Annuit Coeptis

Providence Has Favored Our Undertakings
In the zenith of an unfinished pyramid on the reverse side of the Great Seal is "an eye in a triangle, surrounded with a glory . . . Over the eye, these words, Annuit Coeptis."

This Latin phrase has been traced to Virgil, the renowned Roman poet who lived in the first century B.C. In his epic masterpiece, the Aeneid, he tells the story of Aeneas – son of Venus, ancestral hero of the Romans – and his journey from Troy to Italy.

In book IX, line 625, is the phrase: "Jupiter omnipotens, audacibus annue coeptis." (All-powerful Jupiter, favor [my] daring undertakings.) Also, in Virgil's Georgics (book I, line 40) are the words: "Da facilem cursum, atque audacibus annue coeptis." (Give [me] an easy course, and favor [my] daring undertakings.)

Charles Thomson changed the first person imperative "annue" to the third person "annuit." In the motto Annuit Coeptis, the subject of the verb must be supplied, and the translator must also choose the tense.

Thomson said: "The pyramid signifies Strength and Duration: the Eye over it & the Motto allude to the many signal interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause."

The eye is therefore the missing subject, and the translation would be:

"It (the Eye of Providence) is favorable to our undertakings."

Variations include:
Providence has favored our undertakings
God favors our undertakings
He favors our undertakings


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Note added at 2002-05-07 04:01:52 (GMT)
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http://www.greatseal.com/mottoes/coeptis.html

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Note added at 2002-05-07 04:02:44 (GMT)
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http://mnemosyne.csl.psyc.memphis.edu/home/chipmanp/acoeptis...

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Note added at 2002-05-07 04:03:09 (GMT)
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HOPE IT PROVES USEFUL

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Note added at 2002-05-07 04:07:56 (GMT)
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DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE SITE POSTED AT 04:03:09 (GTM)

ANNUERE or ADNUERE =

'to give assent or approval by nodding, to nod assent to, to approve, favor, allow, grant, promise to do (constr. with dat. of person, or with acc. of thing and dat. of person)

or

to designate a person or thing (by a nod, by a wink, or by the hand)'
(see reference no. 1)


ANNUIT : either PRESENT indicative active 3rd person singular
or
PERFECT indicative active 3rd person singular
(see reference no. 2)

ANNUIT is either present tense ("he agrees") or perfect tense ("he has agreed") -- in mottoes either meaning is okay.

ANNUIT originally meant, "he nods forward," since the ancient Romans and Greeks dropped their head forward as a gesture of agreement.

RENUIT, by contrast, meant, "he nods backward," since the ancient Romans and Greeks tossed their head up and back to indicate refusal or disagreement. There's much less evidence that they shook their heads left-right-left-right to disagree, as we now do in the West. Some modern South-Asian cultures actually "shake" their heads even today when they agree with you!