Yesterday we noted the press release of Northern Territory politician Gerry Wood, who addressed his message to foetuses he felt were not properly consulted about abortion reform in the NT. We asked if anyone could translate his Latin motto, which reads “Cessi foro gallinarum sed surgo”. Our amateur translation had a stab at “Yield to the marketplace of chickens, but rise up”. The chickens are a common motif with Wood, who we are told was a chicken farmer before becoming a politician. Our tipsters have had the following attempts at translating it:

“One chicken farmer to rule them all” — from an article in the NT News.

“I failed in the chook business but I rise up again”, one quotes from Wood himself in Northern Territory’s Hansard.

Another asks if it means something similar to “Your chooks will come home to roost”. We’ve asked Wood himself what it means but haven’t heard back.