Latin dialogue from Tombstone

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

Doc; (tell it to someone who is naive enough to care.)

Ringo: Inexperience is the teacher of fools.(if you tell

a wise person that fire is hot, he heeds the advice.

the fool gets burnt. In life when you make a mistake,

you pay with wealth, life, or liberty.)

(This is the greatest insult by ringo. calling Doc a

foolish child who is going to be taught a lesson by

his master, in this case ringos colt.)

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

look moron to make a literal

translation is child's play.

and incredibly stupid because

the meaning of phrases are lost

in translation even from the romantic

languages. (like english to spanish)

in this case we are dealing with a dead

language were the meaning of this dialogue

goes beyond a simple literal translation.

[indomitusEvehementis]

Johnny Ringo: Eventus Stultorum Magister.

[Events are the teachers of fools. - Meaning - "Fools have to learn by experience."]

Doc Holliday: In Pace Requiescat.

[Rest in peace - Meaning - "Your death will be your final lesson!"]

[josephpatrickknox]

this is the best part in the movie haha.

[DecBragg22]

Stephen Lang is one of the best actors ever!

[markstone001]

@DecBragg22 Wow, I had no idea that was Stephen Lang in Tombstone. You are truly right. A great actor can become invisible behind the character. Stephen did that completely! I just saw Avatar and had no idea he was the same actor!

[SupermanHopkins]

@Cameron997: are those Latin sayings they are swapping? The only one I really get is Doc saying he's gonna kill him.

[vengeance11c]

If heath ledger got such praise for losing himself in the Joker role- Val Kilmer should have the the same praise.

[markstone001]

@vengeance11c I heard that the role Kilmer liked the best was he part in the Saint movie where he got to play a dozen character. Yes this is truely one of his great roles. Have you seen Felon?

[RobertKaydoo]

This is a great scene in a great move! Interesting continuity mistake, at 1:20 we see Wyatt begin to put his right hand under the table to ready a shotgun. The next time we see Wyatt (1:32) his right hand is on the top of the table.

This has been discussed before but I will say it again...Val Kilmer nailed this role and should have gotten an Oscar for it.

[TaraCynara]

One of the best damn scenes EVER. What's really awesome is this movie is full of amazingly awesome scenes.

[4ou2]

Was the blow fly on Josie an extra or just luck???

[terpsfan1982]

I like how there is absolutely no fear in Doc Holiday. The Cowboys made their reputation by intimidation, and they couldn't shake him.

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

Doc then replies In pace requiescat.

May the real fool rest in peace.

ps. obviously we all know

which way the Huckleberry rolled

[HumaneAnon]

@Yair0De0La7Vega "In pace requiescat"=May the real fool rest in peace

Wrong. The point in translation is to translate feeling while keeping honest to usage. [requiescat] ~near future "rest / [In pace] ~in peace "almost literally. There's no need to layer on poetics. "real fool" isn't used literally, nor is it implied. Leave the translating to the big kids ^_^

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

@HumaneAnon

anyway this is my interpretation that goes beyond

any idiocracy, that could ever spew out of that

scarecrow head of yours, because it catches

the tone and the diction of the dialogue,

with an addendum my sense of humor.

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

Doc; (tell it to someone who is naive enough to care.)

Ringo: Inexperience is the teacher of fools.(if you tell

a wise person that fire is hot, he heeds the advice.

the fool gets burnt. In life when you make a mistake,

you pay with wealth, life, or liberty.)

(This is the greatest insult by ringo. calling Doc a

foolish child who is going to be taught a lesson by

his master, in this case ringos colt.)

[markstone001]

@Yair0De0La7Vega Thank you for the translation! I love learning latin. That explains a lot! For us watching, it looks like just two higher educated people exchanging insults. But how was their pronounication and delivery in latin? Accurate or a bit rough?

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

Interpretation Doc: im sure of it, i hate him. Wyatt: Hes drunk. Doc: in wine you find truth. (not expecting a response, he reiterates the insult that he hates him.) Ringo; I can see you do what you do best, (insulting him for being a drunk.) but you better check yourself before you wreck yourself cause my colt .45 is bad for your health. Doc: am I to believe in santi clause, the easter bunny, the talking walnut, and that dr. pepper has a new satisfying diet drink. not me

[8av8today]

Look at the old hooker behind Ringo LOL! Bitch is so old when she runs her pussy claps.

[jimmy5150ify]

The last Latin phrase means: I'm your Hucklberry." lol!

[NonStopRocker]

Morgan starts counting out Curly Bills money before Wyatt even flips a card...

[AllieKitKaat]

excellent quality!



