albus an ater sit

Etymology
From +  +  +  the present subjunctive third person singular of. Literally meaning "he may be white or black". Compare.

Originally from the longer:
 * Albus an ater sit, nescio.
 * I don't know whether he is white or black.

or
 * Albus an ater sit, non curo.
 * I care not whether he is white or black.

Proverb

 * 1) he is entirely indifferent to me


 * Vide, quam te amārit is, qui albus aterve fueris ignorans, fratris filium praeteriit.
 * See how much he loved you, who, not knowing whether you were black or white, passed over his brother's son.


 * Unde illa scivit, ater an albus nascerer.
 * How did she know whether I would be born black or white?