mātūrus

I. sup. usually maturissimus; less freq. maturrimus, Tac. A. 12, 65; cf. the adv.), adj. root, Sanscr. ma-, measure, time, whence mane, matutinus; cf.: manus, modus; hence, timely, ready in time, ripe, mature (class.).

I. Lit., of fruits: poma matura et cocta (opp. cruda), Cic. Sen. 19, 71: uva, Verg. E. 10, 36: fruges, id. ib. 3, 80: maturissimae ficus, Col. 12, 17, 2.—With dat.: seges matura messi, Liv. 2, 5.—Neutr. as subst.: quod maturi erat (opp. viride), Liv. 34, 26, 8. —

II. Transf.

A. Ripe, mature, of the proper age, proper, fit, seasonable, timely, etc.—With dat.: filia matura viro, Verg. A. 7, 53: maturus bello, Juv. 8, 169: vitulus templis maturus et arae, id. 12, 7: virgo, Hor. C. 3, 6, 22: ovis, Col. 7, 3, 1: Roxane matura ex Alexandro, Just. 13, 2, 5; cf. venter, Ov. M. 11, 311: infans, id. ib. 7, 127: aetas, Verg. A. 12, 438: progenies matura militiae, Liv. 42, 52: L. Caesar viris, of the proper age for assuming the toga virilis, Vell. 2, 99.—Piur. subst.: mātūri, adults (opp. pueri), Lact. 5, 13, 3: omnia matura sunt, victoria, praeda, laus, Sall. J. 85, 48.—With ad: ad arma, Sil. 16, 657.—Of mental qualities: ipse enim Thucydides, si posterius fuisset, multo maturior ac mitior fuisset, Cic. Brut. 83, 288: annis gravis atque animi maturus Aletes, Verg. A. 9, 246: aevi, id. ib. 5, 73: centuriones, Suet. Calig. 44: imperia, Just. 11, 5, 7: scribendi tempus maturius, Cic. Att. 15, 4, 3: mihi vero ad nonas bene maturum videtur fore, just at the right time, id. Fam. 9, 5, 1: se maturam oppetere mortem, id. Div. 1, 18, 36: senex, Hor. A. P. 115.—

2. Powerful, vigorous: glaebasque jacentis Pulverolenter coquat maturis solibus aestas, Verg. G. 1, 66: lux, id. A. 10, 257: ignes (anni), Grat. Cyn. 59: maturae mala nequitiae, Juv. 14, 216.—

B. That takes place early, early, speedy, quick: mittam hodie huic suo die natali malam rem magnam et maturam, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 5: matura faba, the early bean (opp. to the late bean), Col. 2, 10: satio (opp. to late sowing), id. ib.: fenum, the first hay (opp. to the after-math), id. 7, 3: hiemes, Caes. B. G. 4, 20: decessio, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1: honores, Ov. P. 2, 1, 59: judicium, Cic. Caecin. 3, 7: robur aetatis quam maturrimum precari, Tac. A. 12, 65: aetas maturissima, Auct. Her. 4, 17, 25: si mora pro culpa est, ego sum maturior illo, Ov. M. 13, 300.—Hence, adv.: mātūrē (sup. maturissime and maturrime; v. the foll.).

A. Seasonably, opportunely, at the proper time (class.): custodes mature sentiunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44, § 96: satis mature occurrit, Caes. B. C. 3, 7: ubi consulueris, mature facto opus est, Sall. C. 1 fin.—

B. Betimes, early, speedily, quickly, soon: mature fieri senem, Cic. Sen. 10, 32: proficisci, id. Fam. 3, 3, 1: Romam venire, id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 4.— Comp.: maturius proficiscitur, Caes. B. G. 4, 6: maturius pervenire, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 24, § 60: tempus quam res maturius me deserat, Sall. J. 42, 5: maturius ad Epulas ire, Juv. 11, 88: voluerunt veteres maturius hereditates adiri, Gai. Inst. 2, 55.—Sup.: maximos tumultus maturissime disjeci, Cato ap. Charis. p. 184 P.: res maturissime vindicanda est, Cic. Caecin. 2, 7: quippe qui omnium maturrime ad publicas causas accesserim, id. de Or. 3, 20, 74: perge qua coeptas, ut quam maturrime merita invenias, Sall. H. 1, 48, 16 Dietsch.: quibus rebus quam maturrime occurrendum putabat, Caes. B. G. 1, 33 fin.—

C. Prematurely, untimely: pater mature decessit, Nep. Att. 2, 1.—With a play upon the three meanings of the word (A., B., and C.): qui homo mature quaesivit pecuniam, Nisi eam mature parsit, mature esurit, Plaut. Curc. 3, 10.