[IDoThisForAReason]

Your English is worse than your Latin!

[justforpoox]

the best line in this scene is "shut up ike." lol.

[cameron997]

the actual translation is

Doc: In Vino Veritas - in wine there is truth

Ringo Age Quod Ages - do that which you will do

Doc credat judeas appella, non ego - jews believe those appeals not I

ringo luventus stultorum magister - the young men are fools of the magistrate

Doc In pace Requiescat - rest in peace

[BradBrassman]

@cameron997 Evidently, you are an educated man.

[lfilipem]

@cameron997 best translation so far...

[KidDynamite76]

come on youtubers we don't want any trouble in here, not in any language.

[vannawhyte]

HELL YEA HE SHOULD OF GOT AN OSCAR

[jordi0508]

NO NO NO val Kilmer should have not won an OSCAR for his role as Doc Holliday...he should have WON all of the awards for the BEST OF THE BEST till the end of all time....His role as Doc will never be outdone by any actor from the past present or future...the man chain smoked and lived on nothing but wheat weed juice for 6 straight weeks to look sick and develop the cough...HE was the PERFECT STORM in this movie...the planets dropped into total alignment for him as DOC......

[crise75]

adgekuadegis

[8ozGloves]

@crise75 credat judaes apella, non ego.

[crise75]

@8ozGloves juventus esferum majsder bro

[tommycancer]

kilmer's doc is cool but dennis quaid's doc in wyatt earp was more historicaly accurate.

[Chocolatemilkpassion]

The cup is alot harder to do tricks with due to it's lightweight and balance

[tonycns]

Fuckin Doc Holliday I bet he oozed swagger back in his prime.

[bbuck7786]

Johnny's an educated man.............. Oh how I really hate'em

[justtony21]

OSCAR FUCKING SNUB!!

[louheff]

THE BEST WESTERN OF ALL TIME

[tonip420]

LOL best shit ever 3:12 !!!!!

[pubbb69]

i ♥ how much ass is kicked in this movie



[choloxl32]

Dam it I swear I was born in the wrong century. What I wouldn't do to live in this era. Are you retired too. Not me im in my prime. Yea you look it. shit unfreaken believable. Thats when men were men not cowards like nowadays doing drive byes and shit..

[jwb864]

@choloxl32 didnt you watch the whole movie? the cowboys kill wyatts brother from a drive by when hes playing pool....

[choloxl32]

@jwb864 yea your right but i was refering to the law men. thanx

[locheelad2]

I don't know, brt that sounded like educated Latin to me, not "schoolboy phrases', I only knew "in Vino, veritas", others more learned on the subject , have the top ranked comments, Enjoyed the movie, thank you sir.

[JustTheTip69]

One of my most favorite movies. A true timeless classic!!

[Evocati2008]

I loved Tombstone, but the whole Doc killing Ringo thing is a drawback. It never happened, and by most testimonials, Doc wanted no part of him. Even Wyatt Earp confessed to his wife that Ringo was the best shot in the area at that time. Ringo commited suicide by most historians theories. If not, it's probable that Wells Fargo agents ambushed and killed him for various offenses towards thier company.

[tankdogg937]

@Evocati2008

Sorry nobody cares about historical accuracy. A good movie is a good movie regardless.

[Evocati2008]

@tankdogg937

Tombstone is a good movie, just stated a tidbit on it, that's all my friend ;-)

[gms4afight]

absolutely awesome. thanks for posting!

[cjone33]

Now i really hate him best scene of the whole movie

[FLAVIVSIVLIANVS]

Lingua Latina est maxima et melior quam alterarum linguarum.  Veritas est Veritas.

[Lamb00FGoD]

Yeah,yeah that's real good law dog,cause law just don't go around here. Yeah I heard you the first time.Winner to the king 500 dollars. LoL I love how wyat just cuts him off and continues with his business.

[Songsmirth]

@Lamb00FGoD That's interesting isn't it L? When a true cowboy earned

$30 and found a month for seven days a week riding for a brand, getting $500.00 in a heart beat was an impressive gesture and was meant to shock him I think. I believe a slug of whiskey was twenty five to fifty cents. Anyone? 

[Spicoli8]

go to imdb it tells you the meaning

[rustler1375]

wyatt; he's drunk. doc;in wine the truth(wine loosens the tongue) ringo;you better be careful, watch what you say. doc;tell it to the marines, not me (tell it to your comrades or someone who cares for your words not me) ringo; fools must be taught by experience. (indicating to his revolver) doc; (whispers) REST IN PEACE.......

