# Help me ID two flags **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709 "2003-08-08T00:36:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/1 "2003-08-08T00:36:27Z")
I was recently on vacation in New England, and I wandered as far north as New Hampshire and Maine, where I saw two flags I cannot identify. The first flag I saw was white with a dark blue canton which contained a dark red Latin (or Passion) cross. The second flag I saw was more complex. It was white with a black snake wrapped around a black anchor sinister (and leaning sinister). Central, it had a red Latin cross. Dexter (and leaning dexter) it had a red spear, point down. Interspersed between the devices was a Greek motto in red. The transliteration of the motto is ELEYTHERIA H THANATOS. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/2 "2003-08-08T00:46:49Z")
The Greek motto seems to be something about freedom or death. Since you were in New Hampshire, I would guess it to be a Greek rendering of the New Hampshire “Live Free or Die” motto. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/3 "2003-08-08T01:01:03Z")
Actually, I take that back. Take a look at these articles, which describe the motto, and some flags with similar elements: [http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/gr-indep.html](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/gr-indep.html) [http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/gr-hist.html](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/gr-hist.html) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/4 "2003-08-08T01:55:38Z")
Well, your first flag is the [U. S. Christian Flag](http://www.christianflag.us/) (which appears to be derived from (or, at least, resembles), the [U.S. Episcopal flag](http://www.americanflagstore.com/flagsets/episcopalflagsets.htm)) and about which there is some information at this [home schooler’s](http://www.christianhomeschoolers.com/hs/pledges.shtml) site. I haven’t found anything on your second flag, yet. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/5 "2003-08-08T02:04:39Z")
The second flag is Greek, and was used in their war of independance. Exactly which island it is from, I cannot say. [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gr-indep.html](http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gr-indep.html) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-two-flags/193709/6 "2003-08-08T05:31:11Z")
Apparently, my transliteration left something to be desired. I correctly rendered the theta, lambda, rho, and sigma, but the H-I transfer eluded me. (Although I _thought_ there was something off about a word consisting of the letter ‘h’.) I only know a few (maybe three) words of Greek (see below), but mathematics demands a knowledge of the Greek alphabet. Incidentally, I guessed the `Live Free or Die' interpretation as well, given my knowledge of one word (thanatos, from my studies of Freud) and the motto of the state I was in (New Hampshire). `Liberty or Death’ is probably a much better rendering, although I can’t help but notice the similarity. (The flag was displayed in a restaurant that served no greek cuisine whatsoever, but was in a prominent display case alongside the current Greek national flag. Spiced lamb may not sell, but obscure references to one’s nationality can’t hurt. :)) Anyway, thanks for the help. I’m constantly amazed at how much you people can do, even with only a limited amount of information (enough to be scrawled on a paper napkin, in one instance).