Esse quam videri

Last updated
"Esse quam videri
" plaque on monument to Revolutionary War officer Joseph Winston, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, North Carolina Esse Quam Videri plaque Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.JPG
"Esse quam videri" plaque on monument to Revolutionary War officer Joseph Winston, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, North Carolina

Esse quam videri is a Latin phrase meaning "To be, rather than to seem." It has been used as a motto by a number of different groups.

Contents

History

Esse quam videri is found in Cicero's essay On Friendship ( Laelius de Amicitia , chapter 98). Virtute enim ipsa non tam multi praediti esse quam videri volunt ("Few are those who wish to be endowed with virtue rather than to seem so").

Just a few years after Cicero, Sallust used the phrase in his Bellum Catilinae (54.6), writing that Cato the Younger esse quam videri bonus malebat ("He preferred to be good rather than to seem so").

Previous to both Romans, Aeschylus used a similar phrase in Seven Against Thebes at line 592, at which the scout (angelos) says of the seer/priest Amphiaraus: οὐ γὰρ δοκεῖν ἄριστος, ἀλλ᾽ εἶναι θέλει (ou gàr dokeîn áristos, all' eînai thélei: "he doesn't want to seem, but to be the bravest"). Plato quoted this line in Republic (361b).

Usage as a motto

North Carolina

Great Seal of North Carolina with the state motto Esse quam videri. Seal of North Carolina.svg
Great Seal of North Carolina with the state motto Esse quam videri.

Esse quam videri is the state motto of North Carolina, adopted in 1893. [1] [2]


Schools and colleges

Esse quam videri is (or was) the motto of a number of schools and colleges around the world, including:

Sororities

Esse quam videri is the motto of the following sororities:

Fraternities

Esse quam videri is the motto of the following fraternities:

Families

The Wallenberg family. [29]

Sporting organisations

Companies

Other organizations

Esse quam videri is also the motto of

Television personality Stephen Colbert inverted the statement on his show The Colbert Report to Videri Quam Esse, [41] meaning "to seem to be rather than to be." It is also engraved across the faux hearth, above the video fireplace, in his studio, under his portrait.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha Gamma Delta</span> International collegiate womens fraternity

Alpha Gamma Delta (ΑΓΔ), also known as Alpha Gam, is an international women's fraternity and social organization. It was founded on May 30, 1904, by eleven female students at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and thus it is the youngest member of the Syracuse Triad of North American social sororities that also includes Gamma Phi Beta (1874) and Alpha Phi (1872). Since its founding, Alpha Gamma Delta has, as of December 2021, initiated over 201,000 members and installed 199 collegiate chapters and more than 250 alumnae groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seal of North Carolina</span> Official government emblem of the U.S. state of North Carolina

The Great Seal of North Carolina is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the Government of North Carolina. The Great Seal was modified to its present form in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Gamma</span> North American collegiate sorority

Delta Gamma (ΔΓ), commonly known as DG, is a women's fraternity in the United States and Canada with over 250,000 initiated members. It has 150 collegiate chapters and more than 200 alumnae groups. The organization's executive office is in Columbus, Ohio. Delta Gamma is one of 26 national sororities under the umbrella organization of the National Panhellenic Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phi Mu</span> American collegiate sorority

Phi Mu (ΦΜ) is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States.

Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of professional education or study. This may be contrasted with service fraternities and sororities, whose primary purpose is community service, and social fraternities and sororities, whose primary purposes are generally aimed towards some other aspect, such as the development of character, friendship, leadership, or literary ability.

<i>Dum spiro spero</i> Latin phrase

Dum spiro spero, which translates to "While I breathe, I hope", is a Latin phrase of indeterminate origin. It is the motto of various places and organisations, including the U.S. state of South Carolina.

S. Anselm's Preparatory School is a private school located in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in the heart of the Peak District. Founded in 1888. Winner of the Tatler Schools Guide title: Prep School of the Year 2021, it offers flexi, weekly and full boarding for pupils aged 3–13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutama College</span> Catholic high school in Norton, Zimbabwe

Kutama College is a private Catholic independent boarding high school near Norton, Zimbabwe in the Zvimba area, 87 kilometres southwest of Harare. Grown out of a Mission station founded in 1914 and run by the Marist Brothers, Kutama has a student population of about 700 pupils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Phi Epsilon (social)</span> International collegiate sorority

Delta Phi Epsilon is an international sorority founded on March 17, 1917 at New York University Law School in Manhattan. It is one of 26 social sororities that form the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). It has 110 active chapters, three of which are located in Canada, making the sorority an international organization.

Ellis Robins School is a Zimbabwean boys' high school that was founded in Salisbury, Rhodesia in 1953. It is located in the suburb of Mabelreign in Salisbury. Next door is Mabelreign Girls High School, the school's sister school. The Ellis Robins school colours are blue and gold, the badge has two dolphins facing each other, and the school Latin motto is "Esse Quam Videri" which means "To be, rather than to seem".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School</span> Academy in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It has 749 pupils enrolled.

