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147.1 Puer boy ōs mouth aperit opens ut in order to loquātur speak
147.2 Mātris of mother ōs face rīdet smiles semper always
147.3 Aquam water frīgidam cold in into ōs mouth sūmit takes miles soldier
147.4 Ōre with mouth apertō open dormit sleeps senex old man
147.5 Dulce sweet mel honey ex from ōre mouth ursae of bear fluit flows
147.6 Ōris of face pulchritūdō beauty omnēs all movet moves
147.7 Medicus doctor aegrum sick ōs mouth īnspicit examines dīligenter carefully
147.8 In in ōre mouth leōnis of lion caput head pōnere to place perīculōsum dangerous est is
147.9 Verbum word ūnum one ex from ōre mouth tuō your exspectō I await
147.10 Ōra faces omnium of all cīvium citizens pallent grow pale metū with fear
147.11 Rēx king ōs mouth suum his tegit covers manū with hand
147.12 Flūmen river magnum great ad to ōs mouth maris of sea currit runs
147.13 Ex from ōre mouth parvulōrum of little ones vēritās truth prōcēdit proceeds
147.14 Ōris of mouth hālitus breath calor warmth hiemem winter fugat drives away
147.15 Clausō with closed ōre mouth sapiēns wise man audit listens attentē attentively
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147.1 Puer ōs aperit ut loquātur. The boy opens his mouth to speak.
147.2 Mātris ōs semper rīdet. Mother's face always smiles.
147.3 Miles aquam frīgidam in ōs sūmit. The soldier takes cold water into his mouth.
147.4 Senex ōre apertō dormit. The old man sleeps with his mouth open.
147.5 Ex ōre ursae dulce mel fluit. Sweet honey flows from the bear's mouth.
147.6 Ōris pulchritūdō omnēs movet. The beauty of her face moves everyone.
147.7 Medicus aegrum ōs dīligenter īnspicit. The doctor carefully examines the sick man's mouth.
147.8 In ōre leōnis caput pōnere perīculōsum est. To place one's head in a lion's mouth is dangerous.
147.9 Verbum ūnum ex ōre tuō exspectō. I await one word from your mouth.
147.10 Omnium cīvium ōra metū pallent. The faces of all citizens grow pale with fear.
147.11 Rēx ōs suum manū tegit. The king covers his mouth with his hand.
147.12 Flūmen magnum ad maris ōs currit. The great river runs to the sea's mouth.
147.13 Ex ōre parvulōrum vēritās prōcēdit. Truth proceeds from the mouths of little children.
147.14 Ōris hālitus calor hiemem fugat. The warmth of breath from the mouth drives away winter.
147.15 Sapiēns clausō ōre attentē audit. The wise man listens attentively with closed mouth.
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147.1 Puer ōs aperit ut loquātur.
147.2 Mātris ōs semper rīdet.
147.3 Miles aquam frīgidam in ōs sūmit.
147.4 Senex ōre apertō dormit.
147.5 Ex ōre ursae dulce mel fluit.
147.6 Ōris pulchritūdō omnēs movet.
147.7 Medicus aegrum ōs dīligenter īnspicit.
147.8 In ōre leōnis caput pōnere perīculōsum est.
147.9 Verbum ūnum ex ōre tuō exspectō.
147.10 Omnium cīvium ōra metū pallent.
147.11 Rēx ōs suum manū tegit.
147.12 Flūmen magnum ad maris ōs currit.
147.13 Ex ōre parvulōrum vēritās prōcēdit.
147.14 Ōris hālitus calor hiemem fugat.
