← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
71.1 Pater father meus my agricola farmer est is
71.2 Fīlius son patrem father amat loves magnō with great amōre love
71.3 Māne in morning pater father ad to agrōs fields ambulat walks
71.4 Bonī good patris of father cōnsilium advice semper always audīmus we hear
71.5 Grātiās thanks patrī to father meō my agere to give dēbeō I ought
71.6 Multī many hominēs men patrēs fathers amant love
71.7 Dux leader patrum of fathers verba words laudat praises
71.8 Fīliae daughters patribus to fathers dōna gifts dant give
71.9 Ā by patre father puella girl docētur is taught
71.10 Servus slave patrem father domī at home videt sees
71.11 Patrēs fathers urbem city antīquam ancient dēfendunt defend
71.12 Agricola farmer cum with patre father labōrat works
71.13 Diēs day patris of father mox soon veniet will come
71.14 Sapientēs wise men patribus to fathers honōrem honor tribuunt assign
71.15 Pater father senex old fīliōs sons vocat calls
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71.1 Pater meus agricola est. My father is a farmer.
71.2 Magnō amōre fīlius patrem amat. The son loves his father with great love.
71.3 Ad agrōs māne pater ambulat. Father walks to the fields in the morning.
71.4 Bonī patris cōnsilium semper audīmus. We always hear the good father's advice.
71.5 Patrī meō grātiās agere dēbeō. I ought to give thanks to my father.
71.6 Multī hominēs patrēs suōs amant. Many people love their fathers.
71.7 Verba patrum dux magna cum laude laudat. The leader praises the words of the fathers with great praise.
71.8 Fīliae patribus dōna pulchra dant. The daughters give beautiful gifts to their fathers.
71.9 Puella ā patre sapiente docētur. The girl is taught by her wise father.
71.10 Domī servus patrem sedentem videt. At home, the slave sees father sitting.
71.11 Urbem antīquam patrēs magnā virtūte dēfendunt. The fathers defend the ancient city with great courage.
71.12 In agrīs agricola cum patre diligenter labōrat. In the fields, the farmer works diligently with his father.
71.13 Mox diēs patris laetus veniet. Soon the happy day of father will come.
71.14 Patribus sapientēs magnō cum honōre honōrem tribuunt. The wise men assign honor to the fathers with great respect.
71.15 Fīliōs ad sē pater senex benignē vocat. The elderly father kindly calls his sons to himself.
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71.1 Pater meus agricola est.
71.2 Magnō amōre fīlius patrem amat.
71.3 Ad agrōs māne pater ambulat.
71.4 Bonī patris cōnsilium semper audīmus.
71.5 Patrī meō grātiās agere dēbeō.
71.6 Multī hominēs patrēs suōs amant.
71.7 Verba patrum dux magna cum laude laudat.
71.8 Fīliae patribus dōna pulchra dant.
71.9 Puella ā patre sapiente docētur.
71.10 Domī servus patrem sedentem videt.
71.11 Urbem antīquam patrēs magnā virtūte dēfendunt.
71.12 In agrīs agricola cum patre diligenter labōrat.
71.13 Mox diēs patris laetus veniet.
71.14 Patribus sapientēs magnō cum honōre honōrem tribuunt.
71.15 Fīliōs ad sē pater senex benignē vocat.
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The noun "pater" belongs to the third declension and shows these key features: -
Declension Pattern: Singular: -
Nominative: pater -
Genitive: patris -
Dative: patrī -
Accusative: patrem -
Ablative: patre
Plural: -
Nominative: patrēs -
Genitive: patrum -
Dative: patribus -
Accusative: patrēs -
Ablative: patribus -
Special Characteristics: -
Drops 'e' in oblique cases (pater → patris) -
Masculine gender -
Common in family relationship terms -
Often used with possessive adjectives -
Examples from the text showing various cases: -
Nominative: "Pater meus agricola est" -
Genitive: "Bonī patris cōnsilium" -
Dative: "Patrī meō grātiās agere" -
Accusative: "Fīlius patrem amat" -
Ablative: "cum patre labōrat"
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Understanding "pater" in Roman culture requires knowing: -
Legal Role: -
Patria potestās (father's power) -
Legal authority over family -
Control of family property -
Power of life and death -
Religious Significance: -
Pater familiās (head of household) -
Conducted family religious rites -
Guardian of family traditions -
Link to ancestor worship -
Social Status: -
Patrēs (senators) -
Patrēs cōnscrīptī (formal address) -
Paternal authority in society -
Role model expectations -
Modern Relevance: -
Source of words like "paternal" -
Influence on family law -
Cultural attitudes about fatherhood -
Religious terminology (padre)
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From Cicero's "Pro Caelio" (4.10):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Nam for quod because est is obiectum charged municipibus to townspeople esse to be adulescentem young man nōn not probātum approved suīs by his own ipsīus himself esse to be illud that prīmum first videor I seem dēbēre to ought prō for patre father dīcere to say.
