The University of Tasmania's Motto |
The subject |
The poet |
The poem |
[261] crescite virtutes fecundaque floreat aetas. [alt: crescant for crescite] |
[262] ingeniis patuit campus certusque merenti |
[263] stat favor ornatur propriis industria donis. |
[264] surgite sopitae quas obruit ambitus artes. |
Grow, ye virtues; be this an age of prosperity! |
The path of glory is open to the wise; merit is sure of its reward; |
industry is dowered with the gifts it deserves. |
Arts, arise from the slumber into which depraved ambition has forced you! |
The motto |
ingeni.is NOUN 2nd Declension Dative Plural Neuter |
ingenium, ingeni(i) |
nature, innate quality; natural disposition/capacity; character; talent |
patu.it VERB 2nd Conjugation Perfect Active Indicative [approximately: was verb-ed] |
pateo, patere, patui - |
stand open, be open; extend; be well known; lie open, be accessible |
patu.it VERB 3rd Conjugation Perfect Active Indicative |
patesco, patescere, patui - |
be opened/open/revealed; become clear/known; open; extend, spread |
camp.us NOUN 2nd Declension Nominative Singular Male |
campus, campi |
level field/surface; open space for action/battle/games; sea; scope |
Notes |
In the interests of brevity I have generally omitted the qualifiers maybe and probably, unless the data is really dubious. |
Note that classical Latin used the same letter for consonant V and vowel U; however I have kept the U/V as usually encountered in modern texts. There was only one letter case, mostly like modern caps, but again I have used minuscules with initial capitalization because this will be easier to read. However this is why the motto is almost always shown on the University's logo with V where you might expect U. The anglicized personal names are spelt as they are normally written in modern English. |
Although I take full responsibility for this brief article, I gratefully acknowledge the help of Rhonda Ewart, Paul Gallivan and Cathy Fyfe. |
Alternative spelling 'Manlius'. The Vat. Lat. 2809 MSS [12th c] has "incipit de consulatu manlii theodori" while the Antverpiensis MSS 17 1 [14th c] has "de consulatu Malli Theodori". Both sources were copied long after AD 399. |
Some online resources for the curious |
The poem itself in Latin. Note however that all the punctuation is modern and suspect; grammatical punctuation was not invented until the 15th & 16th centuries. |
See Biblotheca Augustana for more information about Claudian but note: AppleMac et Netscape his paginis optimum visum dant. Cave Gatem et Exploratorem! See also Claudii Claudiani Opera Latina. |
See Notre Dame for online help in translation of words or its parent site Whitaker's Words (download the dictionary and program). See also Latin Grammar. |
The University of Tasmania's description of its arms and motto (scroll half-way down the page). Also see my history of the logo and other schools which use similar words. |
© Copyright 2001 AHJ Sale |
Nones Julii Anno Domini MMI |