Memento mori tattoo on arm. Phrases for a tattoo in Latin (with translation). Original sketches and plots. Styles and techniques of execution of tattoos with death
There was a tradition in ancient Rome to celebrate the return of a victorious military general with a drawn out spectacle to sanctify the triumphant leader. On the day of his parade, the victor wore a crown and a purple, gold-adorned toga, otherwise reserved for kings. His four-horse chariot parted the streets lined with thanks-givers chanting “ io Triumph!” The roars of “ Hurray, O Triumph” was muffled by the whisper of slave, positioned deliberately in the chariot behind his master’s throne, “ Memento Mori, Memento Mori, Memento Mori,” the slave echoed. “ Remember thou art mortal.” “Remember, you too must die.” The perfect reminder during a man's momentary immortalization.
Modern society regards death as an unpleasant reality best kept far from mind else awakening agonizing terror. But reflecting on and accepting the transient ephemeralness of our existence is the key unlocking lives of meaning and fulfillment. From the slave's humbling whisper, Memento Mori evolved aesthetically and tangibly. Hamlet held Yorick's skull, Thomas Jefferson carried a Memento Mori watch key , Mozart wrote his most famous composition Requiem, and Picasso kept a skull in his studio for purposes synonymous with the slave reminding the Roman general, “ Remember, you must die too.”
Colby Jimcosky
“To make a long story short, I came to the realization one day that while I'm still young, I'm not getting any younger. My days are numbered and if I wanted to be successful and achieve what I wanted to achieve in life, I needed to constantly keep moving towards those goals. Now whenever I feel like I'm too tired to get out of bed or if I'm too sick to go to work, I can look down at my arm and see a constant reminder that I'm not immortal, I'm going to die one day, and I have to keep moving forward with my life.”
Paul Jun
“When I was failing college and lost in life, I stumbled on the path of becoming a writer. My second year into the craft, I had great momentum-self-published my first book and finished attending Seth Godin’s three-day seminar that fundamentally changed my life.
Toward the end of the year, my psoriasis (didn't know I had it) flared up, blanketing my entire body. I fell into a 
deep depression. I was recommended the book Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, and it gave me the framework and energy to flip this experience on its head. That year, I barely left my room, read a book a week, and devoted my time to writing and meditating. My dermatologist, after all, said there was no cure, only lowering my stress.
I remember being at my best friend's house, watching Ink Masters, and he asked if I would ever get a tattoo. And I explained to him exactly what you see on my arm today. Jun Cha is my artist, and at the time he had a three year wait-it was also application only.
I got this tattoo of Marcus Aurelius, Nero, and Seneca because it’s a reminder that no matter how smart you may be, no matter how good of a support system you may have, ego can always win. Marcus sits at the top because he's the North Star, the reminder of how to behave and what to return to when things go awry. Nero had potential to be a great emperor-his first five years were fruitful-but ego won. Seneca is one of those people I deeply admire for his thought but also his story.
Stoicism saved my life. It gave me a new operating system to think about failure, adversity, pain, and uncertainty. It replaced my Windows 98-style thinking and revamped it. It has helped me creatively, professionally, and spiritually. As Montaigne said, ‘For I must use these great men’s virtues as a cloak for my weakness.’ Meditations and Letter from a Stoic are my bible, and it's the two books I always give to people who are lost in life, in pain, or need new perspective.”
Instagram: @Pauljunbear
Tattoo artist: @Juncha
Paul Jun's website: https://pauljun.me
Chris Nordyke
“Here’s my story behind the tattoo – it’s part of a broader sleeve of personal ‘glyphs’- images that tell the story of my 30s. Every picture represents an idea, experience or lesson learned. I intentionally refrained from tattooing any actual words, as I wanted the meaning behind each tattoo to be able to evolve over time.
Stoic philosophy really grabbed hold of me a few years ago as I was wrestling with my own religious and spiritual background. Trying to reconcile the way I experience the real world around me, and the narrative I was taught all through my childhood and young adulthood.
Rob King
“I got mine a few years ago at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. You can read why this matters so much to me
Fans of tattoo art often prefer to encrypt their mottos and life principles in tattoo inscriptions in Latin. It is a graceful, melodic language, one of the oldest written Indo-European languages.
Beautiful phrases in Latin in tattoos
On the hands of this guy are two catchphrases in Latin: “ Fac fideli sis fidelis", which translates as "Be faithful to the one who is faithful (to you)" and " Fortunam suam quisque parat"-" Everyone finds his own happiness "or" Everyone finds his own destiny.