[jimmy5150ify]

@rustler1375 PERFECT! HUCKLEBERRY!

[selatik1]

Joanna Pacula and Dana Delany, the two women with speaking parts in this scene, are incredibly beautiful ladies!

[LuciusVorenus13th]

there both so drunk that in their heads they hear themselves speaking latin, but everyone else hears gibberish!

[timgui7]

Oh, come on. If u studied your Latin properly you would know that this conversational Latin and would translate as

Doc: People speak the truth when they're drunk (refer Mel Gibson)

Ringo: You better watch what you say (or do)

Doc: Don't tell me what to say (or do)

Ringo: Well, I'll just have to teach you old man.

Doc: Go for it. It's your funeral.

[LuciusVorenus13th]

i think the first line is "in wine, truth"

[kittenflavours]

This.

[dbeezycentex]

is that the true translation?? Thanks man I always wondered but was to lazy to do the research

[Chaly2na]

Here's a gist of what is being said:

Doc: I speak the truth when I drink.

Ringo: then do what you do best.

Doc: Folks think that is what I do best, I don't.

Ringo: Fools learn from experience.

Doc: It's your funeral.

[MiamiIndianTribe]

shit, .. yah i forgot what i was gonna say..

[karmakaze87]

I love this scene! Michael Biehn and Val Kilmer are so awesome

[sdpgposd]

love this movie

[nightsongs1970]

Ringo: E pluribus Unum

Doc: Semper Fidelis

Ringo: Quid Pro Quo

Doc: Non Sequitur

Ringo: Deos Ex Machina

Doc: Cogito Ergo Sum

Ringo: Caveat Emptor

Doc: .........Your Mamma!

[donniebrasco24]

Timidi Mater Non flet...

[richardcookester]

In real life, they were both drunk, and emptied their guns shooting at each other..

I loved the re-enactment they do in Tombstone AZ on the weekends..

[GILR8]

Doc is the "pale horse" the

old catholic priest prophet warns

will kill Ringo at the start of the film before Ringo shoots him dead in front of The Church. The Latin

is the Priest's warning before the

third & last warning at the end of the

film when Doc says to Ringo:

"Why Johnny Ringo,You look like somebody done walked all over your Grave"(The Preist's Ghost).

That's why Doc knew Wyatt

would not win against Ringo. Doc's cousin was a Catholic Nun praying for him too, I bet.

[trkddy]

Wyatt Earp is death who rides a pale horse and hell came with him hell being Doc and the rest of the guys

[citizenlen]

I actually thought that death was Wyatt Earp and doc was the pale horse and hell was the res of the guys. Although the thought of Wyatt Earp riding doc is kinda eeky.

[rbbrit]

Doc Holiday: In wine there is truth.

Ringo: Come on, do what you do.

Doc Holiday: Apella the Jew might've believed it, not I.

Ringo: Experience is the teacher of fools.

Doc Holiday: Rest in peace

[TotesHerz]

Val kilmer is the best!

[attilathehun1963]

I think the last one is rest in peace but I could be wrong...the rest is pretty much right...

[attilathehun1963]

great scene..One of the best in the movie. All their scenes together wer outstanding

[eukaryote90]

Thanks for this!

[angustus5]

what r they saying in latin?

[eukaryote90]

Meh, well, the best translation I can come up with is

Doc Holiday: In wine there is truth. (aka I mean what I'm saying even if I am drunk)

Ringo: Come on, do what you do. (aka come on, give me your best shot)

Doc Holiday: Apella the Jew might've believed it, not I. (no idea who Apella was, so I don't really get that)

Ringo: Experience is the teacher of fools.

Doc Holiday: Rest in peace (aka you try to fight me, you're dead, lol)

[pfill]

Your close

Doc: In wine there is truth (I am honest when I am drunk)

Ringo: Do what you do best. (Being drunk is what your best at)

Doc: Apella the Jew might've believed it, not I (Only a fool would believe that)

RIngo: Experience is the best teacher for fools

Doc: It is your funeral

[Songsmirth]

@pfill I've always wondered Zef and pfill. It's sad that they immediately recognize each other for what they are. Intelligent and educated men. Rare for the old west. I would think that it means they were raised wealthy and probably in Europe. Impressive of the writers put this in. They also were probably use to being the center of attention and here comes a competitor. Too bad they couldn't be friends instead of fellow killers.

[GodmyX]

@pfill that's very twisted translation/interpretation :p

[TheQster1]

@pfill You're the first I have ever seen get this right Kudos to you!

[Yair0De0La7Vega]

@pfill

im your huckleberry

[Bushscoffer]

@Yair0De0La7Vega

Best translation ever!!! Made me lol hard!!

