← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
125.1 Mare sea magnum great est is
125.2 Nauta sailor mare sea amat loves
125.3 In in marī sea piscēs fish natant swim
125.4 Ventus wind mare sea movet moves
125.5 Trans across mare sea nāvigāmus we sail
125.6 Maris of sea undae waves altae high sunt are
125.7 Ad to mare sea puella girl currit runs
125.8 Procul far ā from marī sea habitāmus we live
125.9 Maria seas septem seven mundus world habet has
125.10 Ex from marī sea conchae shells veniunt come
125.11 Maribus in seas magnīs great nāvēs ships errant wander
125.12 Sōl sun super above mare sea lūcet shines
125.13 Marium of seas aquae waters salsae salty sunt are
125.14 Iūxtā near mare sea oppidum town situm situated est is
125.15 Tempestās storm maria seas turbat disturbs
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125.1 Mare magnum est. The sea is great.
125.2 Nauta mare amat. The sailor loves the sea.
125.3 In marī piscēs natant. Fish swim in the sea.
125.4 Ventus mare movet. The wind moves the sea.
125.5 Trans mare nāvigāmus. We sail across the sea.
125.6 Maris undae altae sunt. The waves of the sea are high.
125.7 Ad mare puella currit. The girl runs to the sea.
125.8 Procul ā marī habitāmus. We live far from the sea.
125.9 Maria septem mundus habet. The world has seven seas.
125.10 Ex marī conchae veniunt. Shells come from the sea.
125.11 Maribus magnīs nāvēs errant. Ships wander in great seas.
125.12 Sōl super mare lūcet. The sun shines above the sea.
125.13 Marium aquae salsae sunt. The waters of the seas are salty.
125.14 Iūxtā mare oppidum situm est. The town is situated near the sea.
125.15 Tempestās maria turbat. The storm disturbs the seas.
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125.1 Mare magnum est.
125.2 Nauta mare amat.
125.3 In marī piscēs natant.
125.4 Ventus mare movet.
125.5 Trans mare nāvigāmus.
125.6 Maris undae altae sunt.
125.7 Ad mare puella currit.
125.8 Procul ā marī habitāmus.
125.9 Maria septem mundus habet.
125.10 Ex marī conchae veniunt.
125.11 Maribus magnīs nāvēs errant.
125.12 Sōl super mare lūcet.
125.13 Marium aquae salsae sunt.
125.14 Iūxtā mare oppidum situm est.
125.15 Tempestās maria turbat.
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For English speakers learning Latin, "mare" presents several important grammatical features: -
Third Declension Neuter i-stem: -
Nominative/Accusative: mare (singular), maria (plural) -
Genitive: maris (singular), marium (plural) -
Dative/Ablative: marī (singular), maribus (plural) -
Key Features: -
The -i in the ablative singular (marī not mare) shows it's an i-stem -
Genitive plural ending -ium (not -um) confirms i-stem status -
Nominative/accusative plural -ia (not -a) is characteristic of neuter i-stems -
Usage in Sentences: -
As subject: "Mare magnum est" (The sea is great) -
As direct object: "Nauta mare amat" (The sailor loves the sea) -
With prepositions taking ablative: "in marī" (in the sea) -
With prepositions taking accusative: "trans mare" (across the sea) -
Genitive for possession: "maris undae" (waves of the sea) -
Common Constructions: -
Motion toward: "ad mare" (to the sea) -
Motion away: "ā marī" (from the sea) -
Location: "in marī" (in the sea) -
Motion across: "trans mare" (across the sea)
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For English speakers, understanding Roman attitudes toward the sea requires cultural background: -
Roman Maritime Ambivalence: -
Romans initially viewed themselves as land-based people -
The phrase "Mare Nostrum" (Our Sea) for the Mediterranean came only after conquest -
Unlike Greeks, Romans came to seafaring reluctantly through necessity -
Religious Significance: -
Neptune (Poseidon) ruled the seas -
Sailors made offerings before voyages -
Sea storms were seen as divine displeasure -
Coastal temples served as landmarks for navigation -
Economic Importance: -
Maritime trade essential for feeding Rome -
Grain shipments from Egypt and North Africa -
Luxury goods from the East -
Naval power secured trade routes -
Literary Tradition: -
Sea imagery common in poetry -
Metaphors of life as sea voyage -
Storms representing emotional turmoil -
Calm seas symbolizing peace
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From Ovid's Metamorphoses 11.474-478:
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Quod what mare sea nōn not nōvit knows amōrem love tuum your? Quae what tellūs land nōn not audīvit has heard? Certē surely tōtus whole mundus world fāmam fame tuī of your nōminis name sēnsit has felt. Ipsae themselves aquae waters maris of sea dē about tē you cantant sing, et and ventī winds portant carry verba words amōris of love tuī your.
Quod mare nōn nōvit amōrem tuum? Quae tellūs nōn audīvit? Certē tōtus mundus fāmam tuī nōminis sēnsit. Ipsae aquae maris dē tē cantant, et ventī portant verba amōris tuī.
What sea has not known your love? What land has not heard? Surely the whole world has felt the fame of your name. The very waters of the sea sing about you, and the winds carry the words of your love.
