Amici Sumus - We are friends
This Latin sentence is used as a guiding mantra among the
correspondence chess community. The idea is that chess is an
invigorating mental challenge, in which one should strive one's hardest
while following the rules; however, one should always treat one's
opponent as if s/he were one's best friend. In cases of disagreement
over the rules, friends would find a solution amicably, and
the winner and loser alike would exhibit good sportsmanship.
A statement of this philosophy appears in the Rules and Guidelines
of the International Chess Correspondence Federation (www.iccf.com),
and some players close their letters with Amici Sumus.
I think Amici Sumus is especially apropos for 2001-2003,
as it reminds us that a simple, shared joy, such as a game of chess,
can succeed in bringing together people who might have wildly different
backgrounds and opinions.
Thanks to Grichka and Excalibre for telling me that
Amici sumus is pronounced /a-mee-kee soo-mus/.
Of course, I could have figured this out if I had read the nice guide
to Classical Latin pronunciation.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to clean up; my
liberal, bleeding heart has oozed all over
my keyboard.