Latin Tattoos: What does 'tutela valui' mean?

Submitted by Meg Wilson on March 14, 2008 - 13:26.

The NY Post is reporting that Ashley Dupre has a tattoo on her belly that says "tutela valui". This is Latin and there's some debate about what it means. NY Post has translated it as 'fair value' but other people are saying this is not an accurate translation. Here's a few comments from the Law Blog at WSJ.com;

Don’t believe anything you read in the Post (nor anything on the WSJ editorial page). My Latin stinks, but even I know that there’s no way that “tutela valui” can mean ”fair value” in Latin. It’s something closer to “I was strong because looked after.” Valui is a past tense of “valeo” “I am strong”; “tutela” is “being protected” and a Roman & Civil Law state of guardianship over young people (ablative absolute, anybody?). Cancel your subscription to the Post. Buy a dictionary.
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I’m pretty sure that the translation of “tutela valui” is something more like “teaching makes me strong”, not “fair value”. But I will defer to someone who’s studied Latin more recently than I have.
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I’m speculating, but “tutela” means protection, and “valui” refers to being healthy. So it might be a safe-sex thing.


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Tutela valui
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on August 13, 2008 - 13:10.

Valeo, valere, valui can also have the meaning "i am able (to do something)" and tutela means protection or patronage, so "tutela valui" could mean "I was able (to do it) because of protection" or "because I had a patron"

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How about "Total Value"
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on June 11, 2008 - 20:50.

How about "Total Value" ?

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How do you say, "Hello, Mr.
Submitted by moioci (not verified) on March 16, 2008 - 09:48.

How do you say, "Hello, Mr. Governor!" in Latin?

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How do you say, "Hello, Mr. Governor!" in Latin?
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on June 16, 2008 - 19:49.

Ave dominator

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Generic "hello, governor"
Submitted by Jimbo (not verified) on June 17, 2008 - 07:12.

"Salve, gubernator"

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Good morning, governor
Submitted by Jimbo (not verified) on June 17, 2008 - 07:11.

"Bene mani, gubernator"

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That one's pretty simple.
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on March 21, 2008 - 11:05.

That one's pretty simple. "Ave, Gubenator." "Governor" comes from Latin. Gubenator/gubenatorial? The translation I'm having trouble with is "Middle-aged bald guys turn me on.?

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Sorry, can't spell in
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on March 21, 2008 - 11:24.

Sorry, can't spell in English or Latin. It's "Ave, Gubernator" & "gubernatorial." So Ashley could have said, "Hi, Goober" and not been far wrong.

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Yeah, good translation
Submitted by David Williams (not verified) on March 15, 2008 - 03:16.

Yeah, good translation though it was a bit difficult but it can be done. Though we are good at translation we sometimes make mistakes.

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The translation "I was
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 14:47.

The translation "I was strong (or "I was safe") because looked after" might be right, but I agree that not as an ablative absolute. Ablative of cause? Her Myspace says she abused drugs. Maybe it's some sort of God/recovery thing. I was safe because God was watching over me.... Recovery Chicks -- if indeed she is one -- tend to like tattoo that sort of stuff on themselves.

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Yeah. "I was safe with
Submitted by Catullus (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 15:43.

Yeah. "I was safe with protection." She didn't want to do the unsafe, basic thing that Gov. Shpritzer. wanted, right? "You want the sex or what, Dude?" Just say that & point to the sign on your tum-tum. Ignorami at the NY Post thought "fair value" was cute, when the right translation turns out yet more a propos.

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Ablative absolute
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 14:11.

If it is an ablative absoulte it shouldn't have a finite verb in it, it should have a participle. It seems "tutela" is the nominative singular "I the protected one" and valui is indeed the past tense of valeo: "was strong" or "was safe". It may be a technical term from Roman law, or from some obscure poem. Either way I bet neither Ms. Dupree nor her tattoo artist were great Latinists.

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tutela is in the no
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on March 16, 2008 - 09:14.

Agreed that the ablative absolute is not involved here. There's no participle anywhere to be found, let alone one in the ablative case.

"Tutela" means "protection" or "guardianship," not "a protected one," which might be "tutelata." So "I the protected one was safe" would be "tutelata valui."

Rather, "tutela" is in the ablative case (with a long a) in this sentence instead of the nominative (with a short a). Thus, the translation is "by protection was I safe."

(Conceivably, "tutela" could be nominative, but then the sentence would be "I the protection was strong," which doesn't make much sense.")

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Some translations are awkward
Submitted by Walt (not verified) on June 9, 2008 - 22:34.

Try "protection (or care) keeps me safe"

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Perhaps the tattoo ought to
Submitted by Jamie (not verified) on March 16, 2008 - 07:42.

Perhaps the tattoo ought to have read "caveat emptor".

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Or...
Submitted by Jamie (not verified) on March 16, 2008 - 07:48.

Or even "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate."
(Abandon all hope, ye who enter here)

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