He takes the opportunity to learn lace construction anyway, on the principle that one never knows when such a thing may be useful. Currently in his late forties/early fifties (Sam Vimes noted in Feet of Clay that the Patrician was about the same age as him, and it is shown in Night Watch that he was a licensed student Assassin, making him 17 at the time of the main events of the book, when Vimes was 16), Lord Vetinari is tall, thin and dresses all in dusty black, including a black skullcap. The men employed for this job are successful in 'translating' five addresses out of every six, and view Vetinari's casual skill at it with something approaching awe. Si non confectus non reficiat: 2 ships destroyed and 56 ships lost. Contextual translation of "si non confectus, non reficiat" into English. His bedroom is spartan; containing little more than a narrow bed and a few battered cupboards. I rather think I did" (Feet of Clay). He is also very good at Thud, also known in the books by its Dwarvish name Hnaflbaflsniflwhifltafl (a reference to the Germanic-Scandinavian Tafl games, specifically Hnefatafl), and plays it to find his own weaknesses unlike other people (Reacher Gilt, Going Postal) who play Thud to find the opponent's weaknesses. Lord Vetinari's political philosophy can be summed up by his belief that what people wish for most is not good government, or even justice, but merely for things to stay the same; the Vetinari family motto is, after all, Si non confectus, non reficiat ("If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). "Si non confectus, non reficiat" Terry Pratchett. )). Usage Frequency: 1 Compared to the previous Patricians of the city, Vetinari appears to be remarkably normal. Ca veut dire quoi ? He had the highest "official" price for a living being ever: 1 Million Ankh-Morpork Dollars" (Men at Arms). For example, Vetinari still maintains an ancient department of the Ankh-Morpork government responsible for ensuring all figures of speech have a basis in fact, on the basis that people who seek this kind of employment must be kept busy, or else they just might do anything. Morporkians are in no doubt that Vetinari is firmly in charge of the city; the political system of Ankh-Morpork is described as "One Man, One Vote," in which Vetinari alone is the Man, and he has the Vote. Reference: Anonymous, Last Update: 2016-02-22 Quality: Again he comes a hair's breadth from being deposed (The Truth). At some point between Thud! It was established in Guards!, Guards! Lord Vetinari also has a strange clock in his waiting-room. As of Making Money he is now caring for another dog – 'Mr. Whistler, Baker, 3 Pigsty Hill' (Does Buns Opposite the Pharmacy). Thanks to an unusual will and Topsy's contempt for her in-laws; the rest of the Lavish family, Mr. Fusspot is formally and legally the current Chairman. The rats are loyal to him because he provided them with military advice that, after a conflict with the snakes and scorpions that also inhabited the dungeons, allowed them to become the dominant vermin of the palace. Usage Frequency: 1 Do I look like a 'sword made of the blood of a thousand men' ruler?". Quality: Usage Frequency: 1 Vetinari was able to drop his bloodless sword beside Winder's corpse, unused, and leave – all seemingly unobserved by anyone in the room, save Winder (though it was hinted that the party was arranged for the very purpose of facilitating the occasion of Winder's assassination). -----"Demeure seul, ou alors, si tu choisis l'amitié, accepte l'ami tel qu'il est." Opposition eaction to today's cabinet reshuffle, in which remarkably little shuffling seems to have been done has been some variation on the "same tired old faces" line. William de Worde works out that it was a plot using a body double for Vetinari. Other reasons for the Patrician's continued rule include his mastery of diplomacy and manipulation, his distant and menacing air, his everpresent calmness and composure (which, ironically, make other people ill at ease), and his skills as an Assassin; in The Truth, another character relates that "Vetinari moved like a snake". And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. Notably he does not request, or even demand the presence of any of his citizens, but merely has them informed that they "have an appointment with him", and they are promptly escorted to said appointment.