Ovid uses rhetorical questions to emphasize the universal reach of love's power. The sea becomes a witness to human emotion, personified as knowing and singing. This reflects the Roman literary tradition of using natural elements as participants in human drama.
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"Quod mare" - interrogative adjective with neuter noun -
"nōn nōvit" - perfect tense in rhetorical question -
"maris" - genitive singular showing possession -
"dē tē" - prepositional phrase with ablative -
Parallelism in "Quod mare...Quae tellūs" for rhetorical effect
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125.16 Mercātor merchant quīdam certain trans across mare sea nāvigāre to sail volēbat wanted
125.17 Nāvem ship magnam large parāvit he prepared et and nautās sailors bonōs good condūxit hired
125.18 Prīmō on first diē day mare sea tranquillum calm erat was
125.19 Sed but secundō on second diē day ventī winds mare sea agitāre to stir coepērunt began
125.20 Undae waves maris of sea nāvem ship pulsābant were beating
125.21 Nautae sailors timent fear nē lest in in marī sea pereant they perish
125.22 Gubernātor helmsman expertus experienced per through maria seas multa many nāvigāverat had sailed
125.23 "Nōlīte don't timēre" fear inquit he said "mare sea mox soon quiēscet" will be calm
125.24 Post after trēs three diēs days mare sea iterum again plācidum peaceful factum made est was
125.25 Ex from marī sea delphīnī dolphins saliēbant were leaping
125.26 Mercātor merchant grātiās thanks dīs to gods maris of sea ēgit gave
125.27 Tandem finally portum port tūtum safe iūxtā near mare sea invēnērunt they found
125.28 Omnēs all gaudent rejoice quod because mare sea trānsīre to cross potuērunt they were able
125.29 In in maribus seas longinquīs distant multa many perīcula dangers sunt are
125.30 Sed but fortūna fortune bonīs good virīs men super over maria seas favet favors
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125.16 Mercātor quīdam trans mare nāvigāre volēbat. A certain merchant wanted to sail across the sea.
125.17 Nāvem magnam parāvit et nautās bonōs condūxit. He prepared a large ship and hired good sailors.
125.18 Prīmō diē mare tranquillum erat. On the first day the sea was calm.
125.19 Sed secundō diē ventī mare agitāre coepērunt. But on the second day winds began to stir the sea.
125.20 Undae maris nāvem pulsābant. The waves of the sea were beating the ship.
125.21 Nautae timent nē in marī pereant. The sailors fear lest they perish in the sea.
125.22 Gubernātor expertus per maria multa nāvigāverat. The experienced helmsman had sailed through many seas.
125.23 "Nōlīte timēre," inquit, "mare mox quiēscet." "Don't fear," he said, "the sea will soon be calm."
125.24 Post trēs diēs mare iterum plācidum factum est. After three days the sea became peaceful again.
125.25 Ex marī delphīnī saliēbant. Dolphins were leaping from the sea.
125.26 Mercātor grātiās dīs maris ēgit. The merchant gave thanks to the gods of the sea.
125.27 Tandem portum tūtum iūxtā mare invēnērunt. Finally they found a safe port near the sea.
125.28 Omnēs gaudent quod mare trānsīre potuērunt. All rejoice because they were able to cross the sea.
125.29 In maribus longinquīs multa perīcula sunt. In distant seas there are many dangers.
125.30 Sed fortūna bonīs virīs super maria favet. But fortune favors good men over the seas.
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125.16 Mercātor quīdam trans mare nāvigāre volēbat.
125.17 Nāvem magnam parāvit et nautās bonōs condūxit.
125.18 Prīmō diē mare tranquillum erat.
125.19 Sed secundō diē ventī mare agitāre coepērunt.
125.20 Undae maris nāvem pulsābant.
125.21 Nautae timent nē in marī pereant.
125.22 Gubernātor expertus per maria multa nāvigāverat.
125.23 "Nōlīte timēre," inquit, "mare mox quiēscet."
125.24 Post trēs diēs mare iterum plācidum factum est.
125.25 Ex marī delphīnī saliēbant.
125.26 Mercātor grātiās dīs maris ēgit.
125.27 Tandem portum tūtum iūxtā mare invēnērunt.
125.28 Omnēs gaudent quod mare trānsīre potuērunt.
125.29 In maribus longinquīs multa perīcula sunt.
125.30 Sed fortūna bonīs virīs super maria favet.
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This narrative demonstrates several key uses of "mare" in context: -
Varied Case Usage: -
Accusative with "trans": "trans mare nāvigāre" (to sail across the sea) -
Nominative as subject: "mare tranquillum erat" (the sea was calm) -
Ablative of place: "in marī pereant" (perish in the sea) -
Genitive showing origin: "dīs maris" (gods of the sea) -
Descriptive Adjectives: -
"tranquillum" (calm) - neuter to agree with mare -
"plācidum" (peaceful) - showing state after change -
Note how adjectives must match neuter gender -
Verbal Constructions: -
"mare agitāre coepērunt" - infinitive with inceptive verb -
"mare quiēscet" - future tense prediction -
"mare factum est" - passive construction with neuter subject -
Idiomatic Expressions: -
"per maria multa" - through many seas (experience) -
"super maria" - over the seas (poetic for maritime domain) -
"ex marī" - from the sea (origin of motion)
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