Sundial mottos
In 19th century, thanks to the book by Alfred Margaret Gatty, the investigation of mottos on the sundials has turned into a special part of epigraphy — the science that studies the inscriptions. Gatty began collecting mottoes in 1835, when she was 26 years old, grew collection for her lifetime, and in 1872, just a year before her death, published them in “The Book of Sun-dials”.
In time of Gatty, this important matter — writing the mottoes – was taken very seriously. The main theme of mottos was the frailness of life and regretting for its transience.
Here is a small list of mottos in Latin and English languages. But the art of motto is a living one. They can be written in any language. For example, in Russian «Count only the bright hours» – «Считаю только светлые часы».
| A SOLIS ORTU USQUE AD OCCASUM |
| DI SEGUIRTI FINO A MORTE. |
| A SOLIS ORTU USQUE AD OCCASUM. LAUDIBILE NOMEN DOMINI. |
| AB HOC MOMENTO PENDET AETERNITAS |
| AB ORIGINE VIRTUS |
| AD SUBLIMA CURSUS |
| AB ULTIMA CAVE |
| AB ULTIMA AETERNITAS |
| AB UNA PENDET AETERNITAS |
| ABSQUE SOLE, ABSQUE USU |
| AD OCCASUM TENDIMUS OMNES |
| ADVENIET ILLA DIES : SEMPER PARATUM |
| ADVESPERASCIT |
| ADVOCAT AETERNOS QUAELIBET HORA [DEOS]. |
| AETAS CITO PEDE PRAETERIT |
| AETAS RAPIET DIEM |
| AFFLICTIS LENTAE |
| AFFLICTIS LENTAE CELERES GAUDENTIBUS HORAE |
| ALLOQUAR TE, MORS INSTAT |
| ALTERA PARS OTI EST, PARS EST ET JUSTA LABORI |
| AMBIGUIS ALIS LABILIS HORA VOLAT |
| AMICIS QUAELIBET HORA |
| AMOENA HORA SIT QUAM OPTAS |
| ANTE SOLEM PERMANET NOMEN EJUS |
| ANTE SOLIS OCCASUM DEBET DIES CLARA FECIT ITAQUE DEUS DUO MAGNA ILLA LUMINARIA LUMINARE MAJUS AD DOMINIUM DIEI ET LUMINARE MINUS AD DOMINIUM NOCTIS ATQUE STELLAS INNOCUI VIVITE NUMEN ADEST |
| OPTIMA QUAEQUE DIES MISERIS MORTALIBUS AEVI PRIMA FUGIT SUBEUNT MORBI TRISTIS QUE SENECTUS |
| ARRIPE HORAM, ULTIMAMQUE TIMEAS |
| ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS |
| ARTE MIRA MORTALIUM TEMPERAT HORAS |
| ASPICE ME |
| ASPICE, RESPICE, PROSPICE |
| ASPICE UT ASPICIAR |
| ASIPICIENDO SENESCIS |
| ASSIDUO LABUNTUR TEMPORA MOTU |
| ASTRA REGUNT HOMINES, SED DEUS REGIT ASTRA |
| AUGET FIDEM CONCORDIA |
| AURORA HORA AUREA |
| AUT DISCE, AUT DISCEDE |
| AUT LAUDA VEL EMENDA |
| AUT MERCES AUT POENA MANET QUAS VIVIMUS HORAS |
| BREVES SUNT DIES HOMINIS |
| BREVIS ÆTAS, VITA FUGAX |
| BULLA EST VITA HUMANA |
| CAPIT OMNIA NUSQUAM DEVIUS |
| CARPE DIEM |
| CARPE, FUGIT |
| CARPE VIATOR LICET: SOL TENEBRAS DISSIPAT: UT HORA SIC VITA; VIR TUTE SOLA MORES |
| CAUTE CAVE MEDIO NE DESIT LUMINE LUMEN |
| CERTA MIHI MORS, INCERTA EST FUNERIS HORA |
| CERTA RATIO |
| CHRISTUS SOLUS MIHI SALUS |
| CHRISTUS UBI PARET PROTINUS UMBRA FUGIT |
| CITO PEDE LABITUR ÆTAS |
| CITO PRÆTERIT ÆTAS |
| CŒLESTIA MONSTRAT IN UMBRA |
| CŒLESTIUM INDEX SOL GENERAT UMBRAM |
| CŒLI ENARRANT GLORIAM DEI, ET OPERATIONEM MANUUM EJUS ANNUNTIAT FIRMAMENTUM |
| CŒLI LUX NOSTRA DUX |
| CŒLUM REGULA |
| COGITA FINEM |
| COGITAVI DIES ANTIQUOS, ET ANOS ÆTERNOS IN MENTE HABUI |
| CORRIGE PRÆTERITUM. PRÆSENS REGE. CERNE FUTURUM. |
| CREDE OMNES MERITIS QUÆ NON SEQUANTUR AMISSAS |
| CREPUSCULUM MENS NESCIAT |
| CRESCIT IN HORAS DOCTRINA |
| CUI DOMUS HUIC HORA |
| CUM CŒLUM ASPICIO QUAM MIHI SORDET HUMUS |
| CUM RECTE VIVAS, NE CURES VERBA MALORUM |
| CUM UMBRA NIHIL SINE UMBRA NIHIL |
| CUNCTA DUBIA |
| CUR DIANA OCULIS LABENTES SUBJICIT HORAS? UT SAPERE ADVERSIS MONEAT FELICIBUS UTI |
| CUR TIBI SPEM VITÆ LONGOS PRODUCIS IN ANNOS? UT MOMENTUM HORÆ SIC TUA VITA FUGET |
| DATAM DO. NEGO NEGATAM |
| DEBEMUR MORTI NOS NOSTRAQUE |
| DEFECERUNT SICUT FUMUS DIES NOSTRI |
| DEFICIT SOL, NEMO RESPICIT |
| DEO SOLI GLORIA |
| DEUS ADEST LABORANTIBUS |
| DEUS EST LUMEN LUMINIS |
| DEUS HABET HORAS ET MORAS |
| DEUS MIHI LUX |
| DEUS MOVET, UMBRA DOCET |
