Tempus fugit

For other uses, see Tempus fugit (disambiguation).
An example of the phrase as a sundial motto in Redu, Belgium.

Tempus fugit is a Latin phrase, usually translated into English as "time flies". The expression comes from line 284 of book 3 of Virgil's Georgics,[1] where it appears as fugit inreparabile tempus: "it escapes, irretrievable time". The phrase is used in both its Latin and English forms as a proverb that "time's a-wasting". Tempus fugit, however, is typically employed as an admonition against sloth and procrastination (cf. carpe diem) rather than a motto in favor of licentiousness (cf. "gather ye rosebuds while ye may"); the English form is often merely descriptive: "time flies like the wind", "time flies when you're having fun".

The phrase's full appearance in the Georgics is:

Original
(Vergil)[1]		 Translation
(Dryden)[2]		 Translation
(Rhoades)[3]
Omne adeo genus in terris hominumque ferarumque Thus every Creature , and of every Kind ,
The secret Joys of sweet Coition find :
Not only Man's Imperial Race ; . . .		 Nay, every race on earth of men, and beasts,
et genus aequoreum, pecudes pictaeque volucres,             . . . but they
That wing the liquid Air ; or swim the Sea ,
Or haunt the Desart , . . .		 And ocean-folk, and flocks, and painted birds,
in furias ignem que ruunt: amor omnibus idem. ...             . . . rush into the flame :
For Love is Lord of all ; and is in all the same .		 Rush to the raging fire: love sways them all.
Sed fugit interea, fugit inreparabile tempus, But time is lost , which never will renew , Fast flies meanwhile the irreparable hour,
singula dum capti circumvectamur amore. While we too far the pleasing Path pursue ;
Surveying Nature , with too nice a view .		 As point to point our charmed round we trace.

The phrase is a common motto, particularly on sundials and clocks.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Vergilius Maro, Publius. Georgicon, III. c. 29 BC. Hosted at Wikisource. (Latin)
  2. ↑ Dryden, John (trans.). The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis, 3rd ed., Vol. I, pp. 163–166. Jacob Tonson (London), 1709. Hosted at Google Books. Accessed 30 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Rhoades, James (trans.). Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics of Vergil. Ginn & Co. (Boston), 1900. Hosted at MIT. Accessed 30 May 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tempus fugit.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/7/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.