Few days ago three ships of the Italian Navy called in the port of Livorno, as they usually do in this period of the year. The purpose of their cruise is the training of several junior officers.They are quite old vessels: the corvette “Sfinge” (F 554) was built in 1988 and the patrol boat “Spica” (P 403 ) in 1991.
Any ship of the Navy has a Latin motto: you can see on the “Spica” a plaque with “Vigile attendo” (Alert I'm waiting). Less visible the one on the “Sfinge”: “Tacita atque resoluta” (Silent and resolute).
While “Sfinge” means sphinx and “Spica” is a star, the patrol boat “Orione” (P 410) is named after a constellation. “Lumen et fides” (Light and trust) is her motto.
The square “bandiera di bompresso” (Navy jack) is flown at the head of the ships. The quarters of the flag refer to the four ancient Italian Maritime Republics: Venice, Genoa, Amalfi and Pisa.This is obviously the only case of a Pisan flag flying over Livorno.
See also: Sfinge - Spica - Orione (Navy site, in Italian)
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