The tattoo in beautiful font reads: Primus inter pares", which translates as "First among equals."
« carpe diem"- the famous winged Latin expression, meaning "Live in the present", "Seize the moment."
« Vivere militate est"- a saying by Seneca, which translates as" To live is to fight.
Below are quotes and phrases in Latin that are suitable for use in tattoos.
Latin. Tattoo lettering with translation
Audaces fortuna juvat (Happiness favors the brave)
Cave! (Beware!)
Contra spem spero (I hope without hope)
Cum deo (With God)
Debellare superbos (Suppress pride)
Dictum factum (No sooner said than done)
Errare humanum est (To err is human)
Est quaedam flere voluptas (There is pleasure in tears)
Ex voto (Vow)
Faciam ut mei memineris (I will make you remember)
Fatum (Fate)
Fecit (Did)
Finis coronat opus (The end crowns the deed)
Fortes fortuna adjuvat (Fate helps the brave)
Gaudeamus igitur, juvenus dum sumus (Let's have fun while we're young)
Gutta cavat lapidem (A drop beats a stone)
Haec fac ut felix vivas (Do what you can to live happily)
Hoc est in votis (That's what I want)
Homo homini lupus est (Man to man wolf)
Homo liber (Man is free)
Homo res sacra (Man is a sacred thing)
Ignoti nulla cupido (What they don't know, they don't want)
In hac spe vivo (I live this hope)
In vino veritas (Truth in wine)
Juravi lingua, mentem injuratam gero (I swore by the tongue, but not by the thought)
Jus vitae ac necis (The right to dispose of life and death)
Magna res est amor (The great thing is love)
Malo mori quam foedari (Better death than dishonor)
Malum necessarium - necessarium (The inevitable evil is inevitable)
This phrase is one of the most popular among tattoo lovers:
Memento mori (Remember death)
Memento quod est homo (Remember that you are human)
Me quoque fata regunt (I also obey fate)
Mortem effugere nemo potest (No one will escape death)
Ne cede malis (I do not lose heart in misfortune)
Nil inultum remanebit (Nothing will remain unavenged)
Noli me tangere (Don't touch me)
Oderint, dum metuant (Let them hate, if only they were afraid)
Omnia mea mecum porto (I carry everything with me)
Omnia vanitas (Everything is vanity)
Per aspera ad astra (Through hardships to the stars)
Pisces natare oportet (The fish needs to swim)
Potius sero quam nunquam (Better late than never)
Procul negotis (Get out of trouble)
Qui sine peccato est (Who is without sin)
Quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi (What is allowed to Jupiter is not allowed to the bull)
Quod principi placuit, legis habet vigorem (Whatever the ruler wishes, then it is the law)
Recuiescit in pace (Rest in peace)
Sic itur ad astra (This is how they go to the stars)
Sic volo (So I want)
Silentium (Silence)
Supremum vale (Last forgive)
Suum quique (To each his own)
Trahit sua quemque voluptas (Everyone is attracted by his passion)
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito (Do not submit to trouble, but boldly go towards it)
Ubi bene, ibi patria (Where it is good, there is the homeland).
Unam in armis salutem (The only salvation is in the struggle)
Vale et me ama (Goodbye and love me)
Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)
Via sacra (Holy way)
Vita sene libertate nihil (Life without freedom is nothing)
Vivere militare est (To live is to fight)
Surprisingly, in our time, death tattoos are on the list of the most popular plots ordered in tattoo parlors around the world. At the same time, the image itself is far from always perceived negatively, or causes fear.
There are male and female tattoos, subcultural and religious. Some have a hidden meaning, others are made just for beauty, and do not carry any message or special energy.
In certain circles, angel of death tattoos are a success. They depict Azrael (Malyaku l-maut among the Arabs). In the classical tradition of the Abrahamic religions, there is no such separate character with a scythe. Therefore, the guide to the afterlife is an angel. Some currents are of the opinion that he is the messenger of God, others identify him with dark forces.
Tattoo angel of death, with a cross and a skull in a black cape
For each branch of religion, people, culture, the meaning of the angel of death tattoo can be separate. Modern traditions often depict him as an old man, and death with a scythe tattoo is often identified with him. It is interesting that the angel responsible for the "deeds beyond the grave" is even in the traditional beliefs of the Chuvash people. They call him Esrel. The references to Judaism are obvious, so don't let them surprise you. The ancestors of modern Chuvash lived next to the Khazars, who converted to Judaism.
