Vi veri universum vivus vici
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vi veri universum vivus vici (also written as "Vi veri veniversum vivus vici") is a Latin phrase meaning: "By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe".
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)[citation needed]. 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 been made popular with the graphic novel V for Vendetta, where it appears embossed in an arch of V's hideout the "Shadow Gallery", and this phrase also apears on a mirror in the movie version, also inside V's Shadow Gallery.