Timeless beauty

“Omnia mea mecum porto” collection

Festina lente: Exhortation to take action with determination and no hesitation after having thought carefully about what you are going to undertake!

Hic manebimus optime: (“Here we will stay excellently”) is a saying become famous for expressing determination.

The whole sentence (“Signifer, statue signum, hic manebimus optime”) is ascribed by the Roman historian Livy to a centurion who, after Gauls set Rome on fire (390 b.C.), would have pronounced it encouraging his soldiers.

Roman senators would have taken these words as a heavenly advice and stopped thinking about leaving the city.

Hic sunt leones: In the ancient maps this legend marked the uncharted regions.

Nowadays it is used to hint, jokingly, at a place that hides dangers whose nature is, however, unknown

Lupus in fabula: Expression used, jokingly, at the coming of someone you were just talking about.

Nomen omen: This expression refers to the link, that Romans believed to be tight, between one’s name and his (her) destiny, personality or characteristic.

Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus: Smiling exhortation to be sympathetic to those who, usually esteemed for wit, cleverness or natural courtesy, accidentally cut a poor figure: even the best fall down sometimes!

Rem tene: Our “signature”! Meaningful but short and easy to remember it is the first part of the well known Cato the Censor's phrase: “Rem tene, verba sequentur” (Don't worry about preparing the speech if you do master the topic you are going to debate.

Urbs: In Latin “urbs” means “city” and “Urbs” specified the city par excellence: Rome!

You and me

People who are self-aware are not fearful of others; rather, they are curious and open to dialogue and the exchange of ideas.

As a result, even very different and seemingly distant people can form relationships, forge bonds, and, step by step, become a community where the happiness of the individual supports that of all and is an integral part of it.

If this community were as broad as the whole world, violence, abuse, wars, and conflicts would disappear once and for all.

The historical processes are long and complex, but we do not need any extraordinary skills to sustain this epochal transformation: all we need is to decide to come out of the dark labyrinth of resignation and fear in which we sometimes hole up and show everyone our humanity, the most valuable quality we have, the extra gear that can truly make a difference.

And in the end, the result, that will indeed be sensational.

The migrant

We and the Earth

Skiing is perhaps the only sport I have ever been truly passionate about and if I happen to look at some photos of me as a child smiling with flushed cheeks next to a snowman in Rome in January 1985 I cannot help but reflect with sadness on the fact that, thirty years from now, my grandchildren will probably not be able to launch themselves down the slope with poles in their hands, nor will they be able to have fun with carrots, twigs, and buttons for lack of raw material.

Human history is replete with insights and accomplishments in all fields.

However, just as it occurs to individuals who gain success without being able to look at it objectively, we have progressively lost our sense of measure and awareness of limits: that basic humility without which, the ancients knew well, there is no true wisdom.

And so, without hesitation, we continue to humiliate the beautiful and fragile home that has always generously hosted us.

The night is dark, the headlights off, the engine revved up, the car is speeding towards the cliff.

The good news is that we are fully aware and want to stop before falling into the abyss. The bad news is that we assume we have spotted the cliff's edge.