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127.1 Māter mother mea my pānem bread facit makes
127.2 Fīlius son mātrem mother suam his amat loves
127.3 Cum with mātre mother in in hortō garden ambulō I walk
127.4 Mātris of mother vōx voice dulcis sweet est is
127.5 Puella girl mātrī to mother flōrēs flowers dat gives
127.6 Bonae good mātrēs mothers līberōs children docent teach
127.7 Māter mother nostra our cēnam dinner parat prepares
127.8 Ad to mātrem mother epistulam letter mittō I send
127.9 Mātrum of mothers cūra care magna great est is
127.10 Puer boy sine without mātre mother timet fears
127.11 Mātribus to mothers grātiās thanks agimus we give
127.12 Fīlia daughter mātris mother's manūs hands tenet holds
127.13 Māter mother fessōs tired līberōs children vocat calls
127.14 Ā from mātre mother dōnum gift accēpī I received
127.15 Omnēs all mātrēs mothers fīliōs sons amant love
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127.1 Māter mea pānem facit. My mother makes bread.
127.2 Fīlius mātrem suam amat. The son loves his mother.
127.3 Cum mātre in hortō ambulō. I walk with mother in the garden.
127.4 Mātris vōx dulcis est. Mother's voice is sweet.
127.5 Puella mātrī flōrēs dat. The girl gives flowers to her mother.
127.6 Bonae mātrēs līberōs docent. Good mothers teach their children.
127.7 Māter nostra cēnam parat. Our mother prepares dinner.
127.8 Ad mātrem epistulam mittō. I send a letter to mother.
127.9 Mātrum cūra magna est. The care of mothers is great.
127.10 Puer sine mātre timet. The boy is afraid without his mother.
127.11 Mātribus grātiās agimus. We give thanks to mothers.
127.12 Fīlia mātris manūs tenet. The daughter holds her mother's hands.
127.13 Māter fessōs līberōs vocat. Mother calls the tired children.
127.14 Ā mātre dōnum accēpī. I received a gift from mother.
127.15 Omnēs mātrēs fīliōs amant. All mothers love their sons.
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127.1 Māter mea pānem facit.
127.2 Fīlius mātrem suam amat.
127.3 Cum mātre in hortō ambulō.
127.4 Mātris vōx dulcis est.
127.5 Puella mātrī flōrēs dat.
127.6 Bonae mātrēs līberōs docent.
127.7 Māter nostra cēnam parat.
127.8 Ad mātrem epistulam mittō.
127.9 Mātrum cūra magna est.
127.10 Puer sine mātre timet.
127.11 Mātribus grātiās agimus.
127.12 Fīlia mātris manūs tenet.
127.13 Māter fessōs līberōs vocat.
127.14 Ā mātre dōnum accēpī.
127.15 Omnēs mātrēs fīliōs amant.
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For English speakers learning Latin, "māter" is an important and frequently used third declension noun. Here's what you need to know: -
Declension Pattern: -
Māter belongs to the third declension (consonant stem) -
Stem: mātr- (found by removing -is from genitive) -
It's feminine gender -
Forms: -
Singular: -
Nominative: māter (subject) - "mother" -
Genitive: mātris (possession) - "of mother" -
Dative: mātrī (indirect object) - "to/for mother" -
Accusative: mātrem (direct object) - "mother" -
Ablative: mātre (various uses) - "by/with/from mother" -
Plural: -
Nominative: mātrēs - "mothers" -
Genitive: mātrum - "of mothers" -
Dative: mātribus - "to/for mothers" -
Accusative: mātrēs - "mothers" -
Ablative: mātribus - "by/with/from mothers" -
Common Constructions: -
With possessive adjectives: māter mea (my mother) -
In genitive possession: mātris vōx (mother's voice) -
With prepositions: cum mātre (with mother), ā mātre (from mother) -
As indirect object: mātrī dat (gives to mother) -
Related Words: -
māternus, -a, -um: maternal, of a mother -
mātrimōnium, -iī n.: marriage (literally "mother-making") -
mātertēra, -ae f.: maternal aunt -
Usage Notes: -
Often appears with family vocabulary (pater, fīlius, fīlia) -
Frequently used with verbs of emotion (amat, timet) -
Common in expressions of care and nurturing
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For English speakers, understanding the Roman concept of "māter" requires cultural perspective: -
The Roman Mātrōna: -
Roman mothers held significant authority within the household -
The term "mātrōna" designated a respectable married woman -
