h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi all, im wondering if someone could possibly translate the following phrases for me. I would like to know for the purposes of a tattoo, as a lot of people have probably done before me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The 1st is "Love is the essence of life", and the 2nd " For eternity".

And if the two phrases were joined would there be a change in the translation?

Again thankyou in advance.
Rob

"Love is the essence of life" = "amor essentia vitae [est]"

The "est" (="is") is optional. Latin commonly omits "is" without changing the meaning. It's cooler to omit the "est".

"For eternity" = "in aeternum"

They don't change if you join them, although the resulting sentence is pretty ugly in any language. Probably best to put the "in aeternum" before the "est". (If you retain the "est", that is.)

Thankyou very much Banjo. Not only the translation, but an explanation to the breakdown of the sentance. Fantastic, and thoroughly interesting. Again, thankyou.

May i ask would the same use (or non-use)or 'is' apply to "Suum cuique pulchrum est", which i understand to mean 'To each his own is beautiful'?

In advance, once again, many thanks.
Rob

Correction:- after (non-use)or 'is', please read (non-use) for 'is'.

Just to stop any confusion early on!!

You may omit the "est" and leave it as "suum cuique pulchrum"

Cicero's original here:

http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/cicero/tusc5.shtml#22

includes an "est", but Erasmus, in his collection of proverbs, "Adagia", leaves it out, as you can see here:

http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/dutch/latijn/ErasmusAdagia.html

Thankyou very much Banjo. I think asking you to translate the whole page on either link for me would be asking a little too much!! But I see what you're saying.. horses for courses as it were! But thanks for the answers you've already given. Extremely helpful.