What does "seize the day" mean?
Seize the day is the translation of Carpe diem which are the words that begin the last line of a Latin poem written by Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC – 8 BC), more widely known as Horace. The poem is in Horace's Odes Book 1, number 11. It has become an aphorism.
In Horace, the phrase is part of the longer Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero, which can be translated as "Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future)". The ode says that the future is unforeseen and that one should not leave to chance future happenings, but rather one should do all one can today to make one's future better. This phrase is usually understood against Horace's Epicurean background. It is important to note that the "Carpe diem" phrase is often misinterpreted and misused in contemporary popular culture, to justify reckless behaviour ("you only live once"). However, the meaning of Carpe diem is not to ignore the future, but rather not to trust that everything is going to fall into place for you and taking action for the future today.
What is the students' attitude to poetry before Mr. Keating teaches them?
Most of the students at Welton, come from well-off families, where the parents work as doctors, engineers, businessmen, etc. Therefore they think that poetry is something not as important as mathematics, physics or chemistry, so that is why they are not very interested in learning poetry.
