Talk:Ars longa, vita brevis

Original Greek
I would advise that the translator of the motto be mentioned (Horace)and that the original greek rendition be quoted as well: "Ho bios brakhus, hé de tekhné makra."

Sincerely. Fiatlux 13:17, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

Meaning of "τέχνη"
Does the original Greek word "τέχνη", or even the Latin "ars", carry the meaning of 'technical', or 'technic' (see OED entry)? As in e.g. 'mechanical arts' or 'industrial arts', as distinct from 'creative arts'? (This fits also with Chaucer's use of "craft".) If so this should be clarified in the article. —DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 06:29, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Complete phrase
The Italian and Spanish articles include the complete phrase: Ὁ βίος βραχὺς, ἡ δὲ τέχνη μακρὴ, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὀξὺς, ἡ δὲ πεῖρα σφαλερὴ, ἡ δὲ κρίσις χαλεπή . —DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 06:50, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Literal translation
Shouldn't there be a literal translation of the Latin, along the lines of "Art is long, life is short"? — DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 06:23, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Meaning of "ars"
The online Latin–English dictionary at The Chinese University of Hong Kong seems to support the broader interpretation of "ars" as including technical skills — not just creative skills, or the result of creative skills, as suggested by the simple translation into English as "art". —DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 06:43, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Travlang's Latin–German On-line Dictionary suggests that only the meaning of 'technical skill' or 'artifice' is correct. Lewis & Short's A Latin Dictionary emphasises the meaning of 'technical (or creative) skill', but allows also for the translation as '(creative) artistic work'. —DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 07:05, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Order of clauses
The Italian article has the clauses in 'reverse' order, viz. "Vita brevis, ars longa, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile". That article states that the abbreviated form "Vita brevis, ars longa" (worded as "vitam brevem esse, longam artem") was quoted by Seneca. —DIV (128.250.80.15 (talk) 06:53, 6 January 2009 (UTC))

Ars longa used in literature and as spoken by a fool
Oh God! How long is art, Our life how short! With earnest zeal Still as I ply the critic's task, I feel A strange oppression both of head and heart. The very means how hardly are they won, By which we to the fountains rise! And haply, ere one half the course is run, Check'd in his progress, the poor devil dies.

Art is long Life short Judgement difficult Opportunity fleeting

- Goethe, FAUST part 1 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Amenfinderin (talk • contribs) 01:22, 8 January 2009 (UTC)

Synthesis
The "Analysis of Original Greek Text" section looks more like an original analysis of the Greek text. While it's true in many places that the individual words have the meanings User:KDS4444 gives them, the combinations of these senses seem a bit unusual (especially compared to the traditional translations) and should probably be sourced if they're to be kept. —Muke Tever talk 02:38, 29 October 2009 (UTC)


 * I have recently returned to review my work here and must confess that although in writing this I drew upon well-established Greek vocabulary and etymology, the combinations of meaning as presented here ultimately constitute synthesis which, though I believe it is technically and symbolically accurate and contains nothing novel in terms of significance or intent, is not previously published and therefore seems to warrant removal from this article. Would someone care to perform the evisceration for me?  My Greek is good but I am hopeless as a surgeon.   KDS 4444  Talk   01:26, 29 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the candor. The surgery needed was unfortunately very simple--removal of that whole section. As editors find reliable sources who have provided exegesis and commentary, something on interpretation can grow back again. Wareh (talk) 15:56, 7 February 2012 (UTC)

Is there somewhere the intepretation (somewhat obvious) in the sense "the job (whatever job) takes long time to be done, yet life provides little time to complete it"? The interpretation that involves eternality appears rather barbaric, as it makes no sense, only a splendourous phrase… - 89.110.30.169 (talk) 01:08, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

Source for English translation gives a different translation
The article has this as the English translation
 * Life is short, and art long, opportunity fleeting, experimentations perilous, and judgment difficult.

The source given, from 1868, gives this translation – Life is short, and Art long; the crisis fleeting; experience perilous, and decision difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate.
 * Why give that source and then use different words? Experimentations perilous is not as good as experience perilous, in my uneducated view. --Prairieplant (talk) 21:58, 28 March 2020 (UTC)