Breakdown of Ius sine iustitia firmum manere non potest.
non
not
manere
to remain
posse
to be able
sine
without
Questions & Answers about Ius sine iustitia firmum manere non potest.
What case is ius, and how do we know it is the subject?
Ius is nominative singular neuter. It is the subject because it is the thing that cannot remain firm.
Its dictionary form is ius, iuris, a third-declension neuter noun.
Why is iustitia in that form after sine?
Because sine always takes the ablative case. So sine iustitia means without justice.
Here iustitia is ablative singular.
What is the difference between ius and iustitia?
They are related words, but they do not mean the same thing.
- ius = law, right, legal right, or what is lawful
- iustitia = justice, the quality or principle of being just
So in this sentence, the idea is that law/right cannot remain firm if it is separated from justice.
Why is ius used here instead of lex?