The pater familias (plural patres familias) was the head of a Roman family. The term is Latin for "father of the family" or the "owner of the family estate". The form is irregular and archaic in Latin, preserving the old genitive ending in -as (see Latin declension). The pater familias was always a Roman citizen.
Roman law and tradition (mos maiorum) established the power of the pater familias within the community of his own extended familia. He held legal privilege over the property of the familia, and varying levels of authority over his dependents: these included his wife and children, certain other relatives through blood or adoption, clients, freedmen and slaves. The same mos maiorum moderated his authority and determined his responsibilities to his own familia and to the broader community. He had a duty to father and raise healthy children as future citizens of Rome, to maintain the moral propriety and well-being of his household, to honour his clan and ancestral gods and to dutifully participate—and if possible, serve—in Rome's political, religious and social life. In effect, the pater familias was expected to be a good citizen. In theory at least, he held powers of life and death over every member of his extended familia through ancient right but in practice, the extreme form of this right was seldom exercised. It was eventually limited by law.
It's time to leave this burning ship behind
It's time to come to terms and realise
There's nothing to be found in that left behind
But reddish traces of forgotten crimes
And I fear the rage will grow above my head
When oil gets spilled, the fire fed
The precious bounds of forgiveness almost met
Indeed I'm better off remembering instead
Every day I diagnose myself and I see more of what I hate
This can't be happening
Oh, cruel twist of fate
YOUR EQUAL, YOUR SEQUEL
(a copy of a copy)
PLEASE TELL ME I'M NOT [4x]
[chorus]
I'm looking at a face I don't believe this can't be my legacy
SAY I'M NOT LIKE YOU, SWEAR I WON'T END UP LIKE THIS
What remains is courteousy and all the rest is history
SAY I'M NOT LIKE YOU, SWEAR I WON'T END UP LIKE THIS
What's mine remains the bond between our lives
I see you in the mirror with my eyes
The spitting image of that worthless life
The shiny happy family a mere disguise
And yet I vow to myself I'll change
The detriment done I'll re-erase
No more will I be marked as what you made
Now all that's left is to face that I'm afraid
Every day I diagnose myself and I see more of what I hate
This can't be happening
Oh, cruel twist of fate
Slip into your skin
Weed out the rot
And reap the right that lies within
Not repeat the mistake
And hate myself
But learn to accept my fate instead
[chorus]
YOUR EQUAL, YOUR SEQUEL
(a copy of a copy)