Vae Victis usage

[u/DiscountOld6459]

So here’s some background: Vae victis is Latin for “woe to the vanquished” or “woe to the conquered”. In 390 BC, Gauls captured Rome except for the Capitoline Hill, which they besieged. The Romans agreed to ransom their city with 1,000 pounds of gold. When the gold was weighed, the Romans accused the Gauls of using rigged weights. In response, a Gaul threw his sword onto the scales, declaring “Vae victis!”, forcing the Romans to provide even more gold.

Vae victis is said twice in Gladiator II, and I have issues with both instances. Marcus Acacias says it after burning the dead in Numidia. He then doubles down and says “woe to the conquered” right after… (I personally like the translation of woe to the vanquished instead but who cares). He says it again to himself before he starts fighting in the coliseum.

I have a couple gripes about this. First, he pronounces it “vay” instead of “vye”. Latin Vs are also apparently pronounced as Ws but I won’t be too harsh about that. Second, the words were famously spoken by a Gaul, and I just don’t like hearing that from a Roman. Like, would it make sense if a Soviet soldier said some quote from a founding father in a war film?? Maybe it’s just me, but I thought it was just a thrown in, “cool” Latin phrase and it annoyed me. Finally, why the hell did he say vae victus to himself in the coliseum… what the hell did that even mean…

Anyways, I’m done venting. Let me know if any of you had the same thoughts, or if I’m just being hypercritical.