Latin Cursum perficio. Verbum sapienti: quo plus habent, eo plus cupiunt. Post nubila, Phoebus Iternum
Eng I finish the course. A word to the wise: [1] the more [people] have, the more they want. After the clouds, Phoebus [2] [3] [4]
1. To be precise, \"sapienti\" is the dative singular of the adjective \"sapiens\" (knowing or wise). Therefore, without a noun, \"sapienti\" can only refer to a wise man or woman, while \"to the wise\" refers to more than one, which the Latin does not state. 2. Phoebus: the Roman god of sunlight, prophecy, music, and poetry (same as the Greek god Apollo) [Lat. < Gk. Phoibos < phoibos, radiant]. When not capitalized, the sun. 3. This is also a modern Latin proverb meaning \"after clouds (comes) the sun\" or \"after rain comes the sunshine\". 4. In the Watermark notes, this word is spelled \"iternum\", which is either a nonexistent word or a poetic form. In all probability, it is either a misspelling of \"eternum\" (eternal), a misspelling of \"iterum\" (again and again), or a poetic form meaning \"journey\". Here are the various possibilities played out: \"Eternum\" is rather clearly enunciated, but it is very rare that an adjective be used as an adverb. In addition, \"E\" is not a strictly accurate beginning of \"Eternum\" because it leaves out the preceding \"A\", which creates a diphthong. It should be \"Æternum\". Transcribing \"iternum\" instead of \"iterum\" is a common error to make, and has occured elsewhere (such as the Codex Vaticanus manuscript of Tacitus's Agricola), involving the lengthening of the tail of \"r\" to \"n\" and duplicating it. \"Iterum\" also fits the tone as well as the tense, that of one tormented by the demands of others again and again. Iternum means \"journey\". It is related to \"iter\" (to journey), and the form seems to be in the genitive plural, which actually should be \"itinerum\", not \"iternum\" as written. This should be translated as \"journey\" or perhaps \"of the journeys\" since the notes state that this song was inspired by an inscription found in the portico of Marilyn Monroe's last home, \"My journey ends here\".