Nec Temere, Nec Timide

Nec Temere, Nec Timide is a Latin phrase, which translates to “Neither rashly nor timidly”. Its exact origin is unknown although Aristotle in Ethica Nicomachea, Book III, mentions, along with other examples, that the virtuous man is not temerarious nor timorous, but courageous; but through time it has been used by several families. It is best known as the motto of the Dano-Norwegian naval hero Niels Juel, who supposedly used it first at the dawn of July 1, 1677, just before the Battle of Køge Bay. And is also used as the motto of the Anglo-Saxon surname Bent, Buckley and the Welsh Cradawg, Latinized as Caratacus and Anglicized as Craddock. Today, it serves as a motto by various institutions:

• The University of Edinburgh
• The Royal Danish Naval Academy
• The English town Oswestry, in Shropshire
• The Polish city Gdańsk
• The Dutch air assault brigade 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade.
• Appleby College
• Cottrell Old Yankee Ale
• The Michigan Exploration Laboratory
• The Royal Quebec Golf Club
• The Bulkeley Hotel, Beaumaris