"Time is a game played beautifully by children."
- Heraclitus, Fragments -
There are quite a few sundials where the builder or client resisted the temptation to personalize and enrich the fresco with writings about faith, philosophy, life, death, as if the presence of a sundial was not enough to cheer up a wall, or did not already have enough things to say.
Mottos and maxims have always been an integral part of the sun dials, many times indicating the character and spirit with which it was made or wanted. They are often in Latin, usually the shortest, they are not few even in Italian, more rare in the various dialects. Many are quotes taken from the Bible or inspired by faith, some from the Divine Comedy or from quotations from ancient texts, others from the popular wisdom.
The following examples are only a small part of the vast repertoire that can be read on the sun dials:
CARPE DIEM. – Take today.
DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA. – God is my light.
FESTINA LENTE. – hurry up with calm.
HORAS NON NUMERO NISI SERENAS. – Serene hourse marking.
LENTE HORA CELERITER ANNI. – The hour passes slowly, the years pass quickly.
OMNES VULNERANT ULTIMA NECAT. – All hurt, the last one kills.
PANTA REI. – Everything flows.
POST TENEBRAS LUX. – Light after darkness.
SERIUS EST QUAM COGITAS. – It’s later than you think.
SINE SOLE SILEO. – I shut up without sun.
SIT FAUSTA QUAE LABITUR. – May this hour be propitious to you.
SOLE ORIENTE FUGIUNT TENEBRAE. – The darkness vanishes when the sun rises.
SOLIS ET UMBRAE CONCORDIA. – Concord between sun and shadow.
SOL OMNIBUS LUCET. – Sun is rising for everyone.
SOL REX REGUM. – Sun commands also kings.
SOL SOLI DEI GLORIA. – The sun to the glory of God alone.
TEMPUS BREVE EST. – Time is short.
TEMPUS EDAX RERUM. – Time is the devourer of things.
TEMPUS OMNIA DABIT. – Time will grant everything.
TEMPUS VICIT OMNIA. – Time prevails over everything.
UNA DABIT QUOD NEGAT ALTERA. – One carries what the other refuses.
UTERE, NON NUMERA. – Don’t count them, make them profitable.
VERT NON SEMPER VIRET. – Spring is not always green.
VIVERE MEMENTO. -Remember to live.
VOLAT IRREVOCABILIS HORA. – Time flies irrevocably.