There are two routes to solving this puzzle. Either should be enough to allow you to decipher the coded messages (as long as you use the dictionary definitions).

For the more direct route you can ignore all the clues below in this document. For the less direct route you need to find a common link between the pictures below:-

Call that link A. Then you need to relate A to a lover of mottoes, who was especially connected to these two:-

Explore everything, retain the best