“Quo Vadis?” is used often. Restaurants, films, shops even old automobiles have been called Quo Vadis.
I thought it would be easy to find the background to these words. .
The easy part is the Latin translation.
“Where are you going?”
There are other translations with subtle differences, but the essence remains the same.
Earliest references allude to a New Testament verse (John 13.36), translated to the following "Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou?”
More than this I could not find, so I read the book Quo Vadis.
The book was written roundabout 1896 by Polish Nobel Prize winner Henryk Seinkiewicz. He was a Latin scholar and historical researcher.
Legend has it that Peter fled Rome during the persecution of the Christians during Nero’s time. On the Appian Way he was confronted by a vision of Christ.
Peter asked “ Quo vadis, Domine?” ( “Where are you going, Lord?”)
To which the Lord replied “ If you desert my people, I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time”
Peter returned to Rome and was later crucified.
This is the best I could do, somehow I do not believe I have done justice to the occasion, any contributions will be welcome.
Image from Wikipedia
EDIT on 17 October 2008
I have never really felt that this post has done justice to the occasion and I went digging deeper I found this passage in the introduction of the book Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz, first published in 1896. The author was a respected latin researcher. Passage verbatim from the introduction
“Quo vadis, Domine”, or as the apostle Peter would say in common parlance, “Where do we go from here, Lord?” Legend has it that Peter sought to flee Rome after the seeming destruction of the Christian church there, resulting from persecution under Nero. He was supposedly not afraid, but rather wished to preserve the rest of the church in the light of the victory of Antichrist (Nero) in the new Babylon (Rome). But the Lord’s response to “Quo vadis?” was for Peter to return and die with his brethren, not in defeat, but as a sign of victory over the powers of darkness. Whether this legend is true or not, we all know the outcome.”
Still digging, will find more....
