. I dare say you will like it.

[Mono no aware]

The imperative would be "Instaurate omnia in Christo" - "Restore all things in Christ".

Or you could say "Instaurari in Christo omnia debent" to get "All things must be restored in Christ".  That's the passive infinitive form. I dare say you will like it.

The "debent" ruins it.  I'm going to go with "instaurate."  Thank you for seeing this through.

Could "omnia" come first in the sentence if I'm using the imperative?  "Omnia instaurate in Christo"?

[Jayne]

Could "omnia" come first in the sentence if I'm using the imperative?  "Omnia instaurate in Christo"?

Yes.

[Maximilian]

I just realized that I should have changed the verb to passive voice, so the it should be "instaurabuntur".  If you want it to end in a vowel, perhaps you could do something with the imperative.

By imperative, would that be something like "all things must be restored in Christ?"  Because that would work.  Certainly if it ends in a vowel.

I think you're probably trying to find a construction similar to "Carthago delenda est!"

Wikipedia says about it: "The phrase employs delendum, the gerundive of the verb deleo, "to destroy".[2] The gerundive (or future passive participle) delendus is a verbal adjective that may be translated as "to be destroyed". When combined with a form of the verb sum ("to be"), it adds an element of compulsion or necessity, yielding "is to be destroyed", or, as it is more commonly rendered "must be destroyed". The gerundive delendus functions as a predicative adjective in this construction,[3] which is known as a passive periphrastic. Carthago being a feminine noun, the feminine gender delenda of the gerundive is applied. The fuller forms Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam or Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem esse delendam use the so-called accusative and infinitive for the indirect statement."

So perhaps: "Omnia Instaurando Est!"