147.15 Sapiēns clausō ōre attentē audit.
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For English speakers learning Latin, ōs, ōris presents several important features:
Ōs belongs to the third declension neuter nouns. Its stem changes from ōs- to ōr- in all cases except nominative and accusative singular:
Singular: -
Nominative/Accusative: ōs (mouth/face) -
Genitive: ōris (of the mouth) -
Dative: ōrī (to/for the mouth) -
Ablative: ōre (by/with/from the mouth)
Plural: -
Nominative/Accusative: ōra (mouths/faces) -
Genitive: ōrum (of mouths) -
Dative/Ablative: ōribus (to/with mouths)
Nominative: Subject of the verb -
Example 147.2: "Mātris ōs rīdet" (Mother's face smiles)
Accusative: Direct object or with prepositions -
Example 147.3: "in ōs sūmit" (takes into the mouth) -
Example 147.7: "ōs īnspicit" (examines the mouth)
Genitive: Possession or description -
Example 147.6: "Ōris pulchritūdō" (beauty of the face) -
Example 147.14: "Ōris hālitus" (breath of the mouth)
Ablative: Means, manner, or with prepositions -
Example 147.4: "ōre apertō" (with open mouth - ablative absolute) -
Example 147.9: "ex ōre tuō" (from your mouth)
Ablative Absolute: -
"clausō ōre" (147.15) = with closed mouth -
"ōre apertō" (147.4) = with open mouth
Metaphorical Uses: -
"ōs maris" (147.12) = mouth of the sea (estuary) -
Physical mouth vs. face/expression
Notice how Latin varies word order for emphasis: -
Verb-first: "Rīdet mātris ōs" (emphasis on smiling) -
Object-first: "Ōs aperit puer" (emphasis on mouth) -
Standard SOV: "Puer ōs aperit" (neutral emphasis)
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For English speakers, understanding Roman concepts of ōs requires cultural perspective:
Romans used ōs for both: -
The physical mouth (eating, speaking, breathing) -
The face/countenance (expressing emotions) -
Metaphorical "mouths" (river mouths, cave openings)
-
Silent respect: Keeping one's mouth closed showed wisdom and respect (see 147.15) -
Truth-telling: Romans believed children spoke truth naturally (147.13: "ex ōre parvulōrum") -
Royal dignity: Covering the mouth showed emotion control (147.11)
-
Roman doctors examined mouths for diagnosis (147.7) -
Breath (hālitus) was considered vital for health -
Open-mouth sleeping was seen as unhealthy
Many Latin proverbs involve ōs: -
"Ex ōre tuō tē iūdicō" (From your mouth I judge you) -
"In ōre omnium esse" (To be in everyone's mouth = famous)
-
Oral (from ōris) -
Orifice (from ōrificium) -
Oscillate (from ōscillum, diminutive of ōs)
Understanding these cultural layers helps English speakers grasp why Romans used ōs in contexts where we might use different words entirely.
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From Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 1, lines 89-93):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Ōs face homini to man sublime uplifted dedit he gave caelumque and heaven tuērī to gaze upon iussit he commanded et and ērēctōs upright ad toward sīdera stars tollere to raise vultūs countenances. Sīc thus modo recently quae which fuerat had been rudis rough et and sine without imāgine form tellūs earth induit put on ignōtās unknown hominum of men conversa transformed figūrās shapes.
Ōs homini sublime dedit caelumque tuērī iussit et ērēctōs ad sīdera tollere vultūs. Sīc modo quae fuerat rudis et sine imāgine tellūs induit ignōtās hominum conversa figūrās.
He gave to man an uplifted face and commanded him to gaze upon heaven and to raise his countenance erect toward the stars. Thus the earth, which had recently been rough and without form, transformed, put on the unknown shapes of men.
Ovid uses ōs here in its meaning of "face/countenance" to describe humanity's unique characteristic - the upward-gazing face that distinguishes humans from animals. This passage comes from Ovid's creation narrative.
-
ōs sublime: "uplifted face" - accusative direct object with adjective -
homini: dative of advantage ("to/for man") -
dedit: perfect tense, showing completed divine action -
tuērī/tollere: infinitives after iussit (commanded) -
conversa: perfect participle modifying tellūs -
Complex word order creates poetic effect
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Genre Section: Medical Treatise
147.16 Medicus The physician perītus skilled ōs the mouth aegrī of the patient prīmum first īnspicit. examines.
147.17 Color The color ōris of the face mortem death vel or salūtem recovery saepe often indicat. indicates.
147.18 Ōre With mouth apertō open, aeger the patient linguam his tongue ostendit. shows.
147.19 In In ōribus the mouths puerōrum of children dentēs teeth novī new crēscunt. grow.
147.20 Medicus The doctor ōrī to the mouth aegrī of the sick person herbās herbs amārās bitter dat. gives.
147.21 Tumor Swelling circā around ōs the mouth febrem a fever gravem serious significat. signifies.
147.22 Ex From ōre a mouth foetidō foul morbī of disease signa signs agnōscuntur. are recognized.
147.23 Vulnera Wounds ōris of the mouth aquā with water calidā warm lavanda must be washed sunt. (are).
147.24 Ōra The faces pallida pale aegrōrum of the sick timōrem fear medicīs to doctors afferunt. bring.
147.25 Dolōrēs Pains in in ōre the mouth acūtī sharp cibum food capere to take prohibent. prevent.
147.26 Medicus The physician ōribus to the mouths īnfantium of infants mel honey cum with lacte milk miscet. mixes.
147.27 Ōs A mouth siccum dry sitim thirst magnam great dēmōnstrat. demonstrates.
