Carpe diem. meaning how to#

Not only do we want what we want, but we want it now.which sets off the trend in our society of running after things. Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the next day.We live in a get-it-now culture which is often referred to as the microwave generation. While we speak, envious time will have fled: Which even now wears out the Tyrrhenian sea on the opposing rocks, is the final one be wise,īe truthful, strain the wine, and scale back your long hopes to a short period. Whether Jupiter has allotted you many more winters or this one, How much better it is to endure whatever will be! Seize the day, place in the hours that come as little faith as you can.ĭon't ask (it's forbidden to know) what end the gods have given me or you, Leuconoe.ĭon't play with Babylonian numerology either. The envious moment is flying now, now, while we’re speaking: One debilitating the Tyrrhenian Sea on opposing cliffs.īe wise, and mix the wine, since time is short: limit that far-reaching hope. Whether Jupiter gives us more winters or this is the last one, Whether your fate or mine, don’t waste your time on Babylonian,įutile, calculations. Leuconoë, don’t ask, we never know, what fate the gods grant us, Have fled: pluck the day, trusting as little as possible to the future. Be wise, strain the wine, and cut back long hope

Which now weakens the Tyrrhenian sea on the pumice stones Whatever will be, whether Jupiter gives us more winters, or whether this is our last Should you meddle with Babylonian calculations. The gods have given to me, or to you, Leuconoe, nor You should not ask – to know is a sin – which end While we speak, envious time will have fled: seize the day, to the least extent possible trusting in the next one. How it is better to endure whatever will be! Whether Jupiter allotted many winters or a final one, which now weakens the Tyrrhenian sea with placed against stones: be wise, may you strain wine and may you restrain long hope for a brief while. You, do not seek (it is a crime to know) the end which the gods have given to me and to you, Leuconoe, nor attempt the Babylonian numbers. Dum loquimur, fugerit invidaĪetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero. Tyrrhenum, sapias, vina liques et spatio brevi Quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare 5 Seu pluris hiemes seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam, Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quem mihi, quem tibiįinem di dederint, Leuconoe, nec Babylonios They refer to them as ‘calculations’ or ‘numerology,’ however the Babylonian Numbers were an ancient system of astrology using mathematics of celestial objects and planets. I’ve also included three other poets’ translations of the work for comparison. It is interesting to note that none of these translators knew what the Babylonian Numbers were. Now imagine how hard it is to translate a poem that was written in a different language, thousands of years ago.īelow you can find my literal translation of Horace’s Odes passage I:XI.

Carpe diem. meaning how to#

When a poem is translated, the translator must make choices as to how to best represent the poet’s meaning - their poetry, not just their word-for-word text. Meaning and wording varies across languages and eras, cultural references and turns of phrase can be lost in translation or time. But translating poetry presents a whole new challenge. Poetry can be interpreted in many ways, even when read in the language in which it was written. Everyone knows the phrase “Carpe Diem,” or “seize the day,” but did you know where it comes from? The well-known Roman poet, Horace, gave the phrase its eternal fame in his book of poems, Odes (23 B.C.)