Carpe Diem

Every day, I am amazed at something. Now, this could be because the obvious often eludes me (ask anyone who knows me well).

In a nod to the epicurians among us, I was going to write a little about my Roman buddy Horace (who incidentally was my least favorite poet in undergrad due largely to the fact that I was young and stupid) and his poem, Carpe Diem!


Tu ne quaesieris - scire nefas - quem mihi, quem tibi
finem di dederint, Leuconoë, nec Babylonios
temptaris numeros. ut melius, quicquid erit, pati!
seu plures hiemes, seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,
quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare
Tyrhenum. Sapias, vina liques, et spatio brevi
spem longam reseces. dum loquimur, fugerit invida
aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.


Ask not - we cannot know - what end the gods have set for you, for me; nor attempt the Babylonian reckonings Leuconoë. How much better to endure whatever comes, whether Jupiter grants us additional winters or whether this is our last, which now wears out the Tuscan Sea upon the barrier of the cliffs! Be wise, strain the wine; and since life is brief, prune back far-reaching hopes! Even while we speak, envious time has passed: pluck the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow!

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend about this list he had made of things to do before he died. Now, according to Mr. Horace, we are not promised a tomorrow and should live only for the moment. However, after doing some research, I learned that many people had lists, and that there had even been various books written on the subject.


I am cogitating a list of my own. The first thought that came to mind was a paraphase of a Catullus line vivamus amemus.

So, my adoring fans, do you have a list? Does your list contain a limited number of items? What are some of the items on your list? Post a comment or send us a link!

-FF