"" (), or "''Unicuique suum''", is a

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

phrase often translated as "to each his own" or "may all get their due." ''Suum cuique'' has been significant in the history of philosophy and as a

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

. The English phrase "to each his own eserts (''suum cuique'') is not to be confused with the similar phrase "each to his own astes ('' chacun à son goût''), which corresponds more closely to the Latin '' de gustibus non est disputandum''.

History

Antiquity

The Latin phrase relates to an old Greek principle of

justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...

which translates into English as "to each his own".

Plato Plato ( ; Greek language, Greek: , ; born BC, died 348/347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical Greece, Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the writte ...

, in ''

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

'', offers the provisional definition that "justice is when everyone minds his own business, and refrains from meddling in others' affairs" ( Greek: "...τὸ τὰ αὑτοῦ πράττειν καὶ μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν δικαιοσύνη ἐστί...", 4.433a). Everyone should do according to his abilities and capabilities, to serve the country and the society as a whole. Also, everyone should receive "his own" (e.g., rights) and not be deprived of "his own" (e.g., property) (433e). The Roman author, orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC) popularised the Latin phrase: * "''Iustitia suum cuique distribuit.''" ("Justice renders to everyone his due.") – '' De Natura Deorum'', III, 15. * '' ..ut fortitudo in laboribus periculisque cernatur, .. iustitia in suo cuique tribuendo.''" (" ..so that fortitude (courage) may be seen in hardship and danger, .. justice in attributing to each his own".) – ''De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum'', ''liber V'', 67. The phrase appears near the beginning of Justinian's ''Institutiones'': ''iuris praecepta sunt haec: honeste vivere, alterum non laedere'', ''suum cuique tribuere''. (Inst. 1,1,3-4). (Translated into English: "the precepts of law are these: to live honestly, to injure no one, ndto give to each his own".)

Motto

''Suum cuique'' serves as the motto of the Order of the Black Eagle ( German: ''Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler''; founded in 1701), the highest

order of chivalry An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is a society, fellowship and college of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and ...

of the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

. The motto continues in use in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

– in the insignia of the

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...

(the Feldjäger) and in association with the Berlin-based

Masonic Lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

, ''Black Eagle Lodge'' ( German: ''Johannisloge Zum schwarzen Adler''). The common German translation of the phrase – '' Jedem das Seine'' – was written on the main gate of Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald, leading to the phrase being controversial in modern Germany. The Faculty of Advocates in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

uses the motto ''Suum cuique''. It was also the motto of the North Carolina Supreme Court until 1975, when it was changed to ''Suum cuique tribuere''. The phrase also serves as the motto of the Faculties of Law at

Lund University Lund University () is a Public university, public research university in Sweden and one of Northern Europe's oldest universities. The university is located in the city of Lund in the Swedish province of Scania. The university was officially foun ...

and

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

in Sweden, Faculty of Law at University of Warsaw in Poland, as well as the Faculty of Law of Federal University of Bahia in Brazil.

In popular culture

Valentin Pikul Valentin Savvich Pikul (; July 13, 1928 – July 16, 1990) was a popular and prolific Soviet Union, Soviet historical novelist of Ukrainian-Russian heritage. He lived and worked in Riga. Pikul's novels were grounded in extensive research, blendin ...

's 1985 novel on the career of the French General Jean Victor Moreau (1763–1813), ''Kazhdomu svoyo'', uses as its title a Russian translation of "''suum cuique''." Snaut, one of the characters in Stanisław Lem's science fiction novel '' Solaris'', uses the phrase in conversation with the character Kelvin. "Suum Cuique" is the final song on the 2013 album '' Abandon All Life'' by the

powerviolence Powerviolence (sometimes written as power violence) is a chaotic and fast subgenre of hardcore punk which is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore. In contrast with grindcore, which is a "crossover" idiom containing musical aspects of hea ...

band Nails. On the TNT drama '' Animal Kingdom'', the character Deran Cody has "Suum Cuique" tattooed on his left shoulder.

References

External links