Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur
“No one suffers punishment for his thoughts.”
Ulpian, Digest 48.19.18
What does “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur” mean?
Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur translates as “No one suffers punishment for his thoughts.”
The law punishes deeds, not mere thoughts or intentions. Freedom of thought is protected as long as nothing is put into action.
“Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Cogitationis | of thought | genitive singular (possessive case) of cogitatio, “thought, reflection”; here it means “for thinking” |
| poenam | punishment | accusative singular (direct object case) of poena, “punishment, penalty” |
| nemo | no one | nominative singular of nemo, “nobody”; the subject of the sentence |
| patitur | suffers | third person singular present indicative of patior, “I suffer, undergo” (a deponent verb: passive form, active meaning) |
How to pronounce “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur”
The two differ in cogitationis: Classical has a hard g and a t sound (tee), Church Latin has a j sound and ts (tsee). Stress falls on the fourth syllable of cogitationis, the first of poenam and nemo, and the first of patitur.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “of thought punishment no one suffers”, in English “no one suffers punishment for his thoughts”. The word order puts the thought first, which is the point of the rule.
It is attributed to the Roman jurist Ulpian, who worked in the early third century AD, and is preserved in the Digest of Justinian at 48.19.18. The Digest is the great sixth-century collection of excerpts from Roman legal writers.
In later law the line is often cited with the Latin form cogitationis poenam nemo patitur as a statement that the law punishes deeds, not inner thoughts. Writers on freedom of conscience and criminal law still quote it.
How to use “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur”
A fitting epigraph for an essay on freedom of thought, free speech or criminal law, or a line for a speech on the limits of what a state may punish. It also works as a motto for anyone who values private conscience.
- Latin
- Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur
- English
- No one suffers punishment for his thoughts.
- Source
- Ulpian, Digest 48.19.18
- Era
- Legal Latin
- Theme
- Freedom
Common mistakes
- It does not mean thoughts are harmless. It says the law does not punish thoughts alone, without a deed.
- Poenam is the object and nemo the subject. Reading it as “no punishment suffers a thought” reverses the sense.
- It is often quoted without its source. It comes from Ulpian in the Digest, not from a modern legal code.
- Do not change nemo to a plural. Nemo is always singular, and the verb stays patitur.
Questions about “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur”
What does “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur” mean literally?
“Of thought, punishment, no one suffers.” Smoothly put: no one is punished for his thoughts.
Who said “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur”?
It is attributed to the Roman jurist Ulpian and preserved in the Digest of Justinian, 48.19.18.
How do you pronounce “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur”?
Classical: koh-gee-tah-tee-OH-nis POY-nahm NEH-moh PAH-tee-toor. Church Latin changes only cogitationis, to koh-jee-tah-tsee-OH-nis.
Is “Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct Latin from a genuine legal source. Keep the word order and spelling exactly, and remember it is a legal maxim about deeds versus thoughts.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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