“Carpe diem. Seize the day!”
We see this phrase or concept in popular culture all the time, from the “Newsies”’ anthem “Seize the Day,” to the fictional teacher John Keating from "Dead Poets Society" telling his students to “seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” For many, this means to take hold of the present moment, to live each day like it is your last, to not only exist, but to be alive.
The phrase "carpe diem" comes from the Latin language, from the Roman poet Horace in his poem, Odes 1.11. While it has often been translated as “seize the day,” according to Charlton T. Lewis’s “An Elementary Latin Dictionary,” the word “carpe” suggests more “to pluck” for a harvest, rather than “seize.” The word “seize” originates from the Old French word “seisir”, which originates from Late Latin “sacire” from the 8th century. It is thought to have come from Old Frankish “sakjan," meaning “lay claim to.”
“To seize” meant originally to take possession of land and property in the Middle Ages, which is a far more assertive and aggressive word than “plucking.” It suggests to grasp something, to be endowed with something by right and to our modern ears, the word “seize” suggests something more forceful and deliberate.
The original Latin phrase, however, suggests something more subtle, a gentle force, yet a force powerful enough to uproot something as delicate as a flower.
How can we distill the phrase to its original beauty? One can look at what “plucking the day” meant in its original context. The full phrase from Horace’s poem is "Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero,” which translates to “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.” That idea of having little faith in it, can be seen in media like “Rocky III when Rocky Balboa is training with Apollo Creed, and while Balboa is unfocused, Creed famously shouts out, “There is no tomorrow!”
The idea that there is no tomorrow, that we have to make the most of our lives now, instead of being an inspiring mantra, can turn into an obligation, a demand that we must “seize” each day rather than plucking it for what it’s worth.
And in the modern age, the pressure to “seize” instead of “pluck” is paramount. FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a real fear experienced in this age with social media. We open our For You Page and see tons of people we know showcasing their fulfilling lives and successes, and it can feel like they are “seizing the day” more than we are.
It’s easy to compare ourselves to people on social media who choose to reveal their life’s highlights, to see our favorite celebrities rise and achieve great things and feel as if we have not truly seized the moment.
“Carpe diem” is not a command to urgently do everything you can in one day, and make sure that the world sees or hears about your success. It is about approaching life with intentionality, plucking it for all its worth, and enjoying life while it is here.
In “Dead Poets Society,“ Keating says that we are “food for worms, lads,” reflecting on our mortality and how we should make the most of life while we have it. While that is true, truly “plucking the day” isn’t about doing things in fear of our mortality, but because we owe it to ourselves to pluck each day for what it's worth. It’s enjoying a nice cup of coffee, not being concerned with how soon it finishes, but enjoying the drink while it’s here. That is seizing the day, just as much as chasing success or living adventurously is.
It’s not about hedonism or lack of foresight; it’s about truly being present and appreciating the mundanities of life, rather than chasing the heights of our personal mountains, mistakenly believing those heights to be the only pinnacles of “carpe diem.” When we live life with that kind of intentionality, then we can say confidently we have truly “plucked the day,” and that will always be enough. So next time you hear the phrase “carpe diem,” remember that while there are times to go out and “seize the day," by plucking the day, we are fulfilling the spirit of Horace’s original words.
David Asamoah is a freshman student studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to David about his column? Email him at da602024@ohio.edu
