The History & Meaning of Lorem Ipsum
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random nonsense text. It has roots in classical Latin literature dating back to 45 BC, making it over 2,000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, discovered its origin by cross-referencing obscure Latin words like consectetur in classical texts.
The passage is derived from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of Cicero's philosophical treatise De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum (The Extremes of Good and Evil), a popular Renaissance study on ethics. The standard opening line translates roughly to: "Neither is there anyone who loves, pursues, or desires pain itself, because it is pain..."