The motto of the university was "Arduus ad solem", meaning "striving towards the sun". It is a metaphor for aspiring to enlightenment. It is quoted from Virgil's "Aeneid", Book II, and the archives do not record the reasons for its choice. The original verse refers to a serpent and the sun, both of which featured in the university coat of arms. The serpent is traditionally associated with wisdom. The arms were granted in October 1871 to Owens College while the Victoria University had arms of its own which fell into abeyance from 1904 upon the merger of the College with the University.