
In dies meliora.
Getting better every day.
Rostra novo mihi setigeri suis[1] obtulit anno,
Haecque cliens ventri xenia dixit habe.
Progreditur semper, nec retro respicit unquam,
Gramina cum pando proruit ore vorax.
Cura viris eadem est, ne spes sublapsa retrorsum
Cedat, & ut melius sit, quod & ulterius.[2]
A dependant of mine brought me the head of a bristly boar at the New Year and said: Here is a present for your insides. - The pig always moves forwards and never looks back as it greedily tears up plants with its flat snout. - Men have the same attitude - they don’t want hopes to collapse and fall back, they do want what lies ahead also to be better.
1. setigeri suis, ‘of a bristly boar’. For pork as a seasonal present at the Saturnalia (17-23 December), see Martial, Epigrams, 14.71: ‘This pig, fattened on acorns among the foaming boars, will make your Saturnalia happy’.
2. In later editions, the boar is labelled ulterius from the last line, where it suggests the meaning ‘ever onward’. Ulterius is sometimes used as a device of Charles V.
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: IN DIES MELIORA. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: De bien en mejor. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: De bien en mieulx. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: In dies meliora. Von Tag zu Tag je besser. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che sempre si dee procacciar meglio. | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: De bien en mieulx. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: In dies meliora. Tousjours de bien en mieux. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Aller de bien en mieux. | Open in other pane
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- serving-dish, platter [41C342] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pig (+ head of an animal) [47I212(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- future [23A330] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bringing gifts; exchanging gifts [33A4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- January 1 (~ festivities) [43A141] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Progression, Forward Movement (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51L4(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Confidence, Security, Tranquillity; 'Confidenza', 'Sicurezza e Tranquillit৬ 'Sicurt৬ 'Sicurtà ¯ Sicurezza', 'Tranquillità§ (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56D3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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In dies meliora.
Getting better every day.
LX.
Rostra novo mihi setigeri suis[1] obtulit anno,
Haecque cliens ventri xenia dixit habe.
Progreditur semper, nec retro respicit unquam,
Gramina cùm pando proruit ore vorax.
Cura viris eadem est, ne spes sublapsa retrorsum
Cedat, & ut melius sit, quod & ulterius.
A dependant of mine brought me the head of a bristly boar at the New Year and said: Here is a present for your insides. - The pig always moves forwards and never looks back as it greedily tears up plants with its flat snout. - Men have the same attitude - they don’t want hopes to collapse and fall back, they do want what lies ahead also to be better.
1. setigeri suis, ‘of a bristly boar’. For pork as a seasonal present at the Saturnalia (17-23 December), see Martial, Epigrams, 14.71: ‘This pig, fattened on acorns among the foaming boars, will make your Saturnalia happy’.
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: IN DIES MELIORA. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1546), Venice: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: De bien en mejor. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: De bien en mieulx. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: In dies meliora. Von Tag zu Tag je besser. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: In dies meliora. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che sempre si dee procacciar meglio. | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: De bien en mieulx. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: In dies meliora. Tousjours de bien en mieux. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Aller de bien en mieux. | Open in other pane
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
Relating to the text:
- future [23A330] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bringing gifts; exchanging gifts [33A4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- serving-dish, platter [41C342] Search | Browse Iconclass
- January 1 (~ festivities) [43A141] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pig (+ head of an animal) [47I212(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Progression, Forward Movement (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51L4(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Confidence, Security, Tranquillity; 'Confidenza', 'Sicurezza e Tranquillit৬ 'Sicurt৬ 'Sicurtà ¯ Sicurezza', 'Tranquillità§ (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56D3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.