November 2008

Nota bene –> Latin phrase meaning “note well,” coming from notāre—to note. It is in the singular imperative mood, instructing one individual to note well the matter at hand. In present-day English, it is used to draw the attention of the reader to a certain (side) aspect or detail of the subject on hand, translating it as “pay attention” or “take notice”.

October 2008
Festina lente (or Hâtez-vous lentement in French) –> “Make haste slowly” or “Hurry slowly”
Do everything as fast as you can, as accurately as you can. In French, Hâtez-vous lentement appears especially in La Fontaine fable of the tortoise and the hare: “She is rushing slow.” Be conscious of the short-term and don’t forget about the long-term.

August-September 2008
sub rosa –> “under the rose”
“In secret”, “privately”, “confidentially” or “covertly”. In the Middle Ages, a rose was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber to indicate that what was said in the “under the rose” was not to be repeated outside. This practice originates in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, and he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure that his mother’s indiscretions—or those of the gods in general, in other accounts—were kept under wraps.

June-July 2008
ars [est] celare artem –> “art [is] to conceal art”
An aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather than contrived.

Thanks, Wiki.