“Carpe Diem” Got Lost in Translation
daily.jstor.org
daily.jstor.org
Admittedly, there was a time when I considered the phrase "memento mori" (translated as "remember death") to be similar to the general public's interpretation of "carpe diem", though a closer examination shows it's more focused on the acceptance of one's mortality.
The origin is to tone down the (eventual) arrogance and pride of the man, it is very similar to "Memento homo quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris " ("Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return."):
Actually, "pluck the ripe fruit" and use the day to enjoy it, which is far from the connotation of "stop and smell", where one just stops for a moment, smells the flower and continues going wherever he goes (which would be again too convenient and matching the currently established cultural expectations). The Chi Luu's article refers to this work by Maria S. Marsilio:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23048886?mag=how-carpe-diem-got...
published in 2010 which analyzes the poem.
We also have the whole poem with the recent translation online:
https://www.loebclassics.com/view/horace-odes/2004/pb_LCL033...
so everybody can read it himself.
According to the 2010 Marsilio's scholarly article (and my understanding of it) in the poem the poet speaks to Leuconoe, a woman who wanted to consult the horoscopes about her and him, he being the poet himself, that is, she cautiously wanted to see what would future bring to two of them together (probably to decide if she'd accept the poet's approach). The poet, conveniently for him, tells the woman to "pluck the day" (which is seen by some as having almost an erotic feel) and not worry for the long-term future, even to "cut back far-reaching hopes to within a small space".
In the words of Marsilio: "Horace wants to share with Leuconoe the pleasures of the present - chiefly wine and love - since "envious time" (invida aetas) attempts to rob them of the enjoyments of life and they may not have the future to enjoy these pleasures."
And the article we all comment here, by Chi Luu, argues that "Gathering flowers as a metaphor for timely enjoyment is a far gentler, more sensual image than the rather forceful and even violent concept of seizing the moment" and "By seizing the day rather than plucking it like a flower, however, we’re actually conforming to hidden cultural values that we all share, not looking at the world in a different way from the norm, but in the same way as everyone else. These are cultural values that some argue have been co-opted by advertisers to sell us more things that we’re told will make us happier." (More argumentation is in the text, so I won't repeat it all here, but it's needed to be read to be able to discuss the article's messages).
"As Latin scholar Maria S. Marsilio points out, “carpe diem” is a horticultural metaphor that, particularly seen in the context of the poem, is more accurately translated as “plucking the day,” evoking the plucking and gathering of ripening fruits or flowers, enjoying a moment that is rooted in the sensory experience of nature."
(I've already plucked some ripe fruits this summer and I can only advise those who can't relate to the original meaning to try doing this once too. FWIW Steve Jobs knew and apparently that's how he named the company:
http://www.minyanville.com/special-features/articles/little-...
"Steve was coming back from a visit to Oregon to a place he called an 'apple orchard.' Steve suggested a name - Apple Computer" )
The actual meaning, though, is "I go away." The word only refers to transformation in certain metaphorical contexts (compare the English idiom "go up in smoke").
(Can't find the link. The name must have worked!)
If sure if you read Chinese, you'd be able to find some interesting tatoos also.
it sure means live in the moment as don't worry too much about the future, but it's not an ode to full carelessness and hedonism, the next phrase specifically don't say 'don't believe in the future' but to minimally rely on it.
it's the Epicurean sentiment of future being partly in control of destiny and in part of fate, being a result of both our actions of today and randomness in the form of actions of everything else living and inanimate.
the 'minimally rely on tomorrow' qualify the 'carpe diem' into something between enjoy the moment and take the opportunity you see.
the reference to 'not worry about the future' but still 'prepare the vine for tomorrow' in the prior paragraph is clear enough about it, while being random life goes on. there's a strong theme of not believing to being able to control the future as introduction to the specific passage, which comes intentionally with the ambiguous term to broaden it into multiple meaning. carpe as harvest suggest that the author wanted to include both the 'enjoy the moment' and 'take the opportunities in it' meanings.
Indeed, "Gathering flowers as a metaphor for timely enjoyment is a far gentler, more sensual image than the rather forceful and even violent concept of seizing the moment."
Very easy mistake to make when you have here an Australian philosopher who for some utterly inexplicable reason, probably deeply philosophical, refuses to call themselves Bruce.