artifex pereo

The direct translation is “An artist dies in me”. Derived from Emperor Nero’s last words “Qualis artifex pereo” which has been debated to connotatively mean “As what kind of an artist do I perish” rather than the textbook version “The world has lost an artist in me” due to his humble use of “qualis” and the fact that he had to help build his own tomb before his death just like an ordinary “artisan/craftsman”.

Nero's famous last words. "What an artist the world is losing in me." Can be said by pompous assholes who are too full of themselves as they die, I suppose.