# Golden Compass Latin inscriptions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293 "2007-12-08T16:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293/1 "2007-12-08T16:50:05Z")
Can anyone help with this translation? The prop and movie display Alethiometer (golden compass) has Latin inscriptions around the circumference. As far as I’ve been able to find so far, they are: “Ad astra per aspera. Astra inclinant non necessitant. Disce quasi semper vive quasi cras mortitus.” Having been over a decade since I studied any Latin the best I can come up with off the top of my head is “To the stars with hope. To ? the stars is not necessary. ? always life ? death.” I’m wondering 1) If that was the complete inscription 2) What’s a proper translation 3) If the novel Alethiometer had any inscriptions or if this was just a movie thing and 4) Even if it is just a movie thing, do the inscriptions relate in any way to the novel’s themes? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293/2 "2007-12-08T17:22:19Z")
[QUOTE=jackdavinci] “Ad astra per aspera. Astra inclinant non necessitant. Disce quasi semper [victurus]; vive quasi cras [moriturus].” [/QUOTE] Through difficulties to the stars. The stars incline, they do not determine. Learn as if you will live forever, live as if you will die tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293/3 "2007-12-08T18:30:31Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Through difficulties to the stars. The stars incline, they do not determine. Learn as if you will live forever, live as if you will die tomorrow. [/QUOTE] Wow, thanks! Is this originally a quote from somewhere other than HDM? The “ad astra” phrase seems familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293/4 "2007-12-08T19:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=jackdavinci] Wow, thanks! Is this originally a quote from somewhere other than HDM? The “ad astra” phrase seems familiar. [/QUOTE] The “Ad astra” part is the Kansas state motto. I’ve heard “Live as if you will die tomorrow” all over the place, but not to my recollection in conjuction with “Learn as if you will forever.” ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golden-compass-latin-inscriptions/429293/5 "2007-12-09T01:01:58Z")
[QUOTE=Leiko] The “Ad astra” part is the Kansas state motto. I’ve heard “Live as if you will die tomorrow” all over the place, but not to my recollection in conjuction with “Learn as if you will forever.” [/QUOTE] Those two are from Seneca who had a quite impressive output of one-liners.