Carpe diem

The meaning of this Latin term is ‘Seize the Day’. It is taken from book 1 of Horace’s Odes. It says that future is unforeseen and that one should not leave to chance future happenings, but rather one should do all one can today to make one’s future better.

Unlike the Epicurean ideas Carpe diem never ignores future, but rather not to trust that everything is going to fall into place for you and taking action for the future today. The following are some related expressions of Carpe diem:

“And if not now, then when”,

“You only live once”

Andrew Marvell’s To His Coy Mistress is best recognized as a Carpe diem poem

But at my back I always hear

Time’s winged chariot hurrying near

And yonder all before us lie

Deserts of vast eternity.

Thus, though we cannot make our sun

Stand still, yet we will make him run.