Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum
“A short span of life is long enough to live well and honourably.”
Cicero, De senectute 70
What does “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum” mean?
Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum translates as “A short span of life is long enough to live well and honourably.”
It is not the length of life that matters but how you live it.
“Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum …” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Breve | short | neuter nominative singular of the adjective brevis, breve, “short”; agrees with tempus |
| enim | for, indeed | a particle (conjunction) that explains or backs up the previous thought; it comes second in its clause, though English puts “for” first |
| tempus | time, span | neuter nominative singular of tempus, “time”; subject of est |
| aetatis | of a lifetime | genitive singular of aetas, “age, lifetime”; depends on tempus, so “a span of life” |
| satis | enough | adverb; modifies longum |
| longum | long | neuter nominative singular of the adjective longus, “long”; predicate adjective with tempus |
| est | is | third person singular present indicative of sum, “I am” |
| ad | for, to | preposition taking the accusative; here it expresses purpose |
| bene | well | adverb formed from the adjective bonus, “good”; modifies vivendum |
| honesteque | and honourably | honeste (adverb of honestus, “honourable”) plus the joining word -que, “and”; so “and honourably” |
| vivendum | living | gerund (accusative singular) of vivo, “I live”; after ad it means “for living” |
How to pronounce “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum …”
The main differences are v (w in Classical, v in Church), ae (eye in Classical, eh in Church) and the stress-neutral vowels. The stress is the same in both: BREH-we, aye-TAH-tis, vee-WEN-dum.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “a short time of life is enough long for living well and honourably”. It comes from Cicero’s dialogue De senectute (On Old Age), written in 44 BC, near the end of his life.
In the dialogue the elderly Cato the Elder explains to two younger men why old age need not be dreaded. Here he argues that what counts is not how many years a person gets but how well they use them.
The sentence is often quoted on its own to make the point that a good life is measured by quality rather than length. Because it comes from a speech by Cato in Cicero’s work, it is Cicero’s rendering of Cato’s views, not a recorded saying of Cato himself.
How to use “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum …”
A fitting choice for a tribute or memorial card, a tattoo or engraving about living fully, or a speech or essay on how we spend our time. It also suits a graduation or retirement message.
- Latin
- Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum
- English
- A short span of life is long enough to live well and honourably.
- Source
- Cicero, De senectute 70
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Time
Common mistakes
- It does not say a short life is good in itself. The point is that even a short life can be enough if it is lived well.
- Cato is the speaker, but the words are Cicero’s own composition, so quote it as Cicero, De senectute.
- Drop enim and the line still reads fine but loses its “for” link to the argument before it, so keep it for the full quote.
- Vivendum is a gerund, not a participle; do not change it to vivens or vivere if you want the original wording.
Questions about “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum …”
What does “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est” mean?
It means “a short span of life is long enough”, here to live well and honourably. The point is that quality of life matters more than length.
Who said “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum”?
It is from Cicero’s De senectute (On Old Age), section 70, spoken by the character Cato the Elder.
How do you pronounce “Breve enim tempus aetatis”?
In Classical Latin: BREH-weh EH-nim TEM-pus eye-TAH-tis. In Church Latin the v is a normal v and ae sounds like eh.
Is “Breve enim tempus aetatis satis longum est ad bene honesteque vivendum” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine classical Latin copied from Cicero. It is long, so many people use a shortened version, but trimming it changes the grammar and sense, so check it first.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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