proximus egomet mihi

LatinEdit

Alternative formsEdit

proximus sum egomet mihi

EtymologyEdit

From proximus (“closest, nearest”) and egomet (“myself, I”) and mihi (“to me”) the dative of ego (“I”). Literally meaning "the closest one to me is me myself", "I am the one who is closest to myself" or "I myself am closest to myself".^[1]

PronunciationEdit

(Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈprok.si.mus ˈe.ɡo.met ˈmi.hi/, [ˈprɔks̠ɪmʊs̠ ˈɛɡɔmɛt̪ ˈmi(ɦ)ɪ]
(Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈprok.si.mus ˈe.ɡo.met ˈmi.i/, [ˈprɔksimus ˈɛːɡomet̪ ˈmiːi]

ProverbEdit

proximus egomet mihi

(idiomatic) every man for himself; charity begins at home

ReferencesEdit

^ Publius Terentius Afer (166 BCE), “Actus IV”, in Andria: “quis tu es? quis mihi es? quor meam tibi? heus proxumus sum egomet mihi.”