Dum spiro spero

Dum spiro spero means "While I breathe, I hope"^[1] in Latin and is a modern paraphrase of ideas that survive in two ancient writers, Theocritus^[2] and Cicero.^[3]

It is a motto of various places, families, and organizations.

States and towns

• The notable origin of the motto is St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Its attribution to Saint Andrew and his bones being taken to this small fishing village on the North Sea, contributed to its direct linkage between the saying, the town, the University of St Andrews and the Saint.

• It is also the state motto of South Carolina, adopted in 1776. On March 26, 1776, the Provincial Congress of South Carolina set up an independent government, and the motto formed a part of official great seal, created by W. H. Drayton.

• Dum Spiro Spero was the kingdom motto for the Kingdom of Sarawak.

• Dum Spiro Spero is the motto of the Principality of Hutt River, and appears on their coat of arms.

• Dum Spiro Spero is the motto of Cothill House Preparatory School in Oxfordshire, England.

• Dum Spiro Spero is the motto of Burstow Park House, in Surrey England and also appears on their coat of arms.

• Dum Spiro Spero is inscribed above door of Nymans House, West Sussex, England, old home of the Messel family now a National Trust property and gardens.

Families

Dum spiro spero is the family motto of numerous families worldwide, including:

• The Bekarovski (or Bekiaris) Family, Macedonia (Aegean Macedonia)
• The Dearden Family
• The Clan MacLennan
• The Olphert family (Ballyconnell, Ireland) The motto and the family coat of arms is still visible above the door at Ballyconnell House, Donegal.^[4]
• The Dillon family (Ireland).
• The Bransom family (England), Now USA
• The Asscoti or Ascotti family^[5]
• The Baker family (Derbyshire, England)^[5]
• The Banantyne family (Derbyshire, England)^[6]
• The Bussell family (Cambridgeshire, England)
• The Colquhoun family (Dunyelder, Scotland)^[6]
• The Corbet(t) family (Ireland)
• The Coriton family (England)^[6]
• The Cotter family (Ireland), Now New Zealand
• The Dewsbury family (England), Now USA
• The Dillon family (England)^[6]
• The Elphdick family (Sussex, England) ^[6]
• The Everitt family (Kent, England) ^[6]
• The De Garis family (Guernsey). The family crest surmounts a window (with the motto in Latin) at St. Saviour's Church in Western Parishes, Guernsey.^[7]
• The Gaunt family (Kent, England)^[5][6]
• The Gaunt family (Staffordshire, England)^[6]
• The Glazebrook family (Lancashire, England)^[5]
• The Golledge Family (Ireland), Now USA
• The Hunter family (Perth, Scotland)^[5]
• The Mason family (Normandy)
• The Morgan family (Wales)
• The Nelson-Smith family (Surrey)
• The Pearson family (Forfarshire, Scotland)^[5]
• The Pount family (Scotland)^[6]
• The Roberts family (Kent, England)^[5]
• The Rylands family (Cheshire, England)^[5]
• The Sharp family (Tyne and Wear, England)
• The Snowden family (Yorkshire, England)
• The Sparks family (Faraham Parish Hampshire, England) now USA
• The Spearman family (Shropshire & Durham, England)^[5]
• The Staunton family (Gloucestershire, England)^[5]
• The Standard family (Bedfordshire, England)
• The Symonds family (Bedfordshire, England)
• The Walsh family (County Clare, Ireland)
• The Whitworth family (Durham, England)
• The Whitehead family
• The Thompson Clan (Irish)
• The Young family - displayed st Stanhiil Court, Surrey, in the stained glass window showing the Family Arms of William Young (Deputy Chairman and co-founder of Lloyd's of London)

Other noted individuals who used this motto:

• Sir James Laurence Cotter, Baronet (Co. Cork, Ireland)^[5]
• Dr T.G. Dillon (Roscommon, Ireland)^[5]
• Vicount Dillon of Costello Gallen (Co. Sligo, Ireland)^[5]
• Charles Hunter, Esquire (Anglesey, Wales)^[5]
• Henry Thomas Partridge (Norfolk, England)^[5]
• Sir Owen Roberts (London, England)^[5]
• William James Sandford - Thompson, J.P (Montrose, Scotland)^[5]
• Captain Alfred Ernest Speer, Esquire (Surrey, England)^[5]
• General Sir Edward Stanton (Gloucestershire, England)^[5]
• John Walsh, Esquire (Kilkenny, Ireland)^[5]

Organizations

Czech Army's 601st Special Forces Group, based in Prostějov, adopted "Dum spiro spero" as its motto.^[8]

References

External links

• Quotations related to Theocritus at Wikiquote
• Quotations related to Cicero at Wikiquote
• The dictionary definition of hope springs eternal at Wiktionary