United States or Ireland ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The greatest act of the Emperor Charles V. was that when, in imitation of some of the ancients of his own quality, confessing it but reason to strip ourselves when our clothes encumber and grow too heavy for us, and to lie down when our legs begin to fail us, he resigned his possessions, grandeur, and power to his son, when he found himself failing in vigour, and steadiness for the conduct of his affairs suitable with the glory he had therein acquired: "Solve senescentem mature sanus equum, ne Peccet ad extremum ridendus, et ilia ducat."
Some of us who are old fail at last because we are old. It would be well that each of us should say to himself, "Solve senescentem mature sanus equum, ne Peccet ad extremum ridendus." But many young fail also, because they endeavour to tell stories when they have none to tell. And this comes from idleness rather than from innate incapacity.
But the heralds said that it looked a mere sign-board, without a good motto under it; and the motto must have my name in it. They offered me first, "Ridd non ridendus"; but I said, "for God's sake, gentlemen, let me forget my Latin."
Solve senescentem mature sanus equum, ne Peccet ad extremum ridendus. HOR. Lib. i. Ep. i. 8. The voice of reason cries with winning force, Loose from the rapid car your aged horse, Lest, in the race derided, left behind, He drag his jaded limbs and burst his wind. SUCH is the emptiness of human enjoyment, that we are always impatient of the present.
They offered me first, 'Ridd non ridendus'; but I said, 'for God's sake, gentlemen, let me forget my Latin. Then they proposed, 'Ridd readeth riddles': but I begged them not to set down such a lie; for no Ridd ever had made, or made out, such a thing as a riddle, since Exmoor itself began.
I might perhaps add myself, were it not that I had hoped that in any event I might at length regard myself as exempt from further service. The old horse should be left to graze out his last days, Ne peccet ad extremum ridendus. But you can't consider yourself absolved on that score." "There are other reasons." "But the Queen's service should count before everything.
Word Of The Day