# Something that bugs me in Eisenhorn



## Markus Ramikin (Nov 13, 2011)

Hello all, I've a question I'd like to ask fellow Warhammer 40k fans. I hope this is a good place to come to with this (I assumed the "fluff" section is for stuff specifically from codexes so didn't go there). If, as a newcomer is liable to do, I made a mistake, then my apologies.

So in one of the Eisehorn books, Inquisitor Osma delivers this (widely quoted) speech:



> 'Gregor Eisenhorn' he said in precisely enunciated High Formal Gothic, 'In fealty to the God-Emperor, our undying lord, and by the grace of the Golden Throne, in the name of the Ordo Malleus and the Inquisition, I call thee Diabolus, and in the testimony of thy crimes, I submit this Carta. May Imperial justice account in all balance. The Emperor protects.'


This is very cool and all, but what does "May imperial justice account in all balance" actually mean in English? I've asked native English speakers (which I am not) and nobody can seem to make sense of it. How is the sentence supposed to be parsed, and in what sense is the word "account" used?

The reason to bother with this is that it -sounds- very cool, and would make for a good quote, but not if it's actually meaningless...


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

I'm going to take a stab at it and offer the guess that the meaning is something along the lines of: may the justice you will receive take into account the good you have done for the Imperium and your soul be taken as a loyal servant and not that of a heretic.


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## Kettu (Nov 20, 2007)

May Imperial Justice _'May the Imperial law'_ account in all balance _'take into consideration all circumstances and happenings' and/or 'not be corrupt'_

My Sisters and English teacher for non-native speakers.

Mind you, that is oddly worded phrase.


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## Hellados (Sep 16, 2009)

In fealty to the God-Emperor, (for the nearly dead guy) our undying lord (da boss), and by the grace of the Golden Throne (please god no one unplug it or we're fucked), in the name of the Ordo Malleus and the Inquisition (cos me and 'im say so), I call thee Diabolus (your the devil), and in the testimony of thy crimes (and because you're the devil cos you did this and that), I submit this Carta (i submit this evidence). May Imperial justice account in all balance (may imperial justice read this fairly/in a balanced way). The Emperor protects (pray and get ready to kiss your arse good buy)

thats what my English GCSE, A-level and degree in law would make me read


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## dandan1350 (Apr 22, 2010)

this :goodpost: :so_happy:


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## Markus Ramikin (Nov 13, 2011)

Kettu said:


> Mind you, that is oddly worded phrase.


Definitely.


Hellados said:


> In fealty to the God-Emperor, (for the nearly dead guy) our undying lord (da boss), and by the grace of the Golden Throne (please god no one unplug it or we're fucked), in the name of the Ordo Malleus and the Inquisition (cos me and 'im say so), I call thee Diabolus (your the devil), and in the testimony of thy crimes (and because you're the devil cos you did this and that), I submit this Carta (i submit this evidence). May Imperial justice account in all balance (may imperial justice read this fairly/in a balanced way). The Emperor protects (pray and get ready to kiss your arse good buy)
> 
> thats what my English GCSE, A-level and degree in law would make me read


Haha, nice. Though I'm pretty sure a Carta Extremis is the formal accusation itself, not evidence. Funny, though.

Hm, I wonder if Abnett was the first to use that name, Carta Extremis. He definitely has a way with language, making things sound cool. The whole Glossia thing comes to mind too. But I digress...

So anyway. Thanks for the responses, all. Yeah, the intention of the phrase was obvious, of course, so I got the same gist from it as you guys did: "may your judgement be fair/balanced", more or less.

But while I got the gist from context and keywords, what baffles is is how to read that phrase word-by-word. I mean, "account in all balance", that is the problem part. 

So my best stab at a parsing atm is "account in" = "take into account" (Otherwise I'd have to read "account" as an intransitive verb and "in all balance" as a phrase that means I'm not sure what).
So is that how you guys are reading it? and is "account in" correct English?


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## Hellados (Sep 16, 2009)

ah you see i believe you are trying to over analyse the fucked up bastardised language which we call english but which is in fact a conglomeration of about 20+ different languages


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## Moonschwine (Jun 13, 2011)

Hellados said:


> ah you see i believe you are trying to over analyse the fucked up bastardised language which we call english but which is in fact a conglomeration of about 20+ different languages


Implying its not awesome that if, in english, there is no word that describes or exists something we just make one up or change the meaning of an existing one to fit. E.G - Flash to describe "excess mold material" on models, or Furgurglebarb - the solid gritty substance you hack up if you inhale sand. 

And for yet another attempted translation:

In fealty to the God-Emperor, (For my allegiance/service to the Emperor) our undying lord, and by the grace of the Golden Throne, in the name of the Ordo Malleus and the Inquisition (Using the Authority granted to me on behalf of these Organizations and the Imperium), I call thee Diabolus (I call you an agent of Evil), and in the testimony of thy crimes (I declare you have committed these acts), I submit this Carta (With this accusation and evidence as proof of your involvement). May Imperial justice account in all balance (May the Law / Justice pass judgement based on fair consideration of the good and bad of your actions and reasons for doing what you did). The Emperor protects.


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