Mothers managed household affairs and slave supervision -
They were responsible for early childhood education -
Legal Status: -
Roman mothers had more legal rights than Greek women -
Could own property and conduct business -
Wielded considerable influence through their children -
The concept of "mater familias" paralleled "pater familias" -
Religious Role: -
Mothers participated in religious ceremonies -
Special festivals like Matralia honored mothers -
Vestal Virgins served as symbolic mothers to Rome -
Household worship often centered on maternal deities -
Cultural Values: -
Pietas (duty) toward one's mother was paramount -
Stories of devoted mothers (like Cornelia) were exemplary -
Maternal influence on sons' political careers was significant -
The ideal of the univira (woman married only once) was prized -
Modern Connections: -
English "mother," "maternal," and "matron" derive from māter -
The concept of "alma mater" (nurturing mother) for schools -
Medical terms like "maternity" preserve the Latin root -
Mother's Day echoes ancient festivals honoring mothers
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From Catullus, Carmen 72:
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Dīcēbās you used to say quondam once sōlum only tē you nōsse to know Catullum, Catullus, Lesbia, Lesbia, nec nor prae before mē me velle to wish tenēre to hold Iovem. Jupiter. Dīlēxī I loved tum then tē you nōn not tantum so much ut as vulgus the crowd amīcam, girlfriend, sed but pater father ut as gnātōs sons dīligit loves et and generōs. sons-in-law.
Dīcēbās quondam sōlum tē nōsse Catullum, Lesbia, nec prae mē velle tenēre Iovem. Dīlēxī tum tē nōn tantum ut vulgus amīcam, sed pater ut gnātōs dīligit et generōs.
You used to say that you knew only Catullus, Lesbia, and that you wouldn't want to embrace Jupiter instead of me. I loved you then not merely as the crowd loves a girlfriend, but as a father loves his sons and sons-in-law.
This poem uses family relationships to express deep affection. Catullus contrasts superficial love ("ut vulgus amīcam") with profound paternal love. Though "māter" doesn't appear directly, the poem evokes familial devotion that parallels maternal care in Roman culture.
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Perfect tense "dīcēbās" shows repeated past action -
Indirect statement with "tē nōsse" (accusative + infinitive) -
Comparison using "ut" with subjunctive -
Parallel structure in "gnātōs...et generōs" -
The familial metaphor emphasizes pure, protective love
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127.16 Māter mother cārissima, dearest, tibi to you haec these things scrībō I write ē from castrīs camp
127.17 Iam already mēnsēs months trēs three ā from mātre mother meā my absum I am away
127.18 Cōgitō I think dē about mātre mother cotīdiē daily et and tē you dēsīderō I miss
127.19 Mātris of mother epistulam letter accēpī I received et and laetus happy sum I am
127.20 Scīō I know mātrem mother prō for mē me ōrāre to pray semper always
127.21 Mātrī to mother meae my mittō I send pecūniam money et and dōna gifts
127.22 Valē, farewell, māter mother optima, best, et and cūrā take care of tē yourself
127.23 Cum when ad to mātrem mother redeō, I return, multās many rēs things narrābō I will tell
127.24 Māter mother mea, my, valēsne are you well bene? well? Dē about tuā your valētūdine health sollicitus anxious sum I am
127.25 Frāter brother noster our mātrī to mother auxilium help dat, gives, ut as scrībis you write
127.26 Grātiās thanks mātrī to mother agō I give quod because mē me docuit she taught litterās letters
127.27 Māter, mother, memor mindful sum I am tuōrum of your praeceptōrum teachings
127.28 Spērō I hope mē me mox soon mātrem mother vīsūrum about to see esse to be
127.29 Mātribus to mothers nostrīs our salūtem greeting plūrimam very much dīc say
127.30 Tuus your fīlius, son, quī who mātrem mother numquam never oblīvīscitur forgets
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127.16 Māter cārissima, tibi haec scrībō ē castrīs. Dearest mother, I write these things to you from camp.
