Expert: Maria - 1/10/2005

Question
Hi
I was hoping you could help me with a few questions.

I found the quote "All our sweetest hours fly fastest" by Vergil
through a online quote page, unfortunately it doesnt mention
the source or the latin translation.

Perhaps you can help me with either or both of those answers...
And if possible to spell it out as it would sound also.

Thank you so much in advance... This is really a great site and
for you to volunteer your time, help and efforts is truely an
amazing gift! I hope the new year brings you much good luck
and happiness!

Jessica

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Glad to help you.
So, the English translation  "All our sweetest hours fly fastest" is the adaptation of a Virgil's line which reads as follows:
“Optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus aevi prima fugit” meaning  literally:
”All the best days of life slip away (fly fastest) from us poor mortals ”.
See Virgil's Georgics (written c.36-35 BC), Book 3, Lines  66-67

As for the pronunciation of this Latin line, see below.
All the best
Maria
__________________________________
Nota Bene.
Optima quaeque dies…aevi= ‘all our sweetest hours'(All the best days of life).
miseris = ‘poor'
mortalibus = ‘us mortals ‘
prima = ‘fastest ‘
fugit = ‘slip away from(fly)
______________________________________________________
PRONUNCIATION
Optima
O as  ‘o' in ‘copy'. The accent is on this vowel.
P like in English
T like in English
I as ‘i' in ‘it'.
M like in English
A as ‘a' in ‘father'.


Quaeque
QUAE as ‘que' in ‘question. The accent is on this diphthong.
QUE as ‘que' in ‘question.


Dies
D like in English
I as ‘i' in ‘it'. The accent is on this vowel.
E as ‘e' in ‘end'.
S as ‘s' in ‘sound'

Miseris
M like in English
I as ‘i' in ‘it'. The accent is on this vowel.
S as ‘s' in  ‘ease'
E as ‘e' in ‘end'.
R as ‘r' in ‘rap'
I as ‘i' in ‘it'.
S as ‘s' in ‘sound'


Mortalibus
M like in English
O as  ‘o' in ‘copy'.
R as ‘r' in ‘rap'
T like in English
A as ‘a' in ‘father'. The accent is on this vowel.
L like in English
I as ‘i' in ‘it'.
B like in English
U as ‘oo' in ‘room'
S as ‘s' in ‘sound'

Aevi
AE  as ‘e' in ‘end'. The accent is on this diphthong.
V as ‘w' in ‘war'
I as ‘i' in ‘it'.


Prima
P like in English
R as ‘r' in ‘rap'
I as ‘i' in ‘it'. The accent is on this vowel
M like in English
A as ‘a' in ‘father'.


Fugit
F like in English
U as ‘oo' in ‘room'. The accent is on this vowel.
G as ‘g' in ‘gender'.
I as ‘i' in ‘it'.
T like in English