'Ex Libris' usage

Question

I'm putting 'Ex Libris' bookplates in all of my books, but want to order the bookplates by type. So far I have:

'Ex Libris Astronomicis' (from the astronomy books of)

'Ex Libris Computatris' (from the computing books of)

'Ex Musica' (from the music of)

I am also familiar with 'Ex Libris Eroticis' and 'Ex Libris Occultis' but I don't have any books like that yet.

So my question is, how would I say, in Latin please:

'From the music books of' (Ex Libris Musicalis?)

'From the science fiction books of' (Ex Libris Scientiarum Fictionalis??? guessing)

'From the history books of'

'From the children's books of'

'From the reference books of'

And what is the actual case used there with the ending -is please?

Answer 1

Hello! First, when you say "ex libris astronomicis" or "ex libris computatris," you should just translate that phrase as "from the astronomical books," and "from the computational books," leaving out the preposition "of." Only once you append "Gulielmi" to those phrases do they actually become translated as "from the astronomical books *of William," etc.

On that note, the case that ends with "-is" is the ablative case, the ablative plural, since we're talking here about more than one book - a plurality of books.

Now, what is even more important before you do anything is that you change your bookplates titled "ex libris astronomicis" and "ex libris computatris" to "ex libris de astronomia" and "ex libris de computatione." The latter is far more elegant and I would venture to say also more correct. Otherwise, you are really saying "from the astronomical books" or "from the computer books," which, as you can see when figured thusly in English, don't have quite as graceful a ring to them as "from the books on astronomy" or "from the books on computation." Similarly in the case of music, you wish to write something like "ex libris de musica" rather than "ex musicis libris."

So, I just answered the first part of your question: "ex libris de musica." Now, regarding science fiction, you have to think a bit harder since the Romans didn't have that concept altogether hashed out: try "ex libris de fabulis mirabilibus." On history, go with "ex libris historiarum" or "ex libris annalium." For children's books, "ex libris liberis," and for reference works I'd say "ex libris encyclopediis." Just don't forget to append or write in your name at the end of each phrase, which you can do in the Latin genitive (possessive case): "Gulielmi."

Hope this helps and, community, let me know if I missed anything!

Cheers,

Matt