[ramblinmantoo]

apella the jew is a reference to horaces satires. In short horace was a roman writer and the jews or in this case apella the jew, were seen as being gulable for as I understand it beliving in God.

[cameron997]

@ramblinmantoo appella is appeals in latin you uneducated wretch

[1234c]

Michael Biehn v. Val Kilmer. Actors who played two of my favorite 80's movie characters: Hicks and Iceman.

[1234c]

Michael Biehn has to be one of the most under-rated actors of all time. He always plays that guy in the background that can still capture the adience's attention and fascination. Kyle Reese (Terminator), Dwayne Hicks (Aliens), Hiram Coffey (The Abyss), James Curran (Navy SEALS), Jonny Ringo.

[jimmy5150ify]

@1234c Thought the same thing Dude.

[slamdanceruniters]

this is the best scene ever in the history of the world.

[187SicknesS]

lol, shut up ike!

[welshperson123]

whats the song thats ALWAYS played in cowboy films and it says "tell me you love me" or something like that in it alot of coboy films and theres a woman sining in a saloon standing next to a piano, not much of description but its stuck in my hea and its annoying the hell out of me!

[reml75]

Red river valley

[welshperson123]

Oh my god THANK YOU!

[reml75]

sure I hate when I can't remember stuff like that:)

[trewq54321]

Classic !!!!!

[DragonWaveMaster]

Tomb Stone had so many great moments in it, it's one of my favorite movies. :)

[pubert101]

In vino veritas. / Wine me a river

Age quod agis. / Who you calling cute

Credat Iudaeus Apella, non ego. / You kiss your mom with that mouth

Iuventus stultorum... [he indicates his package] ...momma mia. / give ME a licketty kiss

In pace requiescat! / I'm so hard for you right now!

[notaclerk1]

the movie made too much money to have many nominations at the oscars

[TuTubusLatinus]

Am I crazy, or is this the cast from Deadwood?

[BaBoomBabba]

In Vino Veritas means In Wine there is Truth.

Age quod Ages: Do what you do.

Credat Judaes Apella, non ego: Believe Apella the Jew, not I.

Iuventus Stultorum Magister: Youth is the teacher of fools.

In pace requiscate: May he rest in peace.

[SunshineMints]

doc holliday cracks me up.

[milkingtherod]

Val should've won an oscar for his performance in this movie, or at least been nominated!

[salinagrrrl69]

In vino veritas. / Wine loosens the tongue

Age quod agis. / Pay attention to what you are doing.

Credat Iudaeus Apella, non ego. / Tell it to the Marines, not me.

Iuventus stultorum... [he indicates his revolver] ...magister. / Youth is the teacher of fools. In pace requiescat! / Rest in peace!

[jache77]

ike clanton is a real fucking jerk!

[sonofject]

johnny ringo FTW \m/

[milkingtherod]

"I'm in my prime" and "say when"......the coooooolest shortest lines in this entire masterpiece of a movie!

[mckeeversk8r93]

= i speak my mind when im drunk.

- do what you do best.

-i believe that drinking is not what i do best.

-fools have to learn from experience.

-your funeral!

=]

[MountainViewFor2]

Doc Holliday: In vino veritas.

"In wine is truth"

Johnny Ringo: Age quod agis.

"Do what you do"

Doc Holliday: Credat Judaeus apella, non ego.

"The Jew Apella may believe it, not I"

Johnny Ringo: Eventus stultorum magister.

"Events are the teachers of fools"

Doc Holliday: In pace requiescat.

"Rest in peace"

[xXfretxBurnerXx91]

so how long did it take you to speak and understand latin fluently

[MountainViewFor2]

hahaha Obviously I don't

I googled it because I love the movie

[wanj101982]

here's a little trivia: how many major motion pictures have bill paxton and michael biehn been cast?

[firmingitup]

Five: The Lords of Discipline, Terminator, Alines, Navy Seals, and Tombstone. Lance Henrikson also was in Terminator and Aliens with both of them too.

[firmingitup]

Ugh! Forgive my typo: "Aliens" not "Alines" :-P

[nexicidious]

I'm attempting to write a novel (possibly a screen play) about Commercial Fishing. My idea is to write it as a huge overblown myth in the tradition of epic poems like The Odyssey and the Aeneid. Only rather than being about Greeks and Romans and their struggles in the far Eastern Mediterranean, this story will be about fishermen in the far Western waters of Alaska with allusions to Greek, Roman, Celtic, Germanic and Norse mythology.

