Meaning
What does Sic Parvis Magna mean?
Sic parvis magna is the motto of the famous privateer of Queen Elisabeth, Sir Francis Drake.
The phrase roughly translates to “Greatness From Small Beginnings”.
Origin
What's the origin of Sic Parvis Magna?
The first documented context, where “sic parvis magna” appears is in Virgil’s Eclogues, in the twentieth line of the first poem.
This ancient quote was adopted as the motto of Queen Elisabeth’s number one explorer and personal pirate, Sir Francis Drake, who was the most successful privateer of the 16th century.
Spread & Usage
How did Sic Parvis Magna spread?
The motto was truly popularized in modern culture thanks to the video game series of Naughty Dog; Uncharted, where “sic parvis magna” appears written on the ring of Sir Francis Drake.
Fans of the game had been discussing the meaning and the origin of the quote all over the internet, on sites like Reddit and Quora.
The phrase was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2017.
External resources
- History Today –Drake’s Progress
- Centralsauce.com – Why We Like It: Dirtsa’s “Sic Parvis Magna