Tattoo death with a scythe In Christian countries, people often tattoo the seven deadly sins. All vices can be depicted, or one specific one that a person identifies with himself. Usually this is a person whose image demonstrates some quality recognized as a sin in Christianity:
- pride;
- greed;
- envy;
- anger;
- lust;
- gluttony;
- laziness or despondency.
“Remember death” tattoos in Latin are also very popular. The Memento mori inscription has a long history. It was first mentioned in ancient Rome. When the commander returned to his homeland with a victory, a slave walked behind him, periodically reminding him that, despite his successes, he was just a mere mortal. In the 17th century, this popular expression became a greeting for the monks of the Order of St. Paul. They were called the Brothers of Death.
The inscription tattoo memento mori, translates as - remember death Gradually, the original meaning of the phrase was forgotten, and in the form of a tattoo, it meant that our existence on earth was a temporary phenomenon. You should remember this under any circumstances.
death god tattoos
If you are a fan of ancient Egyptian mysticism and admire their pantheon, you will definitely like the Anubis god of death tattoo. A deity depicted with a jackal/dog head and a human body. He holds an ankh in one hand and a staff in the other. He is both a guide to the afterlife and one of the judges for human souls.
Anubis god of death tattoo Greek mythology gave us the god Thanatos. He is the patron of everything connected with the “other world”, and the brother of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Some people get a tattoo of both brothers to show how thin the line is between sleeping and the process of dying of the physical body.
The name of Hades (Hades) is also associated with the world of the dead. He is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Although this god does not kill anyone, he guards the realm of the dead, named after him. His image is also popular in the art of tattooing, although it is inferior to the Egyptian and Greek "colleagues".
The Japanese in modern culture have a separate concept of Shinigami deities. Some authors say that the god of death is one, others write that there are many. With the popularization of Japanese culture, such tattoos began to be made far beyond the borders of this country and Asia in general. The most popular Shinigami is Ryuk, a character from the manga, anime, and Death Note films.
Interesting tattoos, chosen by fans of the Nordic culture. Here, the name of the goddess Hel is associated with the world of souls. Her parents are the cunning god Loki and a certain giantess Angrboda. It is believed that when Ragnarok comes, Hel will oppose the aces, leading the hordes of the dead. This plot is often used in the plots of not only books, but also sketches of tattoos with death.
There are many goddesses who are responsible for the dead, or command the afterlife. One of the key ones is Mara - Morana, she is also the Celtic Morrigan. Old beliefs are still strong in Ireland to this day, and people often get a tattoo with the image of this goddess.
Grim Reaper. The history of the image and tattoo
Nowadays, a tattoo of death with a scythe can have a different meaning. In many ways, it depends on the region of residence, the religion of a person, his belonging to certain subcultures. We all understand that a heavy music lover is unlikely to really want to go to hell while listening to Highway to Hell. Accordingly, the tattooed death with a scythe is not associated with his suicidal tendencies. In general, men's tattoos are often made deliberately harsh and brutal, demonstrating the inner strength and courage of a person, his fearlessness in the face of an inevitable death for everyone.
Tattoo death with a scythe is made on the arm 
Tattoo death with a scythe meaning in the zone is quite logical. More precisely, there can be three of them:
- Remember death/memento more;
- The prisoner's contempt for death. These beliefs are extremely popular in the prison/camp environment;
- The murder they committed. Man considers himself an instrument of heaven, a reaper, or his scythe.
In the culture of European peoples, there is an image of a bony creature in a cape with a hood. He is called the grim reaper. The Slavs have similar images, although they had deities responsible for sending the soul to the world of the dead / heaven / hell / purgatory and their analogues. At the same time, one should distinguish between those who take souls, guides to the afterlife and guardians of the underworld, who do not go up.
Death tattoo in cape with hood There are images in modern culture that are not negative. For example, the writer Terry Pratchett devoted a whole cycle to the reaper, showing that he does not kill anyone, but only does his job, delivering people who died for various reasons to the afterlife.
If you see a Mexican with a tattoo of death with a scythe on his arm, it is likely that he is somehow connected with the Santa Muerte cult. The unique interweaving of ancient beliefs and Christianity has led to the emergence of such a hybrid religion and the days of the dead. Interestingly, studies have proven that the cult has nothing to do with black magic, and does not oppose the Catholic Church.
