Lege atque lacrima
“Read it and weep.”
Modern Latin phrase
What does “Lege atque lacrima” mean?
Lege atque lacrima translates as “Read it and weep.”
The modern ‘read ’em and weep’ – in Latin.
“Lege atque lacrima” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Lege | read | present imperative singular of lego, legere, “to read”; to several people: legite |
| atque | and | conjunction, a little more emphatic than et |
| lacrima | weep | present imperative singular of lacrimo, lacrimare, “to weep”; to several people: lacrimate |
How to pronounce “Lege atque lacrima”
The g of lege is hard in Classical Latin and j in Church Latin. All three words are stressed on their first syllables.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “read and weep”, two commands to one person. It is not a quotation from any ancient author.
It is a playful modern Latin rendering of the English idiom “read ’em and weep”, said when laying down a winning hand of cards or showing an unbeatable result.
The joke lies in the grave sound of the short Latin commands, which make a boast sound like a solemn decree.
How to use “Lege atque lacrima”
It works as a joke caption, a card for a competitive friend, or a motto for a game room or poker night.
- Latin
- Lege atque lacrima
- English
- Read it and weep.
- Source
- Modern Latin phrase
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Humor
Common mistakes
- It is a modern coinage, so do not present it as ancient.
- For several people use the plural: legite atque lacrimate.
- The tone is gloating or mock-tragic, as in the English idiom, not tender.
Questions about “Lege atque lacrima”
What does “Lege atque lacrima” mean literally?
“Read and weep”: lege, “read”, and lacrima, “weep”, joined by atque, “and”.
Who said “Lege atque lacrima”?
No ancient author. It is a modern Latin version of the English idiom “read ’em and weep”.
How do you pronounce “Lege atque lacrima”?
Classical: LEH-geh AHT-kweh LAH-krih-mah. Church Latin: LEH-jeh AHT-kweh LAH-kree-mah.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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