Agite, tum nos nitamur
Quidquid erit, fortiter,
Superantes iam sequamur
Patienter, acriter.

Vita vera! vita gravis! 
Meta non est obitus;
“Cinis es et cinis eris,”
Nihil est ad spiritus.

GAUDEAMUS

[**Music]

Gaudeamus igitur,
  Iuvenes dum sumus;
Post iucundam iuventutem,
Post molestam senectutem,
  Nos habebit humus.

Ubi sunt, qui ante nos
  In mundo fuere? 
Transeas ad superos,
Abeas ad inferos,
  Quos si vis videre.

Vita nostra brevis est,
  Brevi finietur;
Venit mors velociter,
Rapit nos atrociter,
  Nemini parcetur.

Vivat academia,
  Vivant professores,
Vivat membrum quodlibet,
Vivant membra quaelibet,
  Semper sint in flore.

Vivant omnes virgines,
  Faciles formosae;
Vivant et mulieres,
Dulces et 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.

Translation

While the glowing hours are bright,
  Let not sadness mar them,
For when age shall rifle youth,
And shall drive our joys unsooth,
  Then the grave will bar them.

Where are those who from the world
  Long ago departed! 
Scale Olympus’ lofty height—­
See grim Hades’ murky night—­
  There are the great hearted.

Mortal life is but a span,
  That is quickly fleeting;
Cruel death comes on apace
And removes us from the race,
  None with favor treating.

Long may this fair temple stand,
  Nassau now and ever! 
Long may her professors grace
Each his own time honored place,
  Friendship failing never.

May our charming maidens live,
  Matchless all in beauty,
May our blooming matrons long
Be the theme of grateful song,
  Patterns bright of duty.

May our Union grow in strength,
  Faithful rulers guiding;
In the blaze of Freedom’s light
Where the genial arts are bright,
  Find we rest abiding.

Out on sighing!  Vanish hate,
  And ye friends of sadness;
To his chill abode of woe,
Let the dread Philistine go,
  Who would steal our gladness.

    —­Tr.  J. A. Pearce, Jr.

LAURIGER HORATIUS

[**Music]

Lauriger Horatius,
  Quam dixisti verum! 
Fugit Euro citius
  Tempus edax rerum.

Chorus

Ubi sunt, O pocula,
  Dulciora melle,
Rixae, pax, et oscula
  Rubentis puellae?

Crescit uva molliter,
  Et puella crescit,
Sed poeta turpiter
  Sitiens canescit.

Quid iuvat aeternitas
  Nominis, amare
Nisi terrae filias
  Licet, et potare?