Errantis voluntas nulla est
“The will of a person who is mistaken is void.”
Roman law, Digest (Pomponius)
What does “Errantis voluntas nulla est” mean?
Errantis voluntas nulla est translates as “The will of a person who is mistaken is void.”
Consent given by mistake is not real consent; an agreement based on an error may be invalid.
“Errantis voluntas nulla est” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Errantis | of one who is mistaken | genitive singular of errans, the present participle of erro, “I wander, I make a mistake”; used as a noun, “of the person who errs”; depends on voluntas |
| voluntas | will, intention | nominative singular feminine of voluntas, “will, wish”; the subject of the sentence |
| nulla | no, none, void | nominative singular feminine of nullus, “no, not any”; agrees with voluntas and works as the predicate adjective after est |
| est | is | third person singular present indicative active of sum, “I am” |
How to pronounce “Errantis voluntas nulla est”
The two pronunciations differ only in the i of Errantis (short i in Classical, ee in Church) and in v (w in Classical, v in Church). Stress falls on the second syllable of Errantis, the last syllable of voluntas and the first of nulla.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “of one who is mistaken, the will is none”, in natural English “the will of a person who is mistaken is void”. Errantis is a participle used as a noun, so it can stand for anyone who is in error.
It is a principle of Roman law, attributed in Justinian’s Digest, the sixth-century compilation of Roman legal writings, to the jurist Pomponius. The Digest gathered excerpts from earlier jurists, and this line comes from that tradition.
The idea that a genuine mistake can undermine consent remains part of modern legal thinking, especially in the law of contracts, where a serious error can make an agreement invalid. The Latin line is still quoted in legal writing and teaching as a short statement of that principle.
How to use “Errantis voluntas nulla est”
Suited to a law-school motto, a note in a legal or philosophical essay about consent and error, or a desk plaque for a lawyer or student of law. As a tattoo or caption it fits someone who values fairness and the idea that agreement must be informed.
- Latin
- Errantis voluntas nulla est
- English
- The will of a person who is mistaken is void.
- Source
- Roman law, Digest (Pomponius)
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- It does not mean that anyone who makes a mistake has no will at all. It says that a will formed through error does not count as valid consent.
- Errantis is genitive (“of the one who errs”), not the subject. Changing it to errans or errantes breaks the grammar.
- The principle is not a modern invention. It is credited to a Roman jurist, though the modern law of mistake is much more detailed than this one-line rule.
Questions about “Errantis voluntas nulla est”
What does “Errantis voluntas nulla est” mean literally?
Literally, “of one who errs, the will is nothing”. In natural English: the will of a mistaken person is void.
Who said “Errantis voluntas nulla est”?
It is attributed in Justinian’s Digest to the Roman jurist Pomponius. It is a legal maxim rather than a line of literature.
How do you pronounce “Errantis voluntas nulla est”?
In Classical Latin: er-RAN-tis wo-loon-TAHS NOOL-lah est. In Church Latin: er-RAN-tees vo-loon-TAHS NOOL-lah est.
Is “Errantis voluntas nulla est” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is a genuine and grammatical Latin sentence. Keep the endings exactly as they are, since they depend on one another.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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