Not all work is compensated. But we all deserve to get paid for our work. Sometimes the compensation is ridiculously small, and we may sell ourselves short. We can think of a million occasions when compensation has not been forthcoming at all. Or maybe we get rewarded, paid for our work retroactively through completely different people and for completely different reasons. There is a Latin saying for this what should be so obvious, yet remains so elusive: Continue reading

One World Trade Center After a longer while, another Latin phrase. This time a very short one, but one full of promise, with its meaning “toward better things”. And suits today, as it is the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of what happened in the United States on September 11th, 2001. Ad meliora is actually part of the sentence Ad meliora (toward better things) et (and) ad maiora (toward bigger things) semper (always). Continue reading

When you go to a museum, how awesome is it not to see all those old works of art painted or sculptured perhaps hundreds of years ago! As photography hadn’t been invented yet, the only way to immortalize or give shape to something was of course to paint or sculp it. There is a very suitable Latin phrase for this: “Ars longa, vita brevis”. Dissected this would be: ars (art) longa (long), vita (life) brevis (short). Continue reading

This time in Monthly Latin something simple. Two words that cover all of us. Or do they? UNUS MULTORUM i.e. one of many. One in a mass. An average person. Unus (one) multorum (of many). But as we all are but one, even when we have the power of/over many, the old hierarchical idea of the little man should in all honesty give way to the ideological side of those two words. Continue reading

This time in Monthly Latin about the fact that we human beings, as we learn all sorts of things about the world and ourselves and how we could use that knowledge and our special talents to advance our own interests, we mustn’t at the same time forget to contribute to the greater good of humanity as well. We are all fallible, all capable of making mistakes or being wrong for the simple reason that no one – quite naturally – can be expert on all facets of life. Continue reading

After a short break, time for some Latin again! This time about the fact that even the wisest people make mistakes. We are all fallible, all capable of making mistakes or being wrong for the simple reason that no one - quite naturally - can be expert on every facets of life. In Latin, this would be Nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit Broken into pieces for all you Latin lovers and/or students of the language: nemo (no) mortalium (mortal) omnibus (all) horis (hours) sapit (wise). Continue reading

Time for some Latin. This one is something that some of us dream of, but very few can realize. To be able to have so little that you can carry it all with you, anywhere you go. To have that freedom. It is about minimalism, the strive to have so little that material things do not present an obstacle to one’s living and moving around. Perhaps we can stretch this in our modern world to having everything you own fit in your camper. Continue reading

Time for another Latin phrase in our Monthly Latin series. This time about something that will become increasingly important in our modern world as we move towards times that will most probably challenge the ways we handle global adversity collectively. Sapiens qui prospicit  meaning “Wise is he who looks ahead” - or “Wise is he who foresees”. On a personal level it signifies naturally the wisdom in looking ahead in one’s life - making plans and foreseeing possible problems and obstacles in one’s attainment of goals. Continue reading

Here’s yet another Latin phrase in our Monthly Latin series. This could easily have an exclamation mark attached to it, and physically speaking both hands on one’s cheeks for extra effect, for it carries a lot of feeling. Have you heard of: O Sancta Simplicitas meaning Oh, Holy Simplicity! The legend is that these were the last words spoken by the Czech theologian Jan Hus as he was being burned at stake during the general council of the Roman Catholic Church in Constance in the year 1415. Continue reading

Here’s another one in our Monthly Latin series. The phrase you see below is just as eternal as any other Latin phrase, and probably known by at least some of you. But do you know where it originates from? Read on and you will.  Disce ut semper victurus, vive ut cras moriturus  Learn as if always going to live; live as if tomorrow going to die. What a superb sentence that is! Continue reading

Here’s another one in our series Monthly Latin. This phrase is just as eternal as any other Latin phrase, and probably known by many of you. But do you know where it originates from? The history behind it is quite interesting.  Audentes fortuna iuvat meaning of course Fortune favors the bold. The phrase is from Aeneid, a Latin epic poem written by the Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 B. Continue reading

Let’s have another piece in our series Monthly Latin! Our fascination of this old language may very well keep it alive for centuries to come as there is no end to the wise and for ever applicable phrases in Latin. And the next Latin phrase is just as eternal as any other - and very easy, although possibly painful, to relate to. Ex nihilo nihil fit The literal translation of this would be Out of nothing, nothing comes. Continue reading

Here’s yet another piece in our series Monthly Latin! Our fascination of this old language may very well keep it alive for centuries to come as there is no end to the wise and for ever applicable phrases in Latin. This phrase is known to most of us, and its message loud and clear.  Amor Vincit Omnia But who said that originally? Do we even know, this being such an omnipresent idea, what with love being - hopefully - present in everybody’s life, no matter when or where you live. Continue reading

This is the third piece in our series Monthly Latin – one Latin phrase or quotation a month. Our fascination of this old language may very well keep it alive for centuries to come. This one must be one of the most well-known Latin phrases, one that everyone should know. And one that has bearing in anyone’s life at one point or another. Alea iacta est Uttered of course by Julius Caesar as he was crossing the river Rubicon with his army in Northern Italy on January 10th, 49 B. Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_3371” align=“alignleft” width=“213”]Seal of South Carolina[/caption] This is the second piece in our series Monthly Latin - one Latin phrase or quotation a month. Our fascination of this old language may very well keep it alive for centuries to come. The person who is behind the quotation will be revealed only at the end of the article, so remember to scroll down slowly.  Dum spiro, spero  And this translates While I breath, I hope. Continue reading

From this day on there will be another constant presence in Journeys of Life, namely Monthly Latin. That old language isn’t of course an official language anywhere except perhaps in the Vatican State, and in the Catholic Church the use of Latin has greatly diminished since the old-style Latin Mass was phased out more than 40 years ago - in favor of local languages. Latin does remain the official language of the universal Church, but it is used mainly as the language of reference for translating major documents into modern languages. Continue reading