<i>Labor omnia vincit</i> Latin phrase

Labor omnia vincit or Labor omnia vincit improbus is a Latin phrase meaning "Work conquers all". The phrase is adapted from Virgil's Georgics, Book I, lines 145–6: ...Labor omnia vicit / improbus. The poem was written in support of Augustus Caesar's "Back to the land" policy, aimed at encouraging more Romans to become farmers.

Fraternities and sororities exist for high school students as well as college students. Like their college counterparts, most have Greek letter names. Although there were countless local high school fraternities and sororities with only one or two chapters, many secondary fraternities founded in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in the United States grew into national organizations with a highly evolved governing structure and regularly chartered chapters in multiple regions. Many of the local chapters of these national fraternities were not tied to individual high schools but were instead area-based, often drawing membership from multiple high schools in a given area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha Delta Theta (social)</span> Defunct American collegiate sorority

Alpha Delta Theta (ΑΔΘ) was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from 1919 to 1939. The sorority officially affiliated with Phi Mu fraternity on August 30, 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy of the Holy Names (Silver Spring, Maryland)</span> Private girls secondary school

The Academy of the Holy Names, or AHN, was a Catholic girls college-preparatory high school located in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Seton Hall High School was located on 155 West Roe Boulevard in Patchogue, New York. Prior to 1952, the school was situated in bungalows on South Ocean Avenue. It opened in September 1937 and was closed in June 1974. Seton Hall was one of very few co-educational Catholic High Schools on Long Island, New York. The team mascot was the Eagle. The school motto was "Esse quam videri" meaning "To be, rather than to seem " and it appeared on the class rings of the school.

Chania High School was a public high school located in Thika, in the Central Province of Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigma Beta Delta</span>

Sigma Beta Delta (ΣΒΔ) is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the fields of business, management, and administration .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eta Phi Beta</span> African American business sorority

Eta Phi Beta (ΗΦΒ) is an African American business sorority located in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was founded in Detroit, Michigan at the historically black Lewis Business College in October 1942. In 1997, the organization had 91 chapters and over 5,000 members internationally.

Chi Tau (ΧΤ) was a small national men's fraternity founded on October 3, 1920 at Trinity College, the predecessor to Duke University. The majority of its 9 chapters were in North Carolina. It disbanded at the start of the Great Depression, with members and chapters dispersing by 1929. At least two chapters lingered as independent organizations for several years.

References

  1. "North Carolina State Motto Esse Quam Videri To Be, Rather Than To Seem". Netstate. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  2. "Wat is the NC State Motto? -Our State Magazine". 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  3. "Catawba County Government - Catawba County North Carolina" . Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  4. "home". Connellspt-p.schools.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  5. "Darwin_High_School". Schools.nt.edu.au. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  6. "desertheightsprep.org". desertheightsprep.org. 2003-03-01. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  7. "Dubbo College".
  8. "esquimalt.sd61.bc.ca". esquimalt.sd61.bc.ca. 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  9. "Home". Hemel Hempstead School. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  10. Archived November 29, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  11. "Lane College". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  12. "The motto of the University is Esse Quam Videri ...." "Bulletin, National University of Health Sciences" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  13. "Seton Hall High School" . Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  14. "essequamvideri.co.uk". essequamvideri.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  15. "Pages - Welcome!". Stm.nbed.nb.ca. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  16. "Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy". Tjca.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  17. "truroschool.com". truroschool.com. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  18. "Villa Devoto School". vdevoto.esc.edu.ar. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  19. "Woodward Career Technical High School Official Web Site". Cincinnati Public Schools. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
  20. "wyoarea.org". wyoarea.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  21. "Old Yeovilians' Association Home Page". Oldyeovilians.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-12.[ dead link ]
  22. "dphie.org". dphie.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  23. "tkc.edu". tkc.edu. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  24. "phideltaalpha.com". phideltaalpha.com. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  25. "Alpha Chi Lambda". San Antonio: Trinity University. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  26. "lks.org". lks.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  27. "Phi Beta Fraternity".
  28. "Gamma Eta Gamma".
  29. "Family". Wallenberg.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018. The family's website claims the meaning "to act, not to seem to be" which is not a valid translation of "Esse, non videri"; Latin phrases that do have this meaning include "agere, non videri" and "facere, non videri".
  30. Burt, Martyn. "kingswoodrfc.co.uk". kingswoodrfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  31. "White Wolves MC Romania - Esse Quam Videri Malim". www.whitewolvesmcromania.ro. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  32. "Outcast Cyclists - Esse Quam Videri". Outcast Cyclists - Esse Quam Videri. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  33. "Swire". www.swire.com. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  34. "Isle of Harris Gin | Harris Distillers".
  35. "nhmss.org". nhmss.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  36. "Carolina Wilderness EMS Externship - Official Home Page". Blueridgehealth.org. Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  37. "Men's Chorus Philosophy: Esse Quam Videri". Brigham Young University. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  38. "Gathering of Eagles". www.gatheringofeagles.us. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  39. "Pan Hellenic Society". www.panhellenicsociety.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  40. "Eric Marsh Foundation". www.ericmarshfoundation.org. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  41. "Stephen Colbert's new Latin motto". Iinterbridge. Talk Show News. 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2014-12-31.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Esse quam videri at Wikimedia Commons