Line from The West Wing
 

This is mainly for the fanatics. I caught an episode on Bravo this week and it got me wondering what it meant. I'm not sure what the episode is called, but it was shortly after Mrs. Landingham died - possibly that same episode. The line (monologue) in question is President Bartlet's while inside the cathedral. He goes on in English and Latin. And from Sheen's delivery the meaning sounds very powerful. Anyone know?

Check tvtome.com:

"Haec credam a deo pio?"
Did I believe this [belief], in a holy/kind/benevolent God?

"A deo iusto, a deo scito?"
In a just God, in a knowing/judicious God?

"Cruciatus in crucem."
I am suffering; this is the cross I bear

"Tuus in terra servus, nuntius fui."
Your servant on earth, the messenger, I was.

"Officium perfeci."
I have done my duty.

"Cruciatus in crucem"
Same as above.

"Eas in crucem."
Go to the cross, more colloquially though, and judging by his tone, he just told God to go to hell, and it was further implied by the cigarette on the floor.

For those who don't know what's going on: the President's long-time secretary, Mrs. Landingham, has died in a car crash, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti has been surrounded, and President Bartlett is about to tell the world that he has MS and will not run for president in the next election. After the funeral in the National Cathedral, Bartlett, a devout Catholic, asks for time alone.

The first line is in English: "She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What? That's supposed to be funny? Have I displeased you, you feckless thug?”

Translated by Michael Meyer, a West Wing fan and Latin scholar:

gratias tibi ago, domine.
(Thank you, Lord. ) (sarcastic - "thanks a lot, pal.")

haec credam a deo pio, a deo justo, a deo scito?
(Am I to believe these things from a righteous god, a just god, a wise god? )

cruciatus in crucem
(To hell with your punishments! [literally "(put/send) punishments onto a cross"])

tuus in terra servus, nuntius fui; officium perfeci.
(I was your servant, your messenger on the earth; I did my duty.)

cruciatus in crucem -- (with a dismissive wave of the hand) eas in crucem
(To hell with your punishments! And to hell with you! [literally, "may you go to a cross"])

He then crushes his cigarette and tells God: "You get Hoynes," meaning the vice president will be running on the top of the ticket.

Later, there is an imaginary conversation with Mrs. Landingham, who doesn't buy his pity act: ”... If you don't want to run again, I respect that. But if you don't run because you think it's gonna be too hard or you think you're gonna lose — well, God, Jed, I don't even want to know you.”

This is a season closer; in the next season opener, Bartlett goes to the press conference, tells everyone about his MS, and that he will run again in the next election.

Sorry to be so overly-informative, but this is one of the best scenes on television. You can find more information at http://bartlet4america.org/news/000164.html

That's one of my favorite episodes of the West Wing, and that scene in particular was just amazing.

i still miss mrs. landingham. :(

Did she die in real life?

That last sequence, with Bartlett walking to the press conference with his staff through a pouring rain, with Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms" playing over the soundtrack, is one of the most emotional, powerful scenes I've ever watched. It's just amazing.

I caught a glimpse of Mrs. Landingham playing a mean teacher on a Lifetime movie last night.

I would have to agree. I'm catching up with the West Wing thanks to Bravo, and love that scene. That scene from "Manchester", where he gathers his senior staff in the classroom and then heads out to address the crowd to kick off his re-election campaign is pretty good too.

Buh-buh-baby you ain't seen nuthin' yet.