|
De Brevitate Vitae is a song in Latin that is a popular academic commercium song in many European countries. The melody is inspired by a medieval hymn by Strada, bishop of Bologna in 1267. Although this sounds very dignified, the song has been adopted by students as a form of prank and the lyrics are in fact pretty cheerful.
The song is sometimes known by it's opening words "Gaudeamus igitur" or simply "Gaudeamus". In the many centuries of use numerous slightly different version have sprung up. This is one of them:
DE BREVITATE VITAE
Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus!
Post iucundam iuventutem, post molestam senectutem
nos habebit humus.
Ubi sunt, qui ante nos in mundo fuere?
Scandite ad superos, vadite ad inferos,
ubi iam fuere!
Vita nostra brevis est, brevi finietur,
venit mors velociter, rapit nos atrociter,
nemini parcetur.
Vivat academia, vivant professores!
Vivat membrum quodlibet, vivant membra qualibet,
semper sint in flore!
Vivant omnes virgines, faciles, formosae!
Vivant et mulieres, tenerae, amabiles
bonae laboriosae!
Vivat et res publica et qui illam regit!
Vivat nostra civitas, Maecenatum caritas,
quae nos hic protegit!
Pereat tristitia, pereant osores!
Pereat diabolus, quivis antiburschius,
atque irrisores!
ROUGH TRANSLATION TO ENGLISH
Let us therefore rejoice,
While we are young;
After our youth,
After a troublesome old age
The ground will hold us.
Our life is brief,
It will shortly end;
Death comes quickly,
Cruelly snatches us;
No-one is spared.
Where are those who before us
Existed in the world?
You may go up to the gods,
You may cross into the underworld
If you wish to see them.
Long live the university,
Long live the teachers,
Long live each male student,
Long live each female student;
May they always flourish!
Long live the state
And those who rule it.
Long live our city,
And the charity of benefactors
Which protects us here.
Long live all young women,
Easy and beautiful!
Long live wives as well,
Tender, loveable,
Honest, hardworking.
Perish sadness,
Perish haters.
Perish the devil,
Whoever is against the student fraternity,
As well those who mock us!
Who has gathered now
Of the university?
They gather from long distances,
Immediately joining
Our common forum.
Long live our fellowship,
Long live the studious!
May truth and honesty thrive,
Flourish with our fraternity,
And our homeland be prosperous.
Long live our fellowship,
Long live the studious!
May truth and honesty thrive,
Flourish with our fraternity,
And our homeland be prosperous.
| 
Feeds |
Contact