Umberto Eco's novel "The Name of the Rose"?

Question

I read this novel after attending a University lecture comparing three "high concept" literary novels to storytelling in the pulp-detective genre.

But I never found out what the last line of the book meant... Its a phrase in Latin, possibly a quote from a medival author or manuscript.

It is:

"Stat Rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus"

Anybody know what it meant AND how it connects to the story Eco told?

Answer 1

It means "And what is left of the rose is only its name..."

The novel, The Name of The Rose by Umberto Eco ends with the phrase: "stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus." Eco explains this himself in Postcript to The Name of the Rose.
"Since the publication of The Name of the Rose I have received a number of letters from readers who want to know the meaning of the final Latin hexameter, and why this hexameter inspired the book's title. I answer that the verse is from De contemptu mundi by Bernard of Morlay, a twelfth-century Benedictine, whose poem is a variation on the "ubi sunt" theme (most familiar in Villon's later "Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan"). But to the usual topos (the great of yesteryear, the once-famous cities, the lovely princesses: everything disappears into the void), Bernard adds that all these departed things leave (only, or at least) pure names behind them. I remember that Abelard used the example of the sentence "Nulla rosa est" to demonstrate how language can speak of both the nonexistent and the destroyed. And having said this, I leave the reader to arrive at his own conclusions."

Answer 2

Good Book !!! What the movie didn't show was the fight between the rich and the poor Christians in the old catholic church. Umberto Eco's novel — for instance — described the philosophy of a new POOR and plain church. Was Lord Jesus rich, did he wear silk or just cotton!? The movie — which I like too — did not show this fundamental conflict in the church. The book did. And when they(1) leave the monastery, they are still poor, but wise... The Name Of The Rose was perhaps the name of that girl... was it really — or was it a symbol for William's plain heart — a symbol of a new age or a total CHANGE in the old traditional church, a symbol of hope, to give space for a new millennium ? ! ----- (1) William of Baskerville and his pal Adso von Melk

Answer 3

I have nothing to add really, just wanted to chime in and say how much I loved this book. Even the movie was pretty good, but 2 me a movie can never equal a book this well written. Great question, a star 4 u and a great answer thumb up 4 u.

Answer 4

The translation given above is actually a very loose translation.

The rose remains pristine in name only; we keep the bare names.