Nemo Me Impune Lacessit

[FERRATA]

Presently, I’ve been focusing on Latin prepositions. Recently I came across Scotland’s Latin motto and it is vexing me.

Motto: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT- No one provokes me with impunity

My issue: I cannot figure out how IMPUNE translates to “with impunity.” Why is it IMPUNE rather than CUM IMPUNITATE? IMPUNE is an adjective declined such that it can modify NEMO in the nominative or ME in the accusative. In either case, I can’t figure out which word IMPUNE modifies or how to divine a “with impunity” from NEMO + IMPUNE or ME + IMPUNE.

Many Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Terry S.]

Impune is an adverb modifying lacessit.

 

[FERRATA]

Impune is an adverb modifying lacessit.

Wow, I missed the painfully obvious. Thank you for taking time to sort me out.

 

[Terry S.]

No problem. I was brought up in the shadow of that motto.