A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper
“A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog.”
Ovid, Remedia Amoris 422
What does “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper” mean?
A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper translates as “A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog.”
Size is not everything; the small can overcome the large with persistence. Do not underestimate a determined opponent.
“A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| A | by, from | preposition (+ ablative) marking the agent; before a consonant the form is a, before a vowel ab |
| cane | dog | ablative singular of canis, “dog”; the agent after passive “is held” |
| non | not | adverb of negation; it negates magno |
| magno | large, great | ablative singular masculine of magnus, agreeing with cane |
| saepe | often | adverb meaning “often, frequently” |
| tenetur | is held, is caught | 3rd person singular present passive indicative of teneo, “I hold” |
| aper | boar | nominative singular of aper, “wild boar”; the subject of the sentence |
How to pronounce “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper”
The two systems differ in two places: ae is “eye” in Classical and “eh” in Church Latin (saepe), and gn is a hard g plus n in Classical but “ny” in Church Latin (magno). Stress falls on the first syllable of cane, magno and saepe and on the third syllable of tenetur.
The story behind it
The line is a pentameter from Ovid’s Remedia Amoris (“Cures for Love”), line 422. Ovid wrote this poem around the turn of the first century AD as a playful guide to falling out of love.
Read literally it is a hunting image: a wild boar, a dangerous quarry, is often caught by a dog that is not especially big. In its context Ovid is using the image to make a point about love, but it stands on its own as a saying about the small overcoming the strong.
Because it is a complete, self-contained line, it has been quoted as a proverb ever since, usually to say that size and strength do not guarantee victory.
How to use “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper”
A good motto for an underdog team, a small company taking on bigger rivals, or a personal reminder that persistence can beat size. It also suits a caption for a photo of a small dog with big courage.
- Latin
- A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper
- English
- A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog.
- Source
- Ovid, Remedia Amoris 422
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Courage
Common mistakes
- The words “non magno” mean “not large” and are a mild understatement, so “a small dog” is a looser rendering than “a not-so-large dog”.
- A cane is the ablative of canis (dog); it is not a form of the English word “cane”.
- Aper is the subject (nominative) and means a wild boar, not a pig, which is porcus or sus.
- Quoting it as a general rule about love misses that Ovid’s context is a remedy for love; the proverb use is later and broader.
Questions about “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper”
What does “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper” mean literally?
“By a not large dog a boar is often held.” In natural English: a boar is often caught by a dog that is not very big.
Who said “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper”?
It comes from the Roman poet Ovid, in his Remedia Amoris, line 422. It later circulated as a proverb.
How do you pronounce “A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper”?
In Classical Latin: ah KAH-neh nohn MAHG-noh SY-peh teh-NEH-toor AH-pehr. In Church Latin, magno sounds like “MAHN-yoh” and saepe like “SEH-peh”.
Does this quote mean small beats big every time?
No. Saepe means “often”, not “always”. It says the small can win, not that they must.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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