Tempus fugit

A winged hourglass representing time flying, designed for gravestones and monuments

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".

Usage

An example of the phrase as a sundial motto in Redu, Belgium.

Tempus fugit 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 is a common motto, particularly on sundials and clocks. It also has been used on gravestones.

In the Georgics

The phrase's full appearance in Virgil's Georgics is:

Original (Virgil)^[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 ignemque 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.

References

^ ^a ^b Vergilius Maro, Publius. Georgicon, III. c. 29 BC. Hosted at Wikisource. (in Latin)
^ 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.
^ Rhoades, James (trans.). Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics of Vergil. Ginn & Co. (Boston), 1900. Hosted at MIT. Accessed 30 May 2014.

External links

The dictionary definition of 'tempus fugit' at Wiktionary

[pube-1] Vergilius Maro, Publius. Georgicon, III. c. 29 BC. Hosted at Wikisource. (in 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.

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Tempus fugit

Contents

Usage

In the Georgics

See also

References

External links

v t e Works by Virgil
Appendix Vergiliana Eclogues (Eclogue 4) Georgics Aeneid
Commons Wikiquote Wikisource texts