147.28 Sanguis Blood ex from ōre the mouth fluēns flowing perīculum danger vītae to life ostendit. shows.
147.29 Medicāmenta Medicines per through ōs the mouth sumpta taken ventrem the stomach celeriter quickly intrant. enter.
147.30 Ōris Of the mouth cūra care dīligēns careful multōs many morbōs diseases arcet. wards off.
147.16 Medicus perītus ōs aegrī prīmum īnspicit. The skilled physician first examines the patient's mouth.
147.17 Color ōris mortem vel salūtem saepe indicat. The color of the face often indicates death or recovery.
147.18 Ōre apertō aeger linguam ostendit. With mouth open, the patient shows his tongue.
147.19 In ōribus puerōrum dentēs novī crēscunt. New teeth grow in children's mouths.
147.20 Medicus ōrī aegrī herbās amārās dat. The doctor gives bitter herbs to the sick person's mouth.
147.21 Tumor circā ōs febrem gravem significat. Swelling around the mouth signifies a serious fever.
147.22 Ex ōre foetidō morbī signa agnōscuntur. Signs of disease are recognized from a foul mouth.
147.23 Vulnera ōris aquā calidā lavanda sunt. Wounds of the mouth must be washed with warm water.
147.24 Ōra pallida aegrōrum timōrem medicīs afferunt. The pale faces of the sick bring fear to doctors.
147.25 Dolōrēs in ōre acūtī cibum capere prohibent. Sharp pains in the mouth prevent taking food.
147.26 Medicus ōribus īnfantium mel cum lacte miscet. The physician mixes honey with milk for infants' mouths.
147.27 Ōs siccum sitim magnam dēmōnstrat. A dry mouth demonstrates great thirst.
147.28 Sanguis ex ōre fluēns perīculum vītae ostendit. Blood flowing from the mouth shows danger to life.
147.29 Medicāmenta per ōs sumpta ventrem celeriter intrant. Medicines taken through the mouth quickly enter the stomach.
147.30 Ōris cūra dīligēns multōs morbōs arcet. Careful care of the mouth wards off many diseases.
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147.16 Medicus perītus ōs aegrī prīmum īnspicit.
147.17 Color ōris mortem vel salūtem saepe indicat.
147.18 Ōre apertō aeger linguam ostendit.
147.19 In ōribus puerōrum dentēs novī crēscunt.
147.20 Medicus ōrī aegrī herbās amārās dat.
147.21 Tumor circā ōs febrem gravem significat.
147.22 Ex ōre foetidō morbī signa agnōscuntur.
147.23 Vulnera ōris aquā calidā lavanda sunt.
147.24 Ōra pallida aegrōrum timōrem medicīs afferunt.
147.25 Dolōrēs in ōre acūtī cibum capere prohibent.
147.26 Medicus ōribus īnfantium mel cum lacte miscet.
147.27 Ōs siccum sitim magnam dēmōnstrat.
147.28 Sanguis ex ōre fluēns perīculum vītae ostendit.
147.29 Medicāmenta per ōs sumpta ventrem celeriter intrant.
147.30 Ōris cūra dīligēns multōs morbōs arcet.
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The medical treatise genre demonstrates several important grammatical patterns with "ōs, ōris": -
Diagnostic Descriptions: -
"Color ōris" (genitive of possession) - the face's color -
"Ōs siccum" (nominative with adjective) - dry mouth -
"Ex ōre foetidō" (ablative of source) - from a foul mouth -
Medical Procedures: -
"ōrī...dat" (dative of indirect object) - gives to the mouth -
"per ōs sumpta" (accusative with per) - taken through the mouth -
"ōre apertō" (ablative absolute) - with mouth open -
Passive Voice in Medical Writing: -
"agnōscuntur" (3rd plural passive) - are recognized -
"lavanda sunt" (gerundive expressing necessity) - must be washed -
Common in objective medical descriptions -
Technical Vocabulary Patterns: -
Adjectives of condition: siccum (dry), pallidum (pale), foetidum (foul) -
Medical terms: tumor (swelling), febris (fever), morbus (disease) -
Actions: īnspicit (examines), indicat (indicates), significat (signifies) -
Word Order for Emphasis: -
"Medicus perītus ōs aegrī prīmum īnspicit" - prīmum (first) emphasized -
"Sanguis ex ōre fluēns" - participial phrase creates flowing description -
Technical precision requires clear word relationships
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