matella

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

mătella or mătēla, ae, f. dim. [matula], a pot, a vessel for liquids.

I In gen.: matella aquae, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 543, 17; Varr. ib. 19; Cato R. R. 10; 11.—Prov.: mus in matella, of a person in difficulty, Petr. 58, 9.—

II In partic., a chamber-pot , Mart. 12, 32, 13; id. 6, 89, 1; 14, 119 in lemm.; Sen. Ben. 3, 26, 2.—Hence, prov.: matellam praestare alicui, i. e. to perform for one the most menial offices , Mart. 10, 11, 3.—Transf., of a prostitute, Petr. 45, 8.

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