Eadem mutata resurgo
Eadem mutata resurgo is a Latin phrase that literally translates to "Although changed, I arise the same".
Background
The word-for-word translation of the phrase is
- "Same having-changed I-rise".
- Eadem mutata resurgo.
The sense is better rendered in English as "I rise again changed but the same".
Jakob Bernoulli's tombstone
The phrase was first known to be used by Jakob Bernoulli (1654-1705), a member of the famous Swiss mathematical family. He had studied logarithmic spirals during his life and directed for a spiral and the motto to appear on his tombstone in Basel. Bernoulli was referring to the fact that the logarithmic spirals are self-similar, meaning that upon applying any similarity transformation to the spiral, the resulting spiral is congruent to the original untransformed one.[1]
The logarithmic spiral frequently appears in biology, such as with the curves of the Nautilus shell.[1]
College motto
The College of St Hild and St Bede at the University of Durham adopted this phrase for its motto; it hangs in the Vernon Arms (the Vern). [2]
It is also used as the motto of the Collège de 'pataphysique.[3]
References
- ^ a b Maor, E. (2009). E: The story of a number. Princeton University Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-691-14134-7.
- ^ The College of St. Hild and St. Bede (PDF) (college description). 2008–2009 University Calendar. Vol. I. Durham, UK: Durham University. 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Collège de 'pataphysique collection". mtholyoke.edu.
