Posteris lumen moriturus edat
“Let the one who is about to die hand on the light to those who come after.”
Latin motto
What does “Posteris lumen moriturus edat” mean?
Posteris lumen moriturus edat translates as “Let the one who is about to die hand on the light to those who come after.”
Life is short, but knowledge can be passed on to future generations. The motto honours the duty to share learning before we go.
“Posteris lumen moriturus edat” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Posteris | to those who come after, to posterity | dative plural (dative) of posterus, “coming after”, used as a noun; the indirect object of edat |
| lumen | light | accusative singular (accusative) of lumen, lumin-is, neuter, “light”; the direct object of edat |
| moriturus | the one who is about to die | nominative singular masculine (nominative) of the future participle of morior, “I die”; “about to die”, and the subject of edat |
| edat | let him hand on, let him put forth | third person singular present subjunctive (subjunctive, active) of edo, edere, “to give out, to publish”; here a wish or command (jussive subjunctive) |
How to pronounce “Posteris lumen moriturus edat”
Both pronunciations sound the same here, because the quote has no c, g or ae that would change. Stress falls on the second syllable of posteris, the first of lumen, the third of moriturus and the first of edat.
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “to those after, a light, let the one about to die put forth”. The Latin puts the future generations first and the one who is dying last, which is the order of the thought: the gift is for those who come later.
The image of passing on a light recalls the ancient torch race, in which runners handed a burning torch from one to the next. The line has no known ancient author. It is best treated as a modern Latin motto, and its exact origin is not clear.
Because the light stands for learning, the line suits schools, universities and teaching professions. It says that a life’s work is finished only when it has been passed to others.
How to use “Posteris lumen moriturus edat”
A fitting inscription for a medical school, a library, a teacher’s retirement gift or a mentor’s farewell card. It also works as a personal motto for anyone who sees teaching or writing as a duty to the next generation.
- Latin
- Posteris lumen moriturus edat
- English
- Let the one who is about to die hand on the light to those who come after.
- Source
- Latin motto
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Learning
Common mistakes
- The verb edat is a wish or command (subjunctive), not a plain statement. “He hands on the light” would be edit, which changes the tone.
- Moriturus is masculine. For a woman speaker or subject you would write moritura.
- Lumen is neuter, not the feminine lux. Swapping them changes the grammar and the rhythm of the line.
- Do not credit it to Cicero, Seneca or another ancient author. No such source is known.
Questions about “Posteris lumen moriturus edat”
What does “Posteris lumen moriturus edat” mean literally?
“Let the one about to die put forth a light for those who come after.” The light stands for knowledge and learning.
Who said “Posteris lumen moriturus edat”?
It has no known ancient author. It is a Latin motto of the modern period, and its exact origin is not clear.
How do you pronounce “Posteris lumen moriturus edat”?
Say it pohs-TEH-rees LOO-men moh-ree-TOO-roos EH-daht. The Classical and Church pronunciations sound the same here.
Is “Posteris lumen moriturus edat” correct Latin for a tattoo?
The Latin is grammatical as it stands. If the wearer is a woman, change moriturus to moritura to match the speaker.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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