I.gen. materiāi, Lucr. 1, 1051), and mātĕrĭes , ēi (only in nom. and acc. sing., and once gen. plur. materierum, Lact. 2, 12, 1; v. Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 383), f. from same root with mater, q. v., stuff, matter, materials of which any thing is composed; so the wood of a tree, vine, etc., timber for building (opp. lignum, wood for fuel); nutritive matter or substance for food (class.).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “materia rerum, ex qua et in qua sunt omnia,” Cic. N. D. 3, 39, 92; cf. id. Ac. 1, 6, 7: “materiam superabat opus,” Ov. M. 2, 5: “materiae apparatio,” Vitr. 2, 8, 7: “rudis,” i. e. chaos, Luc. 2, 8; cf.: omnis fere materia nondum formata rudis appellatur, Cinc. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 265 Müll.: “(arbor) inter corticem et materiem,” Col. 5, 11, 4: “crispa,” Plin. 16, 28, 51, § 119: “materiae longitudo,” Col. 4, 24, 3: “vitis in materiam, frondemque effunditur,” id. 4, 21, 2: “si nihil valet materies,” Cic. de Or. 2, 21, 88: “in eam insulam materiam, calcem, caementa, atque arma convexit,” id. Mil. 27, 74: “caesa,” Col. 11, 2, 11; cf. Caes. B. G. 4, 17; 5, 39: “cornus non potest videri materies propter exilitatem, sed lignum,” Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 206: “materiae, lignorum aggestus,” Tac. A. 1, 35: “videndum est ut materies suppetat scutariis,” Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 35: “proba materies est, si probum adhibes fabrum,” id. Poen. 4, 2, 93: imprimebatur sculptura materiae anuli, sive ex ferro sive ex auro foret, Macr. S. 7, 13, 11. —Plur.: “deūm imagines mortalibus materiis in species hominum effingere,” Tac. H. 5, 5.—Of food: “imbecillissimam materiam esse omnem caulem oleris,” Cels. 2, 18, 39 sqq.; cf. of the means of subsistence: “consumere omnem materiam,” Ov. M. 8, 876; matter, in gen.: “materies aliqua mala erat,” Aug. Conf. 7, 5, 2.—In abstract, matter, the material universe: “Deus ex materia ortus est, aut materia ex Deo,” Lact. 2, 8.—
B. Esp., matter of suppuration, pus, Cels. 3, 27, 4.—
II. Transf., a stock, race, breed: “quod ex vetere materia nascitur, plerumque congeneratum parentis senium refert,” Col. 7, 3, 15: “generosa (equorum),” id. 6, 27 init. —
III. Trop.
A. The matter, subjectmatter, subject, topic, ground, theme of any exertion of the mental powers, as of an art or science, an oration, etc.: materiam artis eam dicimus in qua omnis ars et facultas, quae conficitur ex arte, versatur. Ut si medicinae materiam dicamus morbos ac vulnera, quod in his omnis medicina versetur; “item quibus in rebus versatur ars et facultas oratoria, eas res materiam artis rhetoricae nominamus,” Cic. Inv. 1, 5, 17: “quasi materia, quam tractet, et in qua versetur, subjecta est veritas,” id. Off. 1, 5, 16: “est enim deformitatis et corporis vitiorum satis bella materies ad jocandum,” id. de Or. 2, 59, 239; 1, 11, 49; id. Rosc. Com. 32, 89; id. Div. 2, 4, 12: “sermonum,” id. Q. Fr 1, 2, 1: materies crescit mihi, my matter (for writing about) increases, id. Att. 2, 12, 3: rei. id. Q. Fr. 2, 1, 1: “aequa viribus,” a subject suited to your powers, Hor. A. P. 38: “infames,” Gell. 17, 12, 1: “extra materiam juris,” the province, Gai. Inst. 2, 191.—
B. A cause, occasion, source, opportunity (cf. mater, II.): “quid enim odisset Clodium Milo segetem ac materiam suae gloriae?” Cic. Mil. 13, 35 (for which shortly before: “fons perennis gloriae suae): materies ingentis decoris,” Liv. 1, 39, 3: “non praebiturum se illi eo die materiam,” id. 3, 46, 3: “major orationis,” id. 35, 12, 10: “criminandi,” id. 3, 31, 4: “omnium malorum,” Sall. C. 10: “materiam invidiae dare,” Cic. Phil. 11, 9, 21: “materiam bonitati dare,” id. de Or. 2, 84, 342: “scelerum,” Just. 3, 2, 12: “seditionis,” id. 11, 5, 3: “laudis,” Luc. 8, 16: “benefaciendi,” Plin. Pan. 38: “ne quid materiae praeberet Neroni,” occasion of jealousy, Suet. Galb. 9: “epistolae, quae materiam sermonibus praebuere,” Tac. H. 4, 4: “praebere materiam causasque jocorum,” Juv. 3, 147: “materiamque sibi ducis indulgentia quaerit,” id. 7, 21.—
C. Natural abilities, talents, genius, disposition: “fac, fuisse in isto C. Laelii, M. Catonis materiem atque indolem,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 68, § 160: “in animis humanis,” id. Inv. 1, 2, 2: “materiam ingentis publice privatimade decoris omni indulgentia nostra nutriamus,” Liv. 1, 39, 3: “ad cupiditatem,” id. 1, 46; Quint. 2, 4, 7.—Hence, one's nature, natural character: “non sum materia digna perire tua,” thy unfeeling disposition, Ov. H. 4, 86.—
D. A subject, argument, course of thought, topic (post-Aug.): “tertium diem esse, quod omni labore materiae ad scribendum destinatae non inveniret exordium,” Quint. 10, 3, 14: “argumentum plura significat ... omnem ad scribendum destinatam materiam ita appellari,” id. 5, 10, 9: “video non futurum finem in ista materia ullum, nisi quem ipse mihi fecero,” Sen. Ep. 87, 11: “pulcritudinem materiae considerare,” Plin. Ep. 3, 13, 2; 2, 5, 5: “materiam ex titulo cognosces,” id. ib. 5, 13, 3 al. (materies animi est, materia arboris; “et materies qualitas ingenii, materia fabris apta,” Front. II. p. 481 Mai.; but this distinction is not observed by class. writers).