Dulce pomum cum abest custos
“Sweet is the apple when the keeper is away.”
Latin proverb
What does “Dulce pomum cum abest custos” mean?
Dulce pomum cum abest custos translates as “Sweet is the apple when the keeper is away.”
Forbidden things are most tempting when no one is watching. The proverb is a wry comment on human nature and the appeal of the unguarded orchard.
“Dulce pomum cum abest custos” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Dulce | sweet | neuter nominative singular of the adjective dulcis, dulce, “sweet”; agrees with pomum |
| pomum | apple, fruit | neuter nominative singular of pomum, “fruit, apple”; the subject. Est (“is”) is left out, as often in proverbs |
| cum | when | conjunction (here with the indicative), “when, whenever”; not the preposition cum, “with” |
| abest | is away | third person singular present indicative active of absum, abesse, “to be away, to be absent” |
| custos | the keeper, the guard | masculine nominative singular of custos, custodis, “guardian, keeper”; the subject of abest |
How to pronounce “Dulce pomum cum abest custos”
The only difference is the c of dulce: k in Classical Latin, ch in Church Latin. Dulce, pomum, abest and custos are all stressed on their first syllable.
The story behind it
Word for word the proverb says “sweet the apple when the keeper is away”. There is no verb “to be” in the Latin; it is understood, which is typical of short sayings. The apple stands for any tempting thing, and the keeper for whoever is supposed to guard it.
It is a Latin proverb whose author and date are not known, found in early modern collections of adages and not tied to any classical work. Some printed forms spell the conjunction cum as “quum”, an older spelling of the same word.
The thought will be familiar to anyone who has heard that stolen fruit tastes best. It is used today as a wry remark about temptation, rules and what people do when nobody is looking.
How to use “Dulce pomum cum abest custos”
A light-hearted line for an orchard or garden sign, a staff-room wall, a card for someone who has bent the rules, or a caption on a photo of fruit that should not have been picked. It suits humour better than solemn occasions.
- Latin
- Dulce pomum cum abest custos
- English
- Sweet is the apple when the keeper is away.
- Source
- Latin proverb
- Era
- Early modern
- Theme
- Humor
Common mistakes
- The apple is not necessarily the apple of Eden. Pomum means fruit in general, and the proverb is about temptation, not scripture.
- cum here means “when”, not “with”. Reading it as “with the keeper” turns the sentence upside down.
- The spelling “quum” is just an older form of cum; it does not change the meaning.
- Do not attribute it to a classical author such as Cicero or Ovid. It is an anonymous proverb.
Questions about “Dulce pomum cum abest custos”
What does “Dulce pomum cum abest custos” mean literally?
“Sweet the apple when the keeper is away.” The verb “is” is understood after dulce, and the sense is that fruit tastes best when nobody is guarding it.
Who said “Dulce pomum cum abest custos”?
No one is known. It is a Latin proverb of uncertain origin, not a line from a named classical author.
How do you pronounce “Dulce pomum cum abest custos”?
Classically: DOOL-keh POH-moom koom AH-best KOOS-tohs. In Church Latin, dulce becomes DOOL-cheh.
Is “Dulce pomum cum abest custos” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is grammatical Latin, with est left out as in many proverbs. Because it is playful, make sure it suits the tone you want.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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