Ut Mater, Sic Filia
Nosse cupis, qualis tibi virgo futura sit uxor?
Matris ad ingenium respice; tutus eris.
Source: Giuseppe Gatti, Sales Poetici, Proverbiales, et Iocosi (1703). Meter: Elegiac. Note that nosse = novisse, perfect infinitive, introducing an indirect question (qualis futura sit...).
The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list:
Do you want to know (cupis nosse) what sort of wife (qualis uxor) that young woman (virgo) will be for you? (futura sit tibi) Examine (respice) her mother's character (ad matris ingenium); you will be safe (eris tutus).
ad: to, up to, towards (+acc.)
cupiō -ere -īvī -ītum: desire
filia -ae f.; filius -ī m.: daughter; son
ingenium -ī n.: disposition, ability, talent
māter mātris f.: mother
nōscō nōscere nōvī nōtum: learn, know
quālis -e: of what kind? what?
respicio -ere -spēxi -spectum: look back, regard, consider
sīc: in this manner, thus; sīc . . . ut: in the same way as
sum, esse, fuī: be, exist
tū tuī tibi tē: you (sing.)
tutus -a -um: safe, protected
ut, uti: as (+ indic.); so that, with the result that (+ subj.)
uxor uxōris f.: wife
virgo -inis f.: maiden, virgin, girl
