I am an artist wishing to sell posters with quotes from Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations". However, I would like to use the wording from a translation published in 2003. Is it legal for me to do this without compensating the publisher or translator?
answered on Feb 25, 2017
There are two issues here: (1) derivative work of something in the public domain, and (2) whether a short phrase or quote is even subject to copyright protection.
(1) If an original work enters the public domain, this does not cover derivative or subsequent works based on that original... View More 
answered on Dec 20, 2010
Yes, you need an attorney. The laws regarding piracy are very much in favor of the owner of the intellectual property rights. Moreover, in most piracy cases, if you are found liable, you can be obligated to pay the attorneys fees of the IP owner, which can easily run into tens of thousands of... View More
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