YOU “BETA” BELIEVE “ET”! Sic Transit is a character who arose from the collective imagination of newspaper correspondents, college students and other writers through the mid to late nineteenth century. Related in Macaronic language, the combination of two or more languages, Sic-Transit stories were created through clever wordplay between English and Latin/Greek. Phrases such as ‘eta beta pi’ (i.e. ate a bit of pie), ‘drank sum forte glacis’ (i.e. drank some forty glasses) or ‘cutis nos off’ (i.e. cut his nose off) readily attest to the shear level of ingenuity among the character's originators. While largely forgotten, Sic Transit is, perhaps, one of the most fascinating examples of early American ‘nerd culture.’
Despite having been set down in print rather than created through spoken words, Sic Transit constitutes a genuine folkhero. For he is the product of not one but many authors with each storyteller having added a bit to his legend along the way. Interestingly enough, his stories were conveyed in a manner not unlike internet message boards wherein new responses are listed following previous replies. Each cycle typically begins with what seems to be the initial ‘thread’:
“The physician who attends sic transit has arrived in this city and taken rooms at the Tremont. [Boston Times. ...”
Subsequently, the other responses follow.
“... The Pugilist that nihil fit has gone to Boston and hopes to see sic transit in gloria mundi morning. [Springfield Post.
He arrived safely, but soon delta blow at sic transit and beta hole in his head.”
With each reposting all previous entries appear but with a new anecdote added to expand the mythos more and more. The original thread is usually attributed to the Boston Times but not always.
From what can be gleamed from the character of Sic Transit, he is depicted as a wanderer, suffering from persistent travel sickness, who often comes at odds with Nihil Fit, a pugilist. These encounters often leave Sic Transit injured resulting in the loss of his nose, him falling, getting bitten or otherwise the victim of some mishap.
Sic Transit’s fate is often always to a degree unfortunate while cleverly and hilariously interspliced with Latin. But, as any student of the language will tell you, ‘Latin is a dead language. First it killed the Romans—and now it’s killin’ me.’
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We understand that ‘Nihil fit’ him, and ‘noctes’ head completely off!—N. Y. World.
That must be a mistake, for ‘sic transit’ was in to see Dr. Digg last evening, and staid until ‘tecum.’’—Carpet Bag.
‘Sic transit’ came into our office this A.M., with a ‘Carpet Bag.’ He ‘cum’ by rail, with the ‘carmen.’—Police Gazette.
Oh, ‘unun’ sculls ! You ‘damnun’ sculls. He didn't either. ‘Sic transit’ drove a ‘tu pone tandem terno Ver’ from the eastward. He is visiting his ‘aunte,’ Mrs. ‘Dic Terra’ in New Haven, and will stay till ‘Ortem.’ Dr Dignos, the ‘Terris,’ (Terrys) likewise, ‘et super’ with us last evening. He ‘eta beta pi.’ The pugilist also ‘cum’ with him, and ‘lamb da’ man badly in the street ; he ‘cutis nos’ off and ‘noctem flat urna’ flounder.—Bat and Ball”
—"Great Proceedings," The Yale Courant, vol. II, no. 2, September 12, 1866, p. 14 (New Haven, Connecticut)
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Sic transit and the pugilist afterwards went inter a grocery tu eta bagr’chiis, and got into a fight with the ingens. The pellis cautem, and mente tu jugum, but as they manifested soror, centum home.—[Whitehall Democrat.
We are happy to be able to add, by permission of sub rosa, who accompanied him thus far, that sic transit arrived here this morning. He stated in our presence to inter nos, and also to in futuro that he was on his way inter vale of retirement. His only audible expression was, Hieu! me miserum!—Washington Evening Star.”
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This must be a mistake, for sic transit was inter se Dr. Bigg last evening; and staid till tecum.—Carpet Bag.
Queer lingo, this. We wonder what the ducit means, and what writers mentit for. It sounds cur sed ridiculus.—N. O. Pic.
It is a description of the ridiculus mus Montez brought forth.—St. Louis Signal.
Cum, gentleman, be desint. Cursue if we are not sic of such dum foliis.”
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O Phi beta dry up! Sic transit should cum dignitate patch.”
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We hope Southern editors will passim around.—Savannah Republican.
Sic transit got luce from Savannah, and paraded our streets yesterday in all gloria, but fit nobody, and will leave mundi.—Augusta Constitutionalist
Sic transit metus in the road and we called him to tau. Luce was not with him, but Sal was. He cursed us, but we gave him a few nox and he fel flat to the jam of the fence, a little sicca than he ever was.
We can whip a cow-penna such as he is. He had with him two pax of cards and forte dux.”
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—"Ex," "notes and Clippings," College Journal, vol. 5, no.3, May 1882, p. 3 (Milton, Wisconsin)
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—"Latin Made English," The London Journal, vol. XXVIII, no. 707, September 4, 1858, p. 14 (London, England)
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—"Ipse Dixti," Ohio State Journal of Dental Science, vol. II, no. 7, July 1, 1882, p. 12 (Columbus, Ohio)
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