| DEVS MOVET, VMBRA DOCET. CERNIS QVA VIVIS, QVA MORIERE LATET |
| DEUS POTENS ET . . . SOLEM SUUM ORIRI FACIT SUPER BONOS ET MALOS |
| DIEM DIMETIOR UMBRA |
| DIES AFFERT MULTA |
| DIES DIEM DOCET: DISCE |
| DIES EJUS SICUT UMBRA PRÆTEREUNT |
| DIES FUGIT SICUT UMBRA |
| DIES HOMINIS QUASI UMBRA SUPER TERRAM |
| DIES HOMINIS SIC PRÆTEREUNT |
| DIES NOSTRI QUASI UMBRA SUPER TERRAM ET NULLA EST MORA |
| DIES SERENUS, SERENUS SIT ANIMUS |
| DIGITUS DEI DUCET ME |
| CAUTE CAVE MEDIO NE DESIT LUMINE LUMEN |
| SOLE ORIENTE FUGIUNT TENEBRAE |
| SI SOL DEFICIT, RESPICIT ME NEMO |
| MEAM VIDE UMBRAM, TUAM VIDEBIS VITAM |
| SOL IMMOBILIS TERRA VERSAT |
| ULTIMA LATET UT OBSERVENTUR OMNES |
| PESTINA LENTE |
| VIDI NIHIL PERMANERE SUB SOLE |
| POST LABOREM REQUIES |
| ALTERA PARS OTIO, PARS 1ST A LABORI |
| HORA FUGIT NE TARDES |
| UTERE NON REDITURA |
| SERIUS EST QUAM COGITAS |
| SIC VITA FLUIT, DUM STARE VIDETUR |
| TEMPUS EDAX RERUM |
| TEMPUS VOLAT, HORA FUGIT |
| TEMPUS BREVE EST |
| SIT FAUSTA QUAE LABITUR |
| VIVERE MEMENTO |
| DONA PRAESENTIS RAPE LAETUS HORAE |
| UTERE, NON NUMERA |
| POST TENEBRAS SPERO LUCEM |
| DUM TEMPUS HABEMUS OPEREMUR BONUM |
| OMNES AEQUALES SOLA VIRTUTE DISCREPANTES |
| VER NON SEMPER VIRET |
| OMNES VULNERANT, ULTIMA NECAT |
| SOL OMNIBUS LUCET |
| RUIT HORA |
| EX IIS UNAM CAVE |
| MEMOR ESTO BREVIS AEVI |
| LUCEM DEMONSTRAT UMBRA |
| AMICIS QUALIBET HORA |
| TEMPUS OMNIA DABIT |
| UNA EX HIS ERIT TIBI ULTIMA |
| TEMPUS VINCIT OMNIA |
| VITA IN MOTU |
| SIC LABITUR AETAS |
| LENTE HORA, CELERITER ANNI |
| FRUERE HORA |
| UNA DABIT QUOD NEGAT ALTERA |
| HORAS NON NUMERO NISI SERENAS |
| VITA SIMILIS UMBRAE |
| DOCEO HORAS |
| SOL ME PROBAT UNUS |
| SOL REX REGUM |
| Love all alike no season knows, nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time |
| Brief is life but love is long And brief the sun of summer |
| The shadow by my finger cast, divides the future from the past |
| How slow the Shadow creeps; but when 'tis past, How fast the Shadows fall. How fast ! How fast ! |
| Serene I stand among the flowers And only count life's sunny hours To me dark days do not exist, I'm a brazen faced old optimist |
| Let others tell of storms and showers, I only count your sunny hours |
| All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today |
| Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be. |
| From quiet homes and first beginning, Out to the undiscovered ends, There's nothing worth the wear of winning, But laughter and the love of friends. |
| It is later than you think. |
| L'heure passe, l 'amitie reste. |
| Avant de regarder si je suis juste, regarde si tu l'est toi-meme. |
| Light and shadow by turns, but love always. |
| Time is nature's way of making sure that everything doesn't happen at once |
| The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth, one is nearer God's heart in a garden, than anyplace else on earth. |
| I stand amid the summer flowers To tell the passage of the hours. When winter steals the flowers away I tell the passing of their day. Man whose flesh is but as grass Like summer flowers thy life shall pass While time is thine lay up in store And thou shall live for evermore. |
| Time is too slow for those who wait, Too swift for those who fear, Too long for those who grieve, Too short for those who rejoice. But for those who love , time is not. |
| With warning hand I mark time's rapid flight, From life's glad morning to its solemn night. Yet through the dear God's love, I also show, There's light above me by the shade below. |
| The clock the time may wrongly tell, I never if the sun shines well |
| We live in deeds, not years, in thoughts not breaths in feelings, not in figures on a dial. |
| In memory, love lives forever. |
| Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, Live as though heaven is on earth. |
| Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. (Macbeth) |
| Make the passing shadow serve thy will. |
| Нow do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. |
| Gather ye rosebuds while ye may Old time is still a-flying |
| Time is flying, never to return |
| TEMPORA MUANTUR, ET NOS MUTAMUR IN ILLIS |
| OMNIA SOL TEMPERAT PURUS ET SUBTILIS |
| QUAM BENE VIVAS REFERET, NON QUAM DIU |
| AB HOC MOMENTO PENDET AETERNITAS |
| Loss and Possession, Death and Life are one. There falls no shadow where there shines no sun. |
| So does your inmost soul, forgotten, mark The Dawn, the Noon, the coming of the Dark. |
| Arresto ti, passant, regardo quanto es d’ouro et fouto me lou camp |
| Dial! Mark the sweeter hours; Only sunshine, not the showers. |
| Silent falls the shade — Hours pass, ephemeral — Forever awaits. |
| I show you God's time: Not man's artificial scheme which man's law demands |
| If you would kill time, Know as summer follows spring, The favor's returned |
| Precious summers run More orderly o'er my face Than meets untrained eye |
| When did time begin? It ever was: Was the time When there was no time? |
| You, God blest with eye, What see you within my face, I ask, Beholder? |
| Shadows cross my face Whereon lines remain constant. Count yours, fall to fall |
| Einstein! If you're right, What'll you think of next time, It time's circular? |
| Time's savage result Can only be forgiven, As it takes so long |
| Count hours with me, Days, seasons, years to come. These are all we have |
| Check your silly watch To see how much off I am: That's how much you're off. |
| I'm at the mercy of the clouds on high Imagine being governed by the sky! |
| Although contained within this smallish place, I'm at the mercy of a star in space |
| Such wisdom that upon my face does sit Is thine if thou brief study would commit |
| A Man grows wrinkled Passing hours show on his face A Dial — Immortal |
| Though while there's cloud I'll rest, and all night sleep, When bright SUN lights me, then true time I'll keep |
| The Earth's daily spin And perennial orbit Are shown to you here |
| The shadow lengthens As day gives way to evening And year to winter |
| I show the sun's path And each hour that it traces Will never return |
| Each hour I record Imperceptibly reminds How few are your years |
| The cloudiest hours Are brighter than summer noon When lightened by love |
| I am a sundial: Solar Time I show Add the Equation for Watch Fast or Slow! |
| Amor stet dum terra volvitur |
| Prodigere noli quod tuum vastabit |
| Where light meets shade Now, where inexorably Future turns to past |
| These hours remain now for today, But as for you I cannot say |
| Light rules me But Time rules all things |
| Tell me, my sundial my place in the universe. Who cares about time? |
| Stop for a minute. Stop and enjoy the sun. Time passes too fast |
| Sweep your clouds away Time to enjoy is forever today |
| Upon this lined face, Should shadow and sunlight meet, Celebrate that hour! |
| The lines on this dial may seem quite askew, The gnomon's shadow may cross one or two, But if hours 'til sunset is what you need, The shadow's tippy tip is what you read. |
| Find the Time |
| Chill wind parts the clouds, Light and shadow meet: Only now know I the time! |
| Where ere man goes, and quests for time — The Shadow knows |
| I show the time undisturbed. Move me, and I am wrong |
| Sun conceive. Moon reflect. Earth absorb but I alone reveal. |
| I stand on the moving earth gauging roll, pitch, and a little yaw to give man the time and season him before his fall |
| Sundials! Sundials! Men must think me insane. To fixate on such minutiae to have time explained. |
| Nothing but light to set me right |