2.29 ABLATIVE
Words in the ablative case are predominantly adverbial modifiers. The ablative provides information concerning when?, where?, why?, how?, by whom? Its many uses include means or instrument, time, place, cause, manner, agent, accompaniment, comparison, etc.
Some adverbial uses of the ablative always require a preposition, such as agent and accompaniment. Some uses may or may not have a preposition, e.g., expressions of manner, cause, place and separation/origin.
The following uses of the ablative are never governed by a Latin preposition:
- means
- time
- specification/respect
- comparison
- degree of difference
The ablative of description is used to modify a noun and is therefore an adjectival modifier.
There are two core uses of the ablative: as the object of a small group of special intransitive verbs and as the subject of an ablative absolute.
| Memorandum |
| The Romans themselves did not have all the categories we use to classify the uses of the ablative, and it is frequently difficult to clearly identify them, particularly with means, manner, cause and accompaniment. These case uses run on a continuum of meanings, and the distinctions can be blurred. |
2.30 ABLATIVE OF MEANS (ItL Ch4)
This is probably the most common use of the ablative. Means (or instrument) is always expressed by a noun in the ablative without a preposition (NIAWOP, for short). It occurs with a wide variety of nouns. Thus, its only consistently recognizable characteristics are:
- a noun in the ablative without a preposition with the semantic features non-animate and instrument
- no other item, such as a comparative or special intransitive verb, that raises the expectation of an ablative noun
This use of the ablative answers the question quo auxilio? by what means?. NIAWOPs expressing means or instrument almost always modify a verb.
Examples:
Oculis video. I see with my eyes.
Nutritur vento, vento restinguitur ignis. Fire is fed by wind and extinguished by wind.
Miles Romanus gladio et pilo pugnat. The Roman soldier fights with sword and javelin.
Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam. They invade the city overwhelmed by wine and sleep. (Vergil, Aeneid 2.265)
| Memorandum |
| The ablative of means is normally translated with the English prepositions by and with, although sometimes colloquial English will need a different preposition. Be wary of deciding the use of an ablative on the basis of the preposition used to translate it, because the same preposition may be used to express a number of semantic relationships. |
2.31 ABLATIVE EXPRESSIONS OF TIME (ItL Ch11)
The notions of time when and time within which are expressed in Latin by the ablative without a preposition (NIAWOP). This case use can be recognized by:
- a noun in the ablative without a preposition with the semantic feature time
The ablative of time answers the question quo tempore? at what time? or quando? when?. Since it specifies the time in or at which something happens, it usually modifies a verb, or an entire clause. The ablative of time very often occurs at the beginning of a sentence or clause.
Examples:
Agricola prima luce laborat. The farmer works at first light (at dawn).
Tertio anno urbem vincent. They will conquer the city during the third year.
Bellum Pompeius ultima parte hiemis paravit. Pompey prepared his war in the last part of winter.
Caesari omnia uno tempore erant agenda. All things had to be done by Caesar at one time.
| Memorandum |
| A variety of prepositions are used in translating the ablatives of time when and time within which. Those frequently used are in, on, at, during, within. With some expressions, no preposition may be necessary; proximo die could be translated as either on the next day or simply the next day. |
2.32 ABLATIVE OF SPECIFICATION/RESPECT (ItL Ch15)
The ablative of specification specifies in what respect a quality it true, or something is done. It is a noun in the ablative without a preposition (NIAWOP), and, while it can modify verbs, typically modifies adjectives. The ablative of specification is often found with the adjectives dignus worthy and indignus unworthy.
Examples:
Femina corpore, non mente, valida erat. The woman was healthy in respect to her body, not in respect to her mind.
Res Romana erat finitimis bello par. The Roman state was equal to its neighbors in war.
Dux nomine erat. He was commander in name.
Civitas bonis legibus digna est. The state is worthy of good laws.
maior natu older (lit., greater in respect to birth)
minor natu younger (lit., lesser in respect to birth)
2.33 ABLATIVE OF COMPARISON (ItL Ch21)
The ablative can be used to express the second of two compared items when the first item is in the nominative or accusative case. The ablative of comparison always occurs without a preposition (NIAWOP) and is found in the environment of a comparative adjective or, rarely, adverb. It is regularly translated with than.
Examples:
Pater sapientior est filio. The father is wiser than (his) son.
Haec via brevior erit illa. This path will be shorter than that (one).
Nihil est veritatis luce dulcius. Nothing is sweeter than the light of truth.
Mihi te carius nihil est. Nothing is more dear to me than you.
2.34 ABLATIVE OF DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE (ItL Ch32)
The ablative of degree of difference modifies a comparative adjective or adverb and tells the reader the degree of difference in the comparison. That is to say, it answers the question quanto? by how much?. This case use never has a Latin preposition (NIAWOP). If the English sentence, “Jill is taller by two inches,” were translated into Latin, “by two inches,” could be expressed by a NIAWOP. This case use can be recognized by:
- a noun or adjective of quantity in the ablative without a preposition (NIAWOP)
- an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree, or a word suggesting comparison (e.g., post, ante, infra, supra)
Examples:
Paucis ante diebus equites fugerant. The cavalry had fled a few days before.
Tarquinius id multo magis risit. Tarquinius laughed at this much more.
frater paulo maior a slightly older brother or a brother, a little older
2.35 ABLATIVE OF CAUSE (ItL Ch10)
The ablative of cause is found in prepositional phrases with de and e/ex, and also frequently without a preposition (NIAWOP). Those instances which occur without a preposition are found with verbs or expressions of emotion (e.g., doleo grieve, lacrimo weep) and physical state (laboro suffer, fessus weary, aeger sick). Often the ablative word itself is an abstract noun of emotion or behavior, e.g., cupiditate desire, gaudio joy, ira anger.
