The motto of the Philomathean Literary Society was established by its founding members during their first meeting in 1842. The first Philos decided upon a star for their emblem which would bear the motto “Tentare Est Valere,” or “To Try is to be Worthy,” as well as the letters ”N” and “D” which stand for “Nil Desperandum,” or “Never Despair,” a phrase taken from Horace’s Odes, Book I, ode vii, line 27. The star carries, at each of its points, a letter, Alpha (Adelphos-Brotherhood); Alpha (Areta- Virtue); Sigma (Sophia- Wisdom); Epsilon (Elpis- Hope); and Sigma (Sophrosuna- Self-Control). The motto and the letters taken together illustrate the mission statement of the founding members and draw, simultaneously, from poetic and Biblical sources.

Although “Tentare Est Valere” is original as a motto, the similarities between the phrase and passages in the Bible are clear, notably Luke 13:24 which reads “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” The care that went into selecting the precise wording for the motto is apparent when we consider the use of the word ‘valere.’ Not only does ‘valere’ refer to strength, power, and wellness among other meanings, but ‘valere’ was commonly used for greetings and departures, a meaning much like ‘farewell,’ in the classical world and so replays Teucer’s parting words, ‘Nil Desperandum,’ using a double meaning. As well, the alternate meanings of ‘Tentare’ are summoned as we read the letters and arrive at Sigma, used as a short hand for wisdom, as the word was also used as ‘to prove’ or ‘to test,’ and thus also recalls Biblical passages such as Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Indeed, a young Latin scholar, which the early members of the society were, would undoubtedly be aware of the secondary meanings of the specific words chosen for the motto and the matrix of their implied alternative readings, i.e. “To be Welcomed is to be Tested” and “To Leave is to be Proved.”

Much like the motto Nil Desperandum recalls passages from the Bible, especially Philippians 4 where we are warned that despair is the sin of denying God’s sovereignty. Indeed, there is a double meaning that occurs when the passage is considered both in the context of Biblical teachings and the first Alpha, brotherhood. Teucer’s exile from Salamis was, after all, the consequence of denying his father’s sovereignty and his failure to properly honor his brother’s body, after his brother committed suicide. In this sense, the young Philos of the 1840s were keenly pointing to Teucer as someone who had learned from experience.

The three remaining letters Alpha, Epsilon and Sigma, like the two letters mentioned above, further reinforce the motto while recalling Biblical themes. Alpha for Areta refers to a specific conception of Virtue that was first discussed in depth by Aristotle, in Greek, of course, as Arete, where virtue is the same as knowledge. Of course, Aristotle was an immense influence on early theology, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that the earlier meaning of Arete was ‘strength’ and so the term simultaneously conjures theological discussions of virtue, while also reinforcing ‘valere.’ Likewise, Epsilon, used for Elpis, or hope, reads back into “N” and “D.” Finally, Sigma for Sophrosuna is a little more specific than mere self-control, and rather refers to self-control through knowledge. It, too, combines classical myth with Biblical learning as Sophrosyne was one of the few good spirits to escape from Pandora’s box, not unlike the modesty (Sophrosyne is called Sobrietas in Latin) which befell Adam and Eve after they ate from the fruit of the Garden of Eden. Moreover, Sophrosyne is often mentioned in conjunction with Elpis and in Euenus’ elegy as the neighbor of Piety, Eusebia.