Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
“The hour ends the day; the author ends his work.”
Traditional colophon
What does “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus” mean?
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus translates as “The hour ends the day; the author ends his work.”
Just as each day comes to a close, every work must eventually be finished. It is a satisfied signature at the end of a long task.
“Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Terminat | ends, finishes | third person singular present active indicative of termino, “I end, I set a limit to” |
| hora | the hour | nominative singular feminine of hora, “hour”; the subject of the first clause |
| diem | the day | accusative singular masculine of dies, “day”; the object of terminat |
| terminat | ends, finishes | third person singular present active indicative of termino, “I end”, repeated for effect |
| auctor | the author | nominative singular masculine of auctor, “author, originator”; the subject of the second clause |
| opus | the work | accusative singular neuter of opus, “work”; the object of terminat |
How to pronounce “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus”
The main difference is the i in terminat, which is a short “ih” in Classical and a longer “ee” in Church Latin. In both, stress the first syllable of terminat and hora, and the first syllable of auctor and opus.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “the hour ends the day; the author ends the work”. Its two halves mirror each other: the same verb, terminat, is repeated, first with the hour and then with the author as the subject.
It is a traditional colophon, the short note a scribe or printer added at the end of a book to mark its completion. Such closing formulas were common in manuscripts and early printed books.
It is best known today from the end of Christopher Marlowe’s play Doctor Faustus, where it appears in Latin as the Renaissance English stage closes the story. Elsewhere it survives as a finishing line for theses, manuscripts and other long projects.
How to use “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus”
A fitting last line for a thesis, novel or finished manuscript, or an inscription on a desk or bookplate to mark a completed project. It also works as a quiet sign-off at the end of a long day’s work.
- Latin
- Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
- English
- The hour ends the day; the author ends his work.
- Source
- Traditional colophon
- Era
- Renaissance
- Theme
- Work
Common mistakes
- The two terminat are not the same word as a noun: both are verbs, so the line reads “ends … ends”, not “the end of the day”.
- Do not read auctor as “actor”. It means author or originator, someone who brings something into being.
- The semicolon matters. It splits two parallel statements, so the quote is not a single sentence such as “the hour ends the day and the author”.
- If you change the subject or number, the verb must change too: with a plural subject you would need terminant.
Questions about “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus”
What does “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus” mean?
It means “The hour ends the day; the author ends his work.” Just as time closes each day, the writer brings his work to its end.
Who said “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus”?
It is a traditional colophon, a scribes’ and printers’ closing formula, not a line by one known author. It is famous as the closing line of Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus.
How do you pronounce “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus”?
In Classical Latin: TEHR-mih-naht HOH-rah DEE-ehm, TEHR-mih-naht OWK-tohr OH-poos. Church Latin sounds nearly the same, with a longer “ee” in terminat.
Is “Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus” good for a tattoo?
The Latin is correct and reads clearly. It is a long line, so it suits a tattoo for a writer or someone marking a finished project, but keep the semicolon and spelling exactly.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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