Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas
“Through ‘tomorrow, tomorrow’ said over and over, a lifetime slips away.”
Medieval Latin proverb
What does “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas” mean?
Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas translates as “Through ‘tomorrow, tomorrow’ said over and over, a lifetime slips away.”
Procrastination steals life quietly: each postponement seems harmless, yet together they consume years. What can be done today should not be pushed back.
“Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Per | through, by means of | preposition taking the accusative |
| multum | much, a great deal | neuter accusative singular of multus, used as a noun after per, meaning “by much, by a great deal” |
| cras | tomorrow | adverb, indeclinable |
| cras | tomorrow | adverb, repeated for emphasis |
| crebro | often, over and over | adverb, from the adjective creber, “frequent, repeated” |
| dilabitur | slips away, melts away | 3rd person singular present indicative of dilabor, “I slip away” (a deponent verb: passive form, active meaning) |
| aetas | lifetime, age, life | nominative singular feminine of aetas, “age, lifetime”; the subject of the verb |
How to pronounce “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas”
The main differences are in the vowels and in ae: aetas is “eye-TAHS” in Classical and “eh-TAHS” in Church Latin. The c of cras stays hard in both. Stress dilabitur on the second-to-last syllable (-LAH-), and aetas on its last.
The story behind it
Word for word the line runs “through much tomorrow, tomorrow, often, a lifetime slips away”. The doubled cras imitates the voice of the person who keeps saying “tomorrow”, and the verb dilabitur, “slips away”, suggests something running through the fingers.
It is a medieval Latin verse proverb with no known author. Warnings against delay are much older: Hesiod and Seneca both wrote against putting things off, so the thought is ancient even though this wording is not.
The line is still quoted in talks and articles about procrastination. Its point is that one postponement does little harm, but the habit of postponing can use up a whole life.
How to use “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas”
Works well as a desk sign for a chronic procrastinator, a line for a talk or essay on productivity and time, or a tattoo for someone who wants a reminder to act today.
- Latin
- Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas
- English
- Through ‘tomorrow, tomorrow’ said over and over, a lifetime slips away.
- Source
- Medieval Latin proverb
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Time
Common mistakes
- The two cras are deliberate, not a typing slip: the repetition is the point of the line.
- Multum here is not “many” but “much”, in the sense of “a great deal of delay”. Translating it as “many tomorrows” is a common loose reading.
- Aetas does not mean only “old age”. Here it means the span of a life, so “lifetime” or “life” fits best.
- Do not attribute it to Ovid, Seneca or any other classical author: it is an anonymous medieval proverb.
Questions about “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas”
What does “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas” mean literally?
Roughly “through much tomorrow, tomorrow, often, a lifetime slips away”. In natural English: by saying “tomorrow” again and again, life slips away.
Who said “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas”?
No one is known. It is a medieval Latin proverb, so it should not be credited to a named classical author.
How do you pronounce “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas”?
In Classical Latin: per MOOL-toom kraas kraas KREH-broh dih-LAH-bih-toor eye-TAHS. Church Latin softens a few vowels, for example eh-TAHS for aetas.
Is “Per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas” good for a tattoo?
The Latin is sound and the message is clear. It is a long line, so check the spelling and the two cras with care, or consider a shorter phrase if space is limited.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
Related Latin quotes
One Latin line. Every Monday.
A quote, its translation and the story behind it, free in your inbox.