Expert: Maria - 11/28/2009

Question
I want to make shirts with the slogan:  "Swim. Run. Bicycle.  Seize the day."  I know that bicycles weren't around 2000 years ago, but perhaps "Ride" or "Pedal" would do.  Carpe diem I know.

Answer
Hello,

“Nata. Curre. Equita. Carpe diem” is the translation of “Swim. Run. Ride. Seize the day”, where “Ride” is used in place of “Bicycle” which obviously  did not exist in Latin.

Anyway I could coin a Latin neologism, that is an expression which uses two Latin words “pedalia versare” just meaning “to operate the pedals “/”to pedal”  and then say:

-“Nata. Curre. Pedalia versa. Carpe diem”("Swim. Run.Pedal.Seize the day" )

Regards,
Maria
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Note that :

-Swim = NATA (2nd.person singular, imperative of NATO,I swim)

-Run= CURRE (2nd.person singular, imperative of CURRO,I run)

-Ride = EQUITA (2nd.person singular, imperative of EQUITO,I ride)

-Pedal = PEDALIA (direct object, accusative neuter plural of the adjective PEDALIS) VERSA (2nd.person singular, imperative of VERSO,I operate)

-Seize = CARPE (2nd.person singular, imperative of  CARPO, I seize)

-the day= DIEM (direct object, accusative of DIES, 5th.declension)