Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent
“They do more harm by their example than by their offense.”
Cicero, De legibus 3.32
What does “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent” mean?
Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent translates as “They do more harm by their example than by their offense.”
When leaders do wrong, the bad example they set is worse than the wrong itself. It is a warning about how influence spreads.
“Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Plus | more | neuter singular accusative of the comparative plus (used as a noun); here “more harm”, the object of nocent |
| exemplo | by example | ablative singular of exemplum, “example, model”; ablative of means |
| quam | than | conjunction used in comparisons, linking the two things measured |
| peccato | by the offense | ablative singular of peccatum, “wrong, offense, sin”; ablative of means, matching exemplo |
| nocent | they do harm | third person plural present indicative active of noceo, “I harm” (nocere, to harm) |
How to pronounce “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent”
The two differ only in nocent: Classical has a hard k (NOH-kent), Church Latin has ch (NOH-chent). Stress falls on the second syllable of exemplo and peccato, and on the first of nocent.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “They harm more by example than by offense”. The subject, “they”, is not named in the sentence itself; it is carried by the verb nocent.
Cicero writes it in De legibus (On the Laws), a work on law and the ideal state. The point concerns prominent men: when their vices are imitated, the damage spreads well beyond the original wrong.
The idea that leaders teach by conduct, not only by rules, has been quoted ever since in discussions of leadership, politics and public morality.
How to use “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent”
Suited to a leadership workshop, a speech on responsibility in public life, or an essay on role models and the influence of those in power. It also works as a motto for teams where senior people want to set the standard.
- Latin
- Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent
- English
- They do more harm by their example than by their offense.
- Source
- Cicero, De legibus 3.32
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Leadership
Common mistakes
- The Latin has no word for “leaders”. The “they” comes from the verb ending -nt, so the context (prominent men) must be supplied when quoting it.
- Plus here is a noun meaning “more”, not the English word “plus” in the sense of addition.
- Do not cut it to “Plus exemplo nocent”, which loses the comparison with the offense and changes the point.
- The plural verb nocent must stay plural. For a single person it would be nocet.
Questions about “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent”
What does “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent” mean?
“They do more harm by their example than by their offense.” The bad example others copy does more damage than the wrongdoing itself.
Who said “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent”?
Cicero, in De legibus (On the Laws) 3.32, speaking about prominent men whose vices the whole community imitates.
How do you pronounce “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent”?
In Classical Latin: ploos eks-EM-ploh kwahm pek-KAH-toh NOH-kent. In Church Latin the last word is NOH-chent.
Is “Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent” good for a tattoo?
The Latin is correct as written. Keep the full sentence, since shortening it changes the meaning, and note that it is plural (“they”), not about one person.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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