"The Cafe" -- Latin Phrase?

Do you remember when Jerry was looking out of the window, through the binoculars, to the cafe below? It was then when Elaine said a specific Latin phrase aloud. To make matters worse, they both repeated the phrase at least 3 times. My problem is that I could not understand them, even after repeated rewindings.

This is as close as I have gotten: Catus Bella. I have roughly translated this to mean "a social class of sophisticated women". If anyone has a more precise translation and/or spelling of the phrase, please post!

P.S. I sure hope this is not a common phrase...how embarrassing!

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Ro London wrote:

Not even close, although it's hardly a common phrase. It's "cassus belli," something to do with war, but I don't know the exact meaning.

In article , David Marsh writes:

*casus* belli = occurrence of war; i.e., an event that brings about a declaration of war.

David Marsh added:

I remember when the episode originally aired this same discussion was held. As I recall (and never taken a Latin class) it meant either 'a reason for war' or 'a justifiable reason for war.'

I understood them to be saying "casus bellus." I do not know Latin but I know that "casa" is house or home in Italian and Spanish and "bella" is beautiful in both of these languages (though not pronounced the same) so I guess if this is in fact the phrase they were saying, Elaine may have been reading some "Better Home and Garden" type magazine and the phrase means "beautiful homes." (I know that often in Latin languages the adjective follows the noun it is modifying.) Regard, Hal

"Casus Belli" means "justification for making war" and apparently means "misfortune".

Literally translated, "the cause of war". Usually it's used in reference to a specific event that starts a war. Often, said event was just an excuse for starting the shooting, which both sides were working up to anyway.

The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter was the casus belli of the American Civil War. The assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo was the casus belli of World War One. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was casus belli for the U.S. to enter World War Too.

I have no clue how to apply this phrase to that Seinfeld episode, though.

Bo (who felt like giving a history lecture instead of working)

How about Jerry taking the keys from Kramer. That was a Casus belli.

Leigh