The motto selected for the obverse of the Virginia seal is '' Sic semper tyrannis '' , or in English , '' Thus always to tyrants '' . This is a derived quote from the famous events in Roman history , attributed to Brutus upon his participation in the slaying of Julius Caesar . ( Caesar had been named perpetual dictator of Rome in the same year , and some Senators believed he had ambitions to abolish the Roman Republic and establish himself as a monarch . ) A joke referencing the image on the seal that dates as far back as the Civil War , is that " '' Sic semper tyrannis '' " actually means " Get your foot off my neck . " In 2010 , Ken Cuccinelli , Attorney General of Virginia , gave his staff lapel pins with Virtus 's bosom covered by an armored breastplate . His spokesman , Brian Gottstein , said the pin was paid for by Cuccinelli 's political action committee , not with taxpayer funds
slaying
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Flag and seal of Virginia