“We must resurrect our democracy or be doomed”

‘Disce aut Discede’ and ‘Esto Perpetua’

By Tassie Seneviratne

The article by Dr. D. Chandraratna titled ‘We must resurrect our democracy or be doomed’ in a newspaper on 11 May, though is the larger issue, would not have caught my attention if not for the following day’s article in newspaper captioned ‘Esto Perpetua’ by ‘An Old Thomian’.

Dr. Chandraratna, in his article choses the mottos of the two schools, Royal and S. Thomas’, to make his point. His reference to ruling party leaders hailing from Royal College, and to its motto ‘Disce aut Discede’ being appropriate, due to the “sordid mess the country has arrived at,” may find some meaning in the context. But to translate the S. Thomas’ College motto, ‘Esto Perpetua’ to mean ‘Go on for Ever’ is preposterous.

Anyone with a smattering of Latin would know that the Latin word ‘Esto’ is derived from the Latin verb ‘sum’ meaning ‘I am’ in the first person, and conjugated – sum, es, est; sumus, estis, sunt ( its derivatives). The imperative in the second person is ‘Esto’, meaning ‘be yourself’, in English. The word ‘Esto’ in the context of ‘Esto Perpetua’, moreover implies, ‘without pretensions or hypocrisy’.

The Latin word for the English word ‘Go’ is ‘Eo’ conjugated as Eo, ire, ii, itum. The imperative in the second person is ‘ito’. ‘Ito Perpetua’ would meet Dr. Chandraratna’s purpose if he wants to say it in Latin, without contaminating ‘Esto Perpetua’ that has no meaningful place in this context.

It seems that Dr. Chandraratna has laboured to show the two schools divergently for a purpose of his own. Let me make it clear that these two schools owe so much to each other, mainly in clean and hard competition and light banter to sharpen our wits, whilst retaining a high level of camaraderie. One does not shine without the other.

Let no doctors of sorts doctor with the mottos of schools which are sacred to the students of their respective schools, present and past.

Leaving the Latin aside, and taking the larger issue of the assertion that the “ruling party leaders hailing from Royal College being responsible for the sordid mess the country has arrived at,” as alleged by Dr. Chandraratna, may I say with conviction that it is only a coterie of old Royalists round Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who having usurped people-power, is responsible for the mess.

As for resurrecting democracy that Dr. Chandraratna laments for, and as stated by me elsewhere before, a rebellion with participation of youth, to overthrow this unlawful coterie, is justifiable under the circumstances. “Agḗaut Discede” meaning “Do (your duty) or Get Out” should be the slogan. 

It is also not fair to paint all Royalists with the same brush. Just to mention a few old Royalists who have done the country proud in public service in the recent past: Take a man of the calibre of Deshamanya Dr. Gamini Corea CCS, whose achievements are too long to list here. There was Dr. Walwin A. de Silva CCS, who with an illustrious carrier behind him, went on to become the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon (Colombo). Professor J. L. C. Rodrigo is remembered as a classics scholar and educationist par excellence. We also had old Royalists, Dr. B.S. Wijeweera CCS, and D. Gamini Peiris Seneviratne CCS, who served in the public service with integrity of the highest order.

A string of past Bishops of the Colombo Diocese, who presided at S. Thomas’ College Board meetings, ironically have also been old Royalists: Harold de Soysa, Cyril Abeynaike, Kenneth Fernando, and Duleep de Chickera. The Thomian dearth of Bishops has been met by Royal College. 

Bishop Kenneth (Fortis Animus) should be remembered with gratitude for crossing deep into LTTE-held area, talking to LTTE Supremo Prabakaran and obtaining the release of 20-odd policemen held in LTTE custody; Bishop Duleep, having served as chaplain and sub-warden of S. Thomas’ and imbued the Thomian spirit, I count as a hybrid Royal-Thomian. May the Good Lord continue to shower blessings on Royal College so that Royalists can continue giving a good run to Thomians.

Incidentally we have young freelance journalist Malinda Seneviratne (son of Gamini Seneviratne) who does not pull his punches against the ailing Government though hailing from Royal College himself. In this most important Fourth Estate, Migara Ratnatunge also stands out with his forthright comments on Governance, adhering to his motto ‘Disce aut Discede’.

Let me step aside from the Royal-Thomian domain for a while to make it clear that other schools that have produced men and women who have done great service for the benefit of humanity are not forgotten.

For good measure, and in the spirit of the two schools, may I relate an anecdote tossed around in the Mustangs Tent at Royal-Thomian cricket matches: “A Royalist and a Thomian can be identified from their walk. A Royalist walks as if he owns the whole world. A Thomian walks as if he does not care to whom the world belongs.” Guess the difference.

(The writer is the Winner of the Warden Stone Memorial Prize for Classics for the year 1954.)