albus an ater sit

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Latin

Etymology

From albus (white) + an (whether) + āter (black) + sit (he may be) the present subjunctive third person singular of sum (I am). Literally meaning "he may be white or black". Compare homō nūllīus colōris (a man of no color).

Originally from the longer:

Albus an ater sit, nescio.
I don't know whether he is white or black.

or

Albus an ater sit, non curo.
I care not whether he is white or black.

Pronunciation

Proverb

albus an āter sit

  1. at all, anything
Vide, quam te amārit is, qui albus aterne fueris ignorans, fratris filium praeteriit.Cicero, Philippics, 2.16
See how much he loved you, who, not knowing a thing about you (lit. whether you were black or white), passed over his brother's son (and made you his heir).
Nil nimium studeo, Caesar, tibi velle placere
nec scire utrum sis albus an ater homo
Catullus (contemporary with Caesar), Carmina, 93
I don't much care to please you, Caesar
Nor to know whether you be white or be black (i.e., anything at all about you)