Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem
“Take this pain from me, or at least lessen it.”
Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum
What does “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem” mean?
Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem translates as “Take this pain from me, or at least lessen it.”
A plain and very human plea in the middle of suffering. It acknowledges that some pain cannot be removed entirely and asks for relief all the same, which makes it a fitting line for anyone carrying grief or worry.
“Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Eripe | take away! | a command (imperative) of eripio, “I snatch away, take away”; addressed to one person |
| mihi | from me | dative singular of ego, “I”; here “from me”, the person who loses the pain |
| hunc | this | accusative singular masculine of hic, “this”; agrees with dolorem |
| dolorem | pain, grief | accusative singular of dolor, “pain, grief”; object of eripe |
| aut | or | conjunction, “or”; offers the alternative |
| minue | lessen! | a command (imperative) of minuo, “I make smaller, reduce”; addressed to one person |
| saltem | at least | adverb, “at least, at any rate” |
How to pronounce “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem”
The main difference is mihi, which is “MIH-hee” in Classical Latin and “MEE-kee” in Church Latin. The c of Classical Latin does not occur here, so everything else sounds the same. Stress falls on the first syllable of eripe, minue and saltem, and on the second syllable of dolorem.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “snatch this pain from me, or at least reduce it”. It is a short, direct prayer that first asks for everything and then settles for less.
The plea comes from Cicero’s letters to his friend Atticus. Cicero wrote them during the political crisis of the civil war, when he was anxious and torn about what to do.
The letters were private and never meant for the public, which is why the tone is so unguarded. Readers today can still recognise the voice of someone asking a friend for comfort.
How to use “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem”
Suited to a sympathy card, a journal entry written in a hard season, or a quiet personal motto about grief and worry. It works best where you want honesty about pain rather than cheerfulness.
- Latin
- Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem
- English
- Take this pain from me, or at least lessen it.
- Source
- Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Life
Common mistakes
- Both verbs are commands to one person. To address several people you would need the plural forms eripite and minuite.
- Hunc dolorem is masculine, so “this pain” must agree. Swapping in a feminine noun would require haec instead of hunc.
- Saltem means “at least”. Dropping it changes the sense from a modest fallback to a flat demand for two things.
- It is a plea, not a statement of fact, so it should not be translated as “this pain is taken from me”.
Questions about “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem”
What does “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem” mean?
It means “Take this pain from me, or at least lessen it.” It is a request for relief, with a fallback if the pain cannot be removed entirely.
Who said “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem”?
It comes from Cicero’s letters to his friend Atticus (Epistulae ad Atticum), written during the political turmoil of the civil war.
How do you pronounce “Eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem”?
In Classical Latin: EH-ree-peh MIH-hee hoonk doh-LOH-rem owt MIH-noo-eh SAHL-tem. In Church Latin mihi becomes MEE-kee.
Is this correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the Latin is correct as given. Keep it exactly as written, as the verbs are commands to one person and the endings are fixed.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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