That is, “Friends, while we live, let us be merry.” For Raderus has evidently made it appear, by several examples out of Catullus, Cecilius, Varro, Anacreon, and other ancient authors, that vivere, or to live, signifies to make merry, to give one’s self up to all kinds of pleasures, making good cheer, &c.
I know not whether the Gascogns, who pronouncing the V consonant like B, instead of Vivis et regnas in secula seculorum, say (as I have been informed, how true it is I know not) Bibis et regnas in secula seculorum, are of the same sentiment with Raderus in this point: but very probably that good honest German was, who in a kind of ecstasy over a bottle cry’d out,
O felices populi, quorum vivere est bibere!
However, to prove this, as also at the same time to confirm what has been said above, in relation to the motives that induced people of old times to make merry, I shall instance some passages of the ancients. But first let us not omit this inscription in Gruter[9], which is not much unlike the former.
VIVE, HOSPES, DUM LICET, ATQUE VALE.
“Be merry, landlord, and enjoy yourself while ’tis in your power, as for the rest, adieu.”
Martial says somewhere, “Be merry to-day, depend not on to-morrow.”
Sera nimis vita est crastina, vive hodie.
Catullus expresses much the same sentiments in these beautiful verses:—
“Vivamus ————