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Stuart G

(38,414 posts)
Sun Apr 25, 2021, 10:05 PM Apr 2021

I learned a new term today...& am passing it on...Carpe Diem.."seize the day"

What does Carpe Diem literally mean?

seize the day


Carpe diem, (Latin: “pluck the day” or “seize the day”) phrase used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that one should enjoy life while one can. ...
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I learned a new term today...& am passing it on...Carpe Diem.."seize the day" (Original Post) Stuart G Apr 2021 OP
A wonderfully useful phrase that has been around almost as long as I have. niyad Apr 2021 #1
Apparently originated in 23 BC left-of-center2012 Apr 2021 #9
As I said. . . niyad Apr 2021 #10
That would make you more than 2,000 years old left-of-center2012 Apr 2021 #12
Shhhhhhhh!! You are not supposed to tell!! niyad Apr 2021 #21
High School Class of '70 - our class motto. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #2
Jesuit HS? It was well known back then, to me. OAITW r.2.0 Apr 2021 #3
No Public High School. The guy that suggested fancied himself a poet. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #14
Aren't we all? Agnostic as hell. OAITW r.2.0 Apr 2021 #15
Or worse. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #16
You should see "Dead Poets Society" genxlib Apr 2021 #4
Seize the fish? if..fish..had..wings Apr 2021 #5
Originally a daily payment of eels given to fisherman Effete Snob Apr 2021 #6
When I worked at a big bank in NYC, if we had to do a business trip, it was... SeattleVet Apr 2021 #7
'Carpe diem' is a Latin aphorism ... left-of-center2012 Apr 2021 #8
Double your fun. silverweb Apr 2021 #11
My favorite line from Mrs. Doubtfire: "Carpe Dentum!" Coventina Apr 2021 #13
Here's my favorite... Lady Freedom Returns Apr 2021 #17
I always thought it was a fishing term for "seize the carp". LastDemocratInSC Apr 2021 #18
"Carpe diem. Seize the day." - Dead Poets Society - Robin Williams Rhiannon12866 Apr 2021 #19
Tale of two times... Lady Freedom Returns Apr 2021 #20
Here I thought it meant "A fish a day." n/t malthaussen Apr 2021 #22

OAITW r.2.0

(24,308 posts)
3. Jesuit HS? It was well known back then, to me.
Sun Apr 25, 2021, 10:16 PM
Apr 2021

And sorta relates to my life long point that, if you keep an open mind, you never stop learning.

LakeArenal

(28,806 posts)
14. No Public High School. The guy that suggested fancied himself a poet.
Mon Apr 26, 2021, 12:22 AM
Apr 2021

He is Catholic. Or was. Or could be.

 

Effete Snob

(8,387 posts)
6. Originally a daily payment of eels given to fisherman
Sun Apr 25, 2021, 10:21 PM
Apr 2021

When they were away from their home port, they would get a eel each day. It was carp per diem.

SeattleVet

(5,477 posts)
7. When I worked at a big bank in NYC, if we had to do a business trip, it was...
Sun Apr 25, 2021, 10:27 PM
Apr 2021

"Carpe per-diem"

Get that daily food allowance!

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts)
8. 'Carpe diem' is a Latin aphorism ...
Sun Apr 25, 2021, 10:59 PM
Apr 2021

‘Carpe diem’ is a Latin aphorism, usually (though questionably) translated "seize the day",
taken from book 1 of the Roman poet Horace's work Odes (23 BC).

Translation
Carpe is the second-person singular present active imperative of carpō "pick or pluck" used by Horace to mean "enjoy, seize, use, make use of".

Diem is the accusative of dies "day". A more literal translation of carpe diem would thus be "pluck the day [as it is ripe]"—that is, enjoy the moment or use the day.
It has been argued by various authors that this interpretation is closer to Horace's original meaning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpe_diem#Translation

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