"Nam quod est obiectum municipibus esse adulescentem nōn probātum suīs, ipsīus esse illud prīmum videor dēbēre prō patre dīcere."
For as to what has been charged regarding the townspeople, that the young man was not approved by his own people, I think I ought first to speak about that on behalf of his father.
Cicero uses "pater" here in a defense speech, showing: -
Legal context of paternal responsibility -
Social expectations of fathers -
Relationship between father and community -
Role of father in son's reputation
-
"prō patre": ablative with preposition -
Complex sentence structure -
Use of passive participles -
Indirect statement construction
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71.16 Mārcus Marcus patrī to father carissimō dearest salūtem greetings dīcit says
71.17 Spērō I hope tē you pater father optimē best valēre to be well
71.18 Epistulam letter tuam your pater father magnā with great cum with laetitiā joy lēgī I read
71.19 Dē about studiīs studies meīs my pater father nunc now scrībam I will write
71.20 Magister teacher meus my dīcit says mē me bene well labōrāre to work
71.21 Diēs days pater father in in librīs books legendīs in reading consumō I spend
71.22 Spērō I hope mē me tibi to you patrī father honōrem honor dare to give
71.23 Litterae letters tuae your pater father mē me semper always adiuvant help
71.24 Grātiās thanks tibi to you patrī father maximās greatest agō I give
71.25 Valē farewell pater father carissime dearest
71.26 Māter mother quoque also patrī to father salūtem greetings plūrimam most dīcit says
71.27 Omnēs all in in familiā family dē about patre father cōgitant think
71.28 Longa long vīta life patrī to father optimō best dētur may be given
71.29 Ad to patrem father mox soon redībō I will return
71.30 Scrīpsī I wrote patrī to father Rōmae at Rome Kalendīs on the Kalends Mārtīīs of March
71.16 Mārcus patrī carissimō salūtem dīcit. Marcus sends greetings to his dearest father.
71.17 Spērō tē, pater optimē, valēre. I hope that you, best father, are well.
71.18 Epistulam tuam, pater, magnā cum laetitiā lēgī. I read your letter, father, with great joy.
71.19 Dē studiīs meīs, pater, nunc scrībam. Now, father, I will write about my studies.
71.20 Magister meus dīcit mē bene labōrāre. My teacher says that I work well.
71.21 Diēs, pater, in librīs legendīs consumō. Father, I spend my days reading books.
71.22 Spērō mē tibi, patrī, honōrem dare. I hope that I bring honor to you, father.
71.23 Litterae tuae, pater, mē semper adiuvant. Your letters, father, always help me.
71.24 Grātiās tibi, patrī maximās agō. I give the greatest thanks to you, father.
71.25 Valē, pater carissime. Farewell, dearest father.
71.26 Māter quoque patrī salūtem plūrimam dīcit. Mother also sends many greetings to father.
71.27 Omnēs in familiā dē patre cōgitant. Everyone in the family thinks about father.
71.28 Longa vīta patrī optimō dētur. May a long life be given to the best father.
71.29 Ad patrem mox redībō. I will soon return to father.
71.30 Scrīpsī patrī Rōmae Kalendīs Mārtīīs. I wrote to father at Rome on the Kalends of March.
71.16 Mārcus patrī carissimō salūtem dīcit.
71.17 Spērō tē, pater optimē, valēre.
71.18 Epistulam tuam, pater, magnā cum laetitiā lēgī.
71.19 Dē studiīs meīs, pater, nunc scrībam.
71.20 Magister meus dīcit mē bene labōrāre.
71.21 Diēs, pater, in librīs legendīs consumō.
71.22 Spērō mē tibi, patrī, honōrem dare.
71.23 Litterae tuae, pater, mē semper adiuvant.
71.24 Grātiās tibi, patrī maximās agō.
71.25 Valē, pater carissime.
71.26 Māter quoque patrī salūtem plūrimam dīcit.
71.27 Omnēs in familiā dē patre cōgitant.
71.28 Longa vīta patrī optimō dētur.
71.29 Ad patrem mox redībō.
71.30 Scrīpsī patrī Rōmae Kalendīs Mārtīīs.
The Family Letter genre demonstrates several important grammatical features: -
Letter Writing Conventions: -
Opening formula: [Sender] + [Recipient in dative] + salūtem dīcit -
Closing formula: Valē + vocative -
Dating conventions: ablative of time and place -
Cases of pater in Letters: -
Dative of recipient: patrī (to father) -
Vocative for direct address: pater -
Ablative of place: patre -
Accusative of direction: ad patrem -
Typical Constructions: -
Indirect statement after spērō -
Jussive subjunctive for wishes -
Ablative of manner with cum -
Future indicative for promises -
Present indicative for current situations -
Style Features: -
Use of vocative pater for emphasis -
Positioning of pater for emotional effect -
Superlative adjectives in greetings -
Standard epistolary phrases
This genre section particularly demonstrates how Latin expresses family relationships and formal correspondence, showing both emotional closeness and proper respect through grammatical choices.
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