Nunc scio quid sit Amor
“Now I know what Love is.”
Virgil, Eclogues 8.43
What does “Nunc scio quid sit Amor” mean?
Nunc scio quid sit Amor translates as “Now I know what Love is.”
The moment someone truly understands love – often its harsh side.
“Nunc scio quid sit Amor” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Nunc | now | adverb of time |
| scio | I know | first person singular present indicative active of scio, scire, “to know” |
| quid | what | interrogative pronoun (neuter nominative singular), introducing an indirect question |
| sit | is | third person singular present subjective of sum, esse, “to be”; subjunctive because it stands in an indirect question |
| Amor | Love | nominative singular of amor, “love”; here the god or force Love, capitalised as a personification |
How to pronounce “Nunc scio quid sit Amor”
The two systems differ only in scio: hard s and k-like c in Classical (SKEE-oh), a soft “sh” in Church Latin (SHEE-oh). Stress falls on the first syllable of nunc, the first of scio, and the first of Amor.
The story behind it
The line is spoken by a shepherd in Virgil’s Eclogues, a book of pastoral poems written around 40 BC. In Eclogue 8 two shepherds sing in turn, and this line opens a stanza in the song of a lovesick man whose beloved has turned to someone else.
In the verses that follow, the shepherd describes Love as a being born among hard rocks, on mountains and in wild places, and so no kin of gentle humankind. The sentence is therefore not a joyful discovery but a painful one: he has found out how cruel love can be.
Because the Latin is short and the feeling so plain, the line has been quoted often as a way to say that love is learned through experience, usually the difficult kind.
How to use “Nunc scio quid sit Amor”
Suits a caption or card message about a heart that has been through something, an essay on love in pastoral poetry, or a tattoo for someone who wants a quiet nod to hard-won understanding. It fits best where the tone is wistful rather than purely happy.
- Latin
- Nunc scio quid sit Amor
- English
- Now I know what Love is.
- Source
- Virgil, Eclogues 8.43
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Love
Common mistakes
- It is not a cheerful declaration of newfound romance. In context the speaker is heartbroken, and the line carries a bitter edge.
- Sit is subjunctive, not indicative. Writing “est” instead (Nunc scio quid est Amor) would be ordinary-sounding but would no longer be Virgil’s line.
- Scio means “I know”, not “I love”. Amor is the thing being understood, not a verb.
- The exact line number is Eclogue 8.43. Citing it as the Aeneid or an unnamed love poem is a common misattribution.
Questions about “Nunc scio quid sit Amor”
What does “Nunc scio quid sit Amor” mean?
“Now I know what Love is.” It is spoken by a shepherd in Virgil’s Eclogues who has learned, painfully, how harsh love can be.
Who said “Nunc scio quid sit Amor”?
The Roman poet Virgil, in his Eclogues (8.43). It is said by a character in the poem, not by Virgil speaking in his own voice.
How do you pronounce “Nunc scio quid sit Amor”?
In Classical Latin: noonk SKEE-oh kwid sit AH-mor. In Church Latin the only change is scio, said SHEE-oh.
Is “Nunc scio quid sit Amor” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is an authentic line from Virgil and the grammar is correct. Keep sit in the subjunctive and keep the capital A if you want Love as a personified force.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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