127.17 Iam mēnsēs trēs ā mātre meā absum. I have now been away from my mother for three months.
127.18 Cōgitō dē mātre cotīdiē et tē dēsīderō. I think about mother daily and miss you.
127.19 Mātris epistulam accēpī et laetus sum. I received mother's letter and I am happy.
127.20 Scīō mātrem prō mē ōrāre semper. I know that mother always prays for me.
127.21 Mātrī meae mittō pecūniam et dōna. I send money and gifts to my mother.
127.22 Valē, māter optima, et cūrā tē. Farewell, best mother, and take care of yourself.
127.23 Cum ad mātrem redeō, multās rēs narrābō. When I return to mother, I will tell many things.
127.24 Māter mea, valēsne bene? Dē tuā valētūdine sollicitus sum. My mother, are you well? I am anxious about your health.
127.25 Frāter noster mātrī auxilium dat, ut scrībis. Our brother gives help to mother, as you write.
127.26 Grātiās mātrī agō quod mē docuit litterās. I give thanks to mother because she taught me letters.
127.27 Māter, memor sum tuōrum praeceptōrum. Mother, I am mindful of your teachings.
127.28 Spērō mē mox mātrem vīsūrum esse. I hope that I will see mother soon.
127.29 Mātribus nostrīs salūtem plūrimam dīc. Give abundant greetings to our mothers.
127.30 Tuus fīlius, quī mātrem numquam oblīvīscitur. Your son, who never forgets his mother.
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127.16 Māter cārissima, tibi haec scrībō ē castrīs.
127.17 Iam mēnsēs trēs ā mātre meā absum.
127.18 Cōgitō dē mātre cotīdiē et tē dēsīderō.
127.19 Mātris epistulam accēpī et laetus sum.
127.20 Scīō mātrem prō mē ōrāre semper.
127.21 Mātrī meae mittō pecūniam et dōna.
127.22 Valē, māter optima, et cūrā tē.
127.23 Cum ad mātrem redeō, multās rēs narrābō.
127.24 Māter mea, valēsne bene? Dē tuā valētūdine sollicitus sum.
127.25 Frāter noster mātrī auxilium dat, ut scrībis.
127.26 Grātiās mātrī agō quod mē docuit litterās.
127.27 Māter, memor sum tuōrum praeceptōrum.
127.28 Spērō mē mox mātrem vīsūrum esse.
127.29 Mātribus nostrīs salūtem plūrimam dīc.
127.30 Tuus fīlius, quī mātrem numquam oblīvīscitur.
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In this epistolary genre section, we see several important grammatical constructions with "māter": -
Vocative Case: -
"Māter cārissima" - direct address to mother -
"Māter optima" - another vocative expression -
The vocative of māter is identical to nominative -
Letter-Writing Formulas: -
Opening: "tibi haec scrībō" (I write these things to you) -
Health inquiry: "valēsne bene?" (are you well?) -
Closing: "valē" (farewell) -
Signature: "tuus fīlius" (your son) -
Indirect Statement: -
"Scīō mātrem prō mē ōrāre" (I know that mother prays) -
Accusative (mātrem) + infinitive (ōrāre) construction -
"Spērō mē mox mātrem vīsūrum esse" (I hope to see) -
Temporal Expressions: -
"mēnsēs trēs" - accusative of duration (for three months) -
"cotīdiē" - daily (adverb) -
"mox" - soon (adverb) -
"cum" + future indicative (redeō) - when I return -
Emotional Vocabulary: -
"cārissima" - superlative of cārus (dearest) -
"dēsīderō" - I miss/long for -
"sollicitus" - anxious, worried -
"laetus" - happy -
Complex Constructions: -
"quod mē docuit" - causal clause (because she taught) -
"ut scrībis" - as you write (comparative clause) -
"quī...oblīvīscitur" - relative clause with deponent verb -
Prepositions with māter: -
"ā mātre" - from mother (separation) -
"ad mātrem" - to mother (motion toward) -
"dē mātre" - about mother (concerning) -
"prō mē" - for me (on behalf of) -
Word Order for Emphasis: -
"Māter cārissima" - vocative first for direct address -
"mātrem numquam oblīvīscitur" - never forgets mother -
Variable placement of "māter" forms throughout
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