Nemo me

Nemo me impune lacessit is the motto of the Order of the Thistle and of the three Scottish regiments of the British Army. Translated, it means “No one harms me without consequences”. According to legend, the phrase derives from the "guardian thistle" which played its part in the defence of the ancient realm of Scotland against a night attack by the Danes, one of whom let out a yell of pain when he stepped on a prickly thistle, thus alerting the Scottish defenders.

The spirit represented in this Latin phrase allows the Scots to be both proud and self deprecating without fear and this is what creates the Scots’ unique charm of being tough, independent, strong and able to laugh at themselves.