Cras te uicturum, cras dicis, Postume, semper → Postumus, you always say that you will live tomorrow, tomorrow

[spiros]

Cras te uicturum, cras dicis, Postume, semper: dic mihi, cras istud, Postume, quando uenit? Quam longe cras istud! ubi est? aut unde petendum? Numquid apud Parthos Armeniosque latet? Iam cras istud habet Priami uel Nestoris annos. Cras istud quanti, dic mihi, possit emi? Cras uiues? Hodie iam uiuere, Postume, serum est: ille sapit quisquis, Postume, uixit heri.

Postumus, you always say that you will live tomorrow, tomorrow! But that ‘tomorrow’ of yours – when does it ever come? How far off is that ‘tomorrow’! Where is it, or where should it be sought? Does it lie hidden among the Parthians, or the Armenians? That ‘tomorrow’ is as old as Priam or Nestor. For how much can ‘tomorrow’ be purchased? You will live tomorrow, you say? Postumus, even living today is too late; he is the wise man, who lived yesterday.

Cras te uicturum, cras dicis, Postume, semper: dic mihi, cras istud, Postume, quando uenit? Quam longe cras istud! ubi est? aut unde petendum? Numquid apud Parthos Armeniosque latet? Iam cras istud habet Priami uel Nestoris annos. Cras istud quanti, dic mihi, possit emi? Cras uiues? Hodie iam uiuere, Postume, serum est: ille sapit quisquis, Postume, uixit heri.

You tell me, Postumus, that you will live tomorrow; you always say tomorrow, Postumus. Tell me, Postumus, when will that tomorrow arrive? How far is that tomorrow off? Where is it? or where is it to be found? Is it hidden among the Parthians and Armenians? That tomorrow already counts up as many years as those of Priam or Nestor. For how much, tell me, may that tomorrow be bought? You will live tomorrow: even today it is too late to begin to live. He is the wise man, Postumus, who lived yesterday.

Martial, Epigrams. Book 5. Bohn's Classical Library (1897)

«Αύριο θα ζήσω»! Αύριο λες, συνέχεια, Πόστουμε!

— Martial, 5.58
Living Today and Talking About Death – SENTENTIAE ANTIQUAE