[nexicidious]

I've worked as a fisherman for 15 years, most of my experience is on a freezer longliner named the Kjevolja. You don't get a lot of downtime on fishing boats, but when you do one of the only things to do is sit in the galley and watch movies.

[nexicidious]

When I first got on the KJ the crew's favorite movie was Tombstone. I've watched it many times. I don't have room to fully explain here but another deckhand used to say to me Law don't go around here Kansas City lawdawg, savvy!. My nickname became Lawdawg.

[nexicidious]

I intend to use some of the Latin lines from Tombstone, so I came here for research and inspiration. I'd like to relate how they fit into my story, but the character limit on youtube is too restricting and I'm thinking about starting a blog to get feedback. Anyone interested? Any suggestions?

[nexicidious]

By the way my user name is Pseudo-Latin. Nexicious roughly means the killer of death. I sometime go by ichthicidious. Ichthy is Greek for fish and -cide is Latin for to kill. -Ous means full of so ichthicidious roughly translates as Fish-murderer.

[AndrewMann552]

Best western of our time!

[sweetmohawklady]

This is one of the greatest movie scenes of all time, Johnny Ringo & Doc Fuckin' Holiday.

[GeetarAdam]

Lol, Kilmer does such a great job in this movie. This is one of the best dialogue scenes of all time.

[mynamespitt]

Thank you for posting

[Mysterioso88]

Hah, Ringo is such a punk. He actually brushes his mustache after all that ridiculous gun-twirling in what I guess is a western version of brushing off your shoulders :)

[makayla57]

this is my favorite scene!

[zefttube]

In vino veritas.

In wine is truth(meaning)When I'm drinking, I speak my mind

Age quod agis.

Do what you do (meaning)Do what you do best

Credat Judaeus apella, non ego

The Jew Apella may believe it, not I (meaning)I don't believe drinking is what I do best

Eventus stultorum magister

Events are the teachers of fools(meaning)Fools have to learn by experience

In pace requiescat

Rest in peace (meaning)It's your funeral!

[nexicidious]

Pretty good interpretation. However, the interpretation that I prefer of "Age quod agis" is "Pay attention to what you are doing". In other words when you do something, do it, and don't be distracted by other things. I like the idea that Ringo is ultimately saying "You better watch what you say" using the dead language of long gone Romans.

[nexicidious]

The one thing that I (kind of) don't like about this scene is the way that Michael Biehn (Ringo) delivers his Latin lines in the common Western English accent. I suppose that you could interpret this to mean that although Ringo is educated and speaks Latin, his Latin is not quite as good as Doc's.  However, the way Kilmer is speaking Latin just sounds threatening and it makes the scene that much more ominous.

[nexicidious]

Another interpretation of Ringo's second Latin line is Iuventus stultorum magister which would translate as Youth is the teacher of fools. Which can mean, young people are inexperienced and therefore usually fools. Kind of the same idea as when older people say I was once young and dumb like you. But Doc Holiday is not young so I prefer the translation that zeftube used Eventus stultorum magister. Fools can only be taught through the experience of suffering for their mistakes.

[nexicidious]

If you search for 'Tombstone Latin' in Google, the first result is what I'm going off of.

[Happy2BNRoundRock]

Thanks for clarifying that. It makes the movie a little more interesting. It is a great movie even without knowing the latin.

[FlorinU]

@zefttube It's not "Eventus" but "Juventus stultorum magister" - meaning "Youth is the teacher of fools".

[will8684]

ive always wondered what the hell they were saying...

[Happy2BNRoundRock]

Me too! Thanks to our friends on YouTube, the mystery is now solved! LOL LOL I wished that the movie had subtitles to the latin. Knowing what they said makes the movie better.

[gramz1387]

nxm20 gave a good 21st century interpretation, I enjoyed it. Loosely translated but excellent take on it. More people probably have a grasp of what was actually said now. Thanks

[DemonMortay]

In vino veritas translates to: In wine, there is truth.

[nxm20]

Doc Holliday: In vino veritas.

["When I'm drinking, I speak my mind"]

Johnny Ringo: Age quod agis.

["Do what you do best"]

Doc Holliday: Credat Judaeus apella, non ego.

["I don't believe drinking is what I do best."]

Johnny Ringo: [pats his gun] Eventus stultorum magister.

["Fools have to learn by experience"]

Doc Holliday: [gives a Cheshire cat smile] In pace requiescat.

["It's your funeral!"]

[CynicalSavior]

Doc: Wine loosens the tongue.

Ringo: You'd better be careful.

Doc: Tell it to the Marines, not me.

Ringo: Fools must be taught by experience.

Doc: Rest in peace.