Expert: Maria - 2/12/2008

Question
Hi Maria, I trying to combine a couple of phrases to be inscribed on a gift for my son's 14th birthday. What I would like to translate into Latin is "never forget to believe in yourself and to seize the day". Can you please help me translate this phrase.

Thanks you in advance,
Carlos

Answer
Hello,

The phrase "Never forget to believe in yourself and to seize the day" can be translated into Latin as follows:

1-Memento tibi ipsi credere semper et diem carpere”

Or more concisely:

2-“Tibi ipsi crede semper et carpe diem”.

Happy birthday to your son!
Maria
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Note that:

-Never forget = MEMENTO... SEMPER (literally, ‘Always Remember’). MEMENTO is the 2nd.person singular, imperative, of MEMINI, I remember’, as Latin prefers to use this verb instead of the negative form “never forget”.

-to believe = CREDERE

-in yourself = TIBI IPSI (dative case)

-and = ET

-to seize = CARPERE

-the day = DIEM (accusative of DIES, day)

As for the second translation (“Tibi ipsi crede semper et carpe diem”), it literally means “Believe always in yourself and seize the day” as in this phrase I used the imperative mood.

Finally note that “Carpe diem”(seize the day) is a quotation from Horace’s Odes, Book 1, ode 11, line 8, where we read:
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero"[literally, "Seize the day, trust as little as possible in tomorrow"].

-HORACE, great Latin lyric poet and satirist , born 65 BC, died 8 BC.