Mater dicit se a bibliopola iterum vocari, quia ille aliud volumen Graecum monstrare velit.

Because se is the reflexive pronoun, and it refers back to the subject of the main verb, Mater.

So in Mater dicit se ... vocari, the structure means Mother says that she herself is being called...

If Latin used eam, that would normally mean her as some other woman, not the mother herself.

Because after verbs like dicit, Latin often uses an indirect statement construction:

• dicit = says
• then an accusative subject
• then an infinitive

So:

• se = the subject of the infinitive
• vocari = to be called / is being called

This is a standard Latin pattern often called the accusative-and-infinitive construction.

In English we say Mother says that she is being called.
In Latin that becomes more literally Mother says herself to be called.

Because it depends on dicit in indirect statement.

After dicit, instead of using a clause with that, Latin normally uses:

• accusative subject: se
• infinitive verb: vocari

So dicit se vocari means she says that she is being called.

Because the meaning is to be called, not to call.

• vocare = to call
• vocari = to be called

The person doing the calling is the bookseller, so the mother is receiving the action. That is why the passive is used.

Because with a passive verb, the personal agent is commonly expressed with a / ab plus the ablative.

So:

• vocari = to be called
• a bibliopola = by the bookseller

This is the normal Latin way to say who performs the action in a passive sentence.

Bibliopola is ablative singular here after a: a bibliopola.

It is a masculine noun, but it belongs to the first declension, which is why it has first-declension endings. Latin has a number of masculine first-declension nouns, especially words for occupations, often borrowed from Greek.

So there is nothing wrong with a masculine noun looking first-declension.

Iterum is an adverb meaning again. It modifies vocari.

So the sense is to be called again or is being called again.

Its position is flexible. Latin word order is freer than English word order, so iterum does not have to stand right next to the verb.

Here ille refers back to bibliopola and serves as the subject of velit.

It can often be translated simply as he, but it is a little more pointed than a plain pronoun. Depending on context, it can suggest that man, that one, or just pick up someone already mentioned.

So here it means something like that man / he, referring to the bookseller.

Because the clause is being presented as part of the mother's reported explanation, not necessarily as a plain fact stated directly by the narrator.

So:

• quia ... vult would present the reason more straightforwardly as a fact
• quia ... velit presents it as the reason as reported / as claimed / as understood

This is a common use of the subjunctive after causal words like quia when the cause is given from someone's point of view.

In other words, the sentence means roughly:
Mother says that she is being called again, because he wants to show another Greek book — with the reason presented as part of what she says.

There are two main reasons:

1. It is subjunctive because the reason is reported from within the statement.
2. It is present subjunctive because the main verb dicit is present, so Latin uses primary sequence.

So velit shows an action that is simultaneous with the main time frame: the bookseller wants at that time to show the book.

Because verbs of wanting regularly take a complementary infinitive in Latin.

• vult / velit = wants
• monstrare = to show

So monstrare velit means wants to show.

This is very similar to English.

Aliud agrees with volumen.

• volumen is neuter singular
• aliud is neuter singular
• Graecum is also neuter singular

So all three go together:

• aliud = another / a different
• volumen = volume, book
• Graecum = Greek

Together: another Greek book/volume

Aliud usually means another in the sense of a different one.

Alter often means the other one, especially when there are two.

So aliud volumen is a natural way to say another/different volume without strongly implying a choice between exactly two.

Latin adjective position is much freer than English adjective position.

Both volumen Graecum and Graecum volumen can mean Greek book/volume. The difference is usually one of style, emphasis, or rhythm, not basic grammar.

So here volumen Graecum is just a normal Latin word order.

Because ille is nominative singular masculine, which matches the subject role, and velit is third-person singular.

Also, in sense, it fits naturally: the bookseller is the one who wants to show the book.

So the structure is:

• quia
• ille = subject
• aliud volumen Graecum = object of monstrare
• monstrare velit = wants to show

No. Very often quia does take the indicative, especially for a straightforward factual reason. But it can also take the subjunctive when the reason is presented as someone’s belief, claim, or reported explanation.

That is what is happening here with velit.

So a learner should not assume that quia automatically means indicative every time.

Yes. That would be the normal contrast.

• Mater dicit se... = Mother says that she herself...
• Mater dicit eam... = Mother says that she / that woman... (someone else)

So the choice between se and eam is very important for understanding who is being referred to.

A useful breakdown is:

• Mater dicit = main clause
• se a bibliopola iterum vocari = indirect statement
• quia ille aliud volumen Graecum monstrare velit = causal clause giving the reported reason

So the structure is:

[Main verb of saying] + [accusative + infinitive] + [reason clause]

That is a very common Latin sentence pattern.