Lacrima nihil citius arescit
“Nothing dries faster than a tear.”
Cicero, De inventione 1.109
What does “Lacrima nihil citius arescit” mean?
Lacrima nihil citius arescit translates as “Nothing dries faster than a tear.”
Strong emotion fades quickly, so an appeal to pity must be brief. It also reminds us that grief and anger, however intense, do not last forever.
“Lacrima nihil citius arescit” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Lacrima | tear | nominative singular feminine noun, from lacrima, “tear”; the subject of the sentence |
| nihil | nothing | indeclinable neuter noun, here the subject of comparison: “nothing (dries) faster” |
| citius | faster, more quickly | comparative adverb, from cito, “quickly” |
| arescit | dries up | 3rd person singular present indicative active of aresco, “I become dry” (an inceptive verb: “grows dry”) |
How to pronounce “Lacrima nihil citius arescit”
The two systems differ most in nihil (classical NIH-hihl, church NEE-keel, often said NEE-heel), in the c of citius and arescit (hard k versus ch), and in the t of citius (church tsee). Stress falls on LA in lacrima, NI in nihil, CI in citius and RES in arescit.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “a tear dries nothing faster” or, more naturally, “nothing dries faster than a tear”. It is a rhetorical maxim about how quickly emotion fades, and it is quoted in Cicero’s early work on rhetoric, De inventione (1.109).
Cicero cites it as a saying of a rhetoric teacher named Apollonius. It served as advice for speakers: when you appeal for pity, keep the passage short, because an audience’s sympathy cools fast. The same rule appears in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, another Roman handbook.
Later it came to be read more broadly, as a comment on grief and on how even strong feelings pass. Today it is quoted both in discussions of public speaking and as a gentle remark about sorrow.
How to use “Lacrima nihil citius arescit”
Fits a sympathy card, a quiet note to someone grieving, or a talk on public speaking and persuasion. As a tattoo or motto it suits someone who values emotional resilience.
- Latin
- Lacrima nihil citius arescit
- English
- Nothing dries faster than a tear.
- Source
- Cicero, De inventione 1.109
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Emotion
Common mistakes
- It is not about weakness or crying. In its source it is a practical rule for speeches: do not drag out appeals to pity.
- Citius is an adverb (“faster”), not a noun or adjective, so it does not change for gender or number.
- The word order is flexible in Latin. “Nihil citius lacrima arescit” would say the same thing, so do not read the first word as the only possible subject.
- It is sometimes cited without a source or wrongly credited to a poet. The checkable source is Cicero, De inventione 1.109.
Questions about “Lacrima nihil citius arescit”
What does “Lacrima nihil citius arescit” mean?
“Nothing dries faster than a tear.” It says that strong emotion, especially grief or pity, passes quickly.
Who said “Lacrima nihil citius arescit”?
It is quoted by Cicero in De inventione (1.109), where he gives it as a saying of a rhetoric teacher, Apollonius. It also appears in the Rhetorica ad Herennium.
How do you pronounce “Lacrima nihil citius arescit”?
Classical: LAH-kree-mah NIH-hihl KIH-tee-oos ah-REHS-kiht. Church Latin: LAH-kree-mah NEE-keel CHEE-tsee-oos ah-REHS-cheet.
Is “Lacrima nihil citius arescit” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound and the source is real. Keep the spelling exactly as given and note that the word order can vary without changing the meaning.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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