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''"Ave, Imperator, morituri te salutant"'' ("Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you") is a well-known Latin phrase quoted in Suetonius, ''De Vita Caesarum'' ("The Life of the Caesars", or "The Twelve Caesars").〔Suetonius, ''De Vita Caesarum: Divus Claudius'', 21.6〕 It was used during an event in AD 52 on Lake Fucinus by naumachiarii—captives and criminals fated to die fighting during mock naval encounters—in the presence of the emperor Claudius. Suetonius reports that Claudius replied ''"Aut non"'' ("or not"). Variant wordings include ''"Ave Caesar"'' and ''"Nos morituri te salutamus"'' —the latter in the 1st person ("We who are about to die salute you")〔Greek text cited with French translation at (): (Dion Cassius, Histoire Romaine LX ) (33) (Translated by E. Gros)〕—and a response in 15th century texts of ''"Avete vos"'' ("Fare you well"). Despite its popularization in later times, the phrase is not recorded elsewhere in Roman history, and it is questionable whether it was ever a customary salute. It was more likely an isolated appeal by desperate captives and criminals condemned to die, and noted by Roman historians in part for the unusual mass reprieve granted to the survivors. == Historical source material == The source material comes from the works of three Roman historians, who were all born after the events of 52 AD. Suetonius (c. 69–75 to after 130, probably writing around AD 121),〔Michael Grant (1979) Introduction to the Penguin Classics edition of ''The Twelve Caesars''〕 and Cassius Dio (around 155–164 to after 229, probably writing 200–22)〔(【引用サイトリンク】author=Earnest Cary )〕 both wrote about the event and quoted the phrase. Tacitus (c. 56–117, writing from around 98 to 117)〔(【引用サイトリンク】year=1925–37 )〕 mentions the event but does not quote the phrase. The first known record of the phrase is in the writings of Suetonius: : Even when he () was on the point of letting out the water from Lake Fucinus he gave a sham sea-fight first. But when the combatants cried out: "Hail, emperor, they who are about to die salute thee," he replied, "Or not" from the (Loeb Classical Library ) of Harvard University.〕], and after that all of them refused to fight, maintaining that they had been pardoned. Upon this he hesitated for some time about destroying them all with fire and sword, but at last leaping from his throne and running along the edge of the lake with his ridiculous tottering gait, he induced them to fight, partly by threats and partly by promises. At this performance a Sicilian and a Rhodian fleet engaged, each numbering twelve triremes...〔 The same incident is also described in the writings of Cassius Dio, a Roman consul and historian who wrote in Greek. In Book 60 of his ''Roman History'' he states: : Claudius conceived the desire to exhibit a naval battle on a certain lake; so, after building a wooden wall around it and erecting stands, he assembled an enormous multitude. Claudius and Nero were arrayed in military garb, while Agrippina wore a beautiful chlamys woven with threads of gold, and the rest of the spectators whatever pleased their fancy. Those who were to take part in the sea-fight were condemned criminals, and each side had fifty ships, one part being styled "Rhodians" and the other "Sicilians." First they assembled in a single body and all together addressed Claudius in this fashion: "Hail, Emperor! We who are about to die salute thee of Harvard University.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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