# Latin quote in "Lonesome Dove"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 15, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160 "2001-01-15T16:17:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dan\_Electro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Dan\_Electro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Electro)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160/1 "2001-01-15T16:17:00Z")

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Over the holiday I rented Lonesome Dove after reading the book, and I was struck by the quote they had on their sign in Texas, which wasn’t translated anywhere in the book. it reads:

“Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit”

I’m really curious what this means. Thanks for any help.

Dan

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**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160/2 "2001-01-15T16:39:38Z")

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It isn’t a quote, its a motto! It doesn’t have to say mean anything, it is just suppose to be there.

Actually, I have always wondered too. The only reason I even finished the book was because I figured it had to tell you what the motto meant somewhere. Boy was I upset at the end.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160/3 "2001-01-15T16:55:23Z")

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But this question has come up before. I couldn’t find it in the archives, but IIRC, the preferred translation was “A grape matures by watching other grapes.”

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-quote-in-lonesome-dove/50160/4 "2001-01-15T16:58:14Z")

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And here’s some more thoughts on it. . .  
[http://www.jps.net/callaghan/jean/uva.html](http://www.jps.net/callaghan/jean/uva.html)