Drawing death with a scythe on the back has become the norm for many poor Mexicans. They are convinced that the reaper hears their prayers, and can even grant wishes. Such a drawing looks simple - a skeleton in a woman's dress, with a covered head. Sometimes in the hands of scales, symbolizing the judgment of the human soul.
Today, the cult and the tattoos associated with it have long ceased to be part of an exclusively Mexican culture. In our time, such beliefs are held by residents of Europe and the United States, incl. not having Latin American roots.
In modern tattoo art, many interesting sketches are associated with the cult of Santa Muerte. Some tattoos directly on the face - black circles around the eyes, black tip of the nose, the contours of the teeth under the skin and other details that hint that the person is actually dead. Also, similar images are often stuffed on the body.
Santa Muerte interesting sketches
Universe of Harry Potter
For fans of the Harry Potter series, completely different characters and events are associated with death. The first option is a deathly hallows tattoo - a special symbol denoting an elder wand, a resurrection stone and an invisibility cloak. All three items that were considered a legend ended up in the hands of the characters according to the plot. Fans of Rowling's work often get tattoos with this simple but original sign.
Deathly Hallows Tattoo Stylization
The same Potter lovers who have always been on the side of the dark lord, whose name cannot be spoken aloud, prefer to order the symbol of Potter's opponents and his friends. Today in the world there are many people on whose skin you can find tattoos of death eaters - henchmen of the main villain. It is a skull, from the mouth of which a huge snake crawls out.
Original sketches and plots. Styles and techniques of execution of tattoos with death
People have different attitudes towards death and the characters associated with this process, from worship to rejection. For example, the Swedish monarch Charles XV had a death to kings tattoo on his arm. Very original for a ruler. Are you wondering how it happened that the king had such a tattoo? It's very simple - this monarch was a Frenchman who served in the army during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.
During the wars, he rose to the rank of marshal, and was remembered for his excellent attitude towards the captured Swedes. They were so impressed by the generosity of the Frenchman that they suggested that he change his confession and become their crown prince. And so it happened. As a result, the secret opponent of the monarchy himself ascended the throne. In memory of him, many people make a similar inscription on the wrist, forearm. Sometimes it is written on a ribbon wrapped around a hand, or next to a crown. The sketch also looks great - a skull with a crown and the mentioned words.
Skull tattoo in crown Another famous inscription is a tattoo of victory, or death. In various variations, it was used by revolutionaries in Spain, Cuba and other countries. General Franco's supporters used the slogan "Freedom or Death". "Victory or Die" is the title of one of the episodes of "Game of Thrones".
Also found tattoo faithful to death. Usually it means loyalty to the master, king, homeland, and not to a partner. But the inscription can be interpreted in different ways.
Now the death tattoo has acquired too subcultural meaning. It is exploited without understanding the real meaning, or inventing a new one. This is due to books, films, TV shows, many new cults. For example, the horsemen of the Apocalypse, led by Death on a pale horse, were turned into some kind of fantasy characters, and in the Supernatural series, the chief reaper was killed with his own weapon. However, it is worth paying tribute to the authors - in their version, this character is not scary, but rather neutral.
Often people order a death tattoo with a clock - pocket or sand. In fact, this is the same "memento mori", only without the inscription. Each is assigned exactly as much as the higher powers decide. However, materialists hold a different point of view.
However, there are those who prefer old school and traditional. These areas of tattoo art do not lose popularity even in the 21st century.
The image of death on the back is often drawn to the waist, showing bony hands, with fingers that adorn massive rings. A scythe is not always a mandatory detail of a death tattoo. But if it is the Grim Reaper (the grim reaper) that is depicted, then she, or the sickle, is present.
Interestingly, the tattoo of immortality looks like a skull with a snake crawling out of its eye socket. A reptile in this context means wisdom and knowledge that persist even after the death of their individual carriers. Also, the phoenix bird is considered a symbol of eternal life. The Chinese believed that immortality is symbolized by a butterfly. A very unexpected choice, given the transience of her life in our world.
Skull tattoo with a snake in the eyes The network has a lot of very interesting and atmospheric photos of death tattoos. Take a look and explore the options. Perhaps one of them will inspire you. However, we recommend ordering death tattoo sketches individually. For example, if you need to make death on the shoulder, forearm, voluminous black and white images with good detail will look best.
Sketches
Choose a sketch for yourself and get a tattoo if you are not afraid of course.
