Ars longa, vita brevis is a Latin translation of an aphorism coming originally from Greek, roughly meaning, "skilfulness takes time and life is short".
Mural at the Old Town Hall (Göttingen) [de] in Germany.
The aphorism quotes the first two lines of the Aphorismi by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. The familiar Latin translation Ars longa, vita brevis reverses the order of the original lines, but can express the same principle.
The most common and significant caveat made regarding the saying is that "art" (Latin: ars, translating Ancient Greek: τέχνη tékhnē) originally meant "technique, craft" (as in The Art of War), not "fine art". Hippocrates was a physician who made this the opening statement in a medical text. The lines which follow: "The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate." Thus in plainer language "it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one's expertise (in, say, medicine) and one has but a short time in which to do it".[3] More generally, it may also refer to how time limits our accomplishments in life.[4][failed verification]
Similar sayings
The late-medieval author Chaucer (c. 1343–1400) observed "The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne" ("The life so short, the craft so long to learn", the first line of the Parlement of Foules).[5] The first-century CE rabbiTarfon is quoted as saying "The day is short, the labor vast, the workers are lazy, the reward great, the Master urgent." (Avot 2:15) A light-hearted version in England, thought to have originated in Shropshire, is the pun "Bars longa, vita brevis" i.e. so many bars (or pubs) to visit, in so short a life.
Media related to Ars longa, vita brevis at Wikimedia Commons
January 06, 2023
longa, vita, brevis, confused, with, longa, vita, brevis, album, life, short, redirects, here, confused, with, life, short, song, life, short, episode, latin, translation, aphorism, coming, originally, from, greek, roughly, meaning, skilfulness, takes, time, l. Not to be confused with Ars Longa Vita Brevis album Life is short redirects here Not to be confused with Life is short song or Life is short episode Ars longa vita brevis is a Latin translation of an aphorism coming originally from Greek roughly meaning skilfulness takes time and life is short Mural at the Old Town Hall Gottingen de in Germany The aphorism quotes the first two lines of the Aphorismi by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates The familiar Latin translation Ars longa vita brevis reverses the order of the original lines but can express the same principle Contents 1 Translations 2 Interpretation 3 Similar sayings 4 Sheffield Medical School 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksTranslations EditThe original text a standard Latin translation and an English translation from the Greek follow Greek 1 RomanizedὉ bios braxys ἡ dὲ texnh makrh ὁ dὲ kairὸs ὀ3ys ἡ dὲ peῖra sfalerh ἡ dὲ krisis xaleph Ho bios brakhus he de tekhne makrḗ ho de kairos oxus he de peira sphalerḗ he de krisis khalepḗ Latin English 2 Vita brevis ars longa occasiō praeceps experimentum periculōsum iudicium difficile Life is short and art long opportunity fleeting experimentations perilous and judgment difficult Interpretation EditThe most common and significant caveat made regarding the saying is that art Latin ars translating Ancient Greek texnh tekhne originally meant technique craft as in The Art of War not fine art Hippocrates was a physician who made this the opening statement in a medical text The lines which follow The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself but also to make the patient the attendants and externals cooperate Thus in plainer language it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one s expertise in say medicine and one has but a short time in which to do it 3 More generally it may also refer to how time limits our accomplishments in life 4 failed verification Similar sayings EditThe late medieval author Chaucer c 1343 1400 observed The lyf so short the craft so long to lerne The life so short the craft so long to learn the first line of the Parlement of Foules 5 The first century CE rabbi Tarfon is quoted as saying The day is short the labor vast the workers are lazy the reward great the Master urgent Avot 2 15 A light hearted version in England thought to have originated in Shropshire is the pun Bars longa vita brevis i e so many bars or pubs to visit in so short a life Sheffield Medical School EditThe motto of the Sheffield Medical School is Ars longa vita brevis See also EditBounded rationality Parallelism rhetoric References Edit Hippocrates Aphorismi In Emile Littre ed Oeuvres completes d Hippocrate Hakkert Hippocrates Aphorismi In Francis Adams ed The Genuine Works of Hippocrates Gary Martin Ars longa vita brevis The Phrase Finder Ars longa vita brevis definition Merriam Webster Chaucer Geoffrey 1380s The Parliament of Fowles via Wikisource External links Edit Media related to Ars longa vita brevis at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ars longa vita brevis amp oldid 1093038982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
