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I'm pretty sure the literal meaning of altiora (cf. altitude) is height. Of course, depth and height have very similar connotations when applied to intellectual

I'm pretty sure the literal meaning of altiora (cf. altitude) is height. Of course, depth and height have very similar connotations when applied to intellectual pursuits. The breadth/depth pairing is more idiomatic in English, but my reading of the metaphor is that it suggests a wide, solid foundation is needed as the base of a towering structure. Or I could be totally off. :)

loevborg 15y ago
"altus" is an adjective and can mean both high and deep, depending on context. The literal meaning of the phrase is "Through wider things to higher/deeper things." "Through breadth to depth" is pretty close to that.