Examples:
Dux ex vulnere aeger erat. The leader was sick from a wound.
Certis de causis agit. He was acting for definite reasons.
Albanus fessus cursu erat. The Alban was exhausted from running. (NIAWOP)
Multa gloriae cupiditate facit. He does many things out of a love of glory. (NIAWOP)
Juno ardebat dolore et ira. Juno was on fire with (because of) pain and anger. (NIAWOP)
| Memorandum |
| In most instances, causa cause, reason in the ablative case will be an expression of cause. For its use with an accompanying genitive, see §2.7 above. |
2.36 ABLATIVE OF PLACE FROM WHICH/SEPARATION/ORIGIN (ItL Ch4)
The ablative of place from where/separation/origin can be recognized by:
- the preposition a/ab, de, or e/ex (these uses may also occur without a preposition)
- a noun in the ablative, usually with the semantic feature place
- a verb or expression meaning to move from a place (e.g. proficisor, abeo), to set free, be absent, deprive (e.g. privo, libero, egeo), to be in need of (opus est), to be born (nascor)
A prepositional phrase of this sort answers the question quo a/de/e loco? from what place?. This semantic category is often extended to include separation from a person or a thing.
Examples:
Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset, maturavit ab urbe proficisci. When this had been announced to Caesar, he hastened to set out from the city. (Ceasar)
Exercitus Romanus de monte decurrit. The Roman army ran down from the mountain.
Ex hac filia nati sunt duo filii. From this daughter were born two sons.
L. Iunius Brutus, sorore regis natus L. Junius Brutus, son of the king’s sister or born from the sister of the king (NIAWOP)
Parentes militum domibus pellebantur. The parents of soldiers were driven from their homes. (NIAWOP)
Ille timor mentibus excessit. That fear departed from their minds/left their minds. (NIAWOP)
ut eum subole privaret,… in order to deprive him of offspring (NIAWOP)
2.37 ABLATIVE OF PLACE WHERE (ItL Ch4)
The ablative of place where is usually expressed with the preposition in in, on. The preposition is often omitted with indefinite words, such as loco and parte, and frequently when the ablative noun is modified by an adjective. With the adjective totus whole, all, the preposition is regularly omitted.
Examples:
In urbe habitabamus. We were living in the city.
Nec deinde in terris Romulus fuit. And then Romulus was not on the earth.
Caesar Brutum filii loco habebat. Caesar held Brutus in the place of a son. (NIAWOP)
media urbe in the middle of the city (NIAWOP)
tota Sicilia throughout Sicily or in the whole of Sicily (NIAWOP)
2.38 ABLATIVE OF MANNER (ItL Ch5)
The ablative of manner indicates the way in which something is done. It is usually expressed with the preposition cum with, but if the ablative noun is modified by an adjective, the preposition is frequently omitted. The ablative of manner can be recognized by:
- the preposition cum (this use may also occur without a preposition if an adjective is present) or its opposite sine without
- a noun in the ablative, usually with the semantic feature abstract
A prepositional phrase of this sort answers the question quo modo? in what manner?. When both an adjective and the preposition cum are present, the word order is frequently adj + cum + noun. With nouns denoting manner, cum is not used, even if there is no accompanying adjective, e.g., modo manner, pacto way, means, ratione reason, vi force, silentio silence, iure lawfully, iniuria unjustly, with injury.
| Memorandum |
| The ablative of manner can often be translated into English with an adverb, e.g., cum cura with care or carefully. |
Examples:
Cum celeritate venit. He came with speed/quickly.
Sine cura filiae laborant. The daughters work without care/carelessly.
summa cum laude with highest praise
Summa celeritate venit. He came with the greatest speed. (NIAWOP)
Maximo periculo custoditur quod multis placet. What pleases many is guarded with the greatest danger. (NIAWOP)
Hoc modo eos interfecit. In this manner he killed them. (NIAWOP)
2.39 ABLATIVE OF ACCOMPANIMENT (ItL Ch5)
The ablative of accompaniment, regulary expressed with the preposition cum with or sine without, indicates the person or thing with whom or which something is done. When used with a pronoun, it is placed behind the pronoun and forms one word with it (e.g. tecum).
Examples:
Cum amicis laborat. He works with his friends.
Troiani cum Graecis pugnant. The Trojans fight with the Greeks.
Caesar sine magno exercitu Romam venit. Caesar came to Rome without a large army.
Ille est homo quocum loqui volo. That is the person with whom I wish to speak.
Omnes libros mecum feram. I will bring all my books with me.
2.40 ABLATIVE OF AGENT (ItL Ch14)
Passive verbs are very commonly modified by a prepositional phrase with a/ab and a noun in the ablative with the semantic characteristic animate. In this use, the preposition a/ab is to be translated by and the noun in the ablative names the agent of the verb. This prepositional phrase is commonly called the ablative of agent. The ablative of agent of a passive verb can be recognized by:
- the preposition a/ab by
- a noun in the ablative with the semantic feature animate
- the presence of a passive verb
A prepositional phrase of this sort answers the question a quo? by whom?.
Examples:
Laudatus est a consule Cornelio Tacito. He was praised by the consul Cornelius Tacitus. (Pliny II.1.6)
Remus a Celere centurione rastro fertur occisus esse. Remus is said to have been killed by a centurion Celer with a hoe.
| Memorandum |
| Check to make sure that you have both a passive verb and an animate object of a/ab before translating the preposition as by. Even with a passive verb, if the noun used with the preposition a/ab is non-animate, the prepositional phrase expresses place from which, not agent, and a/ab means from, away from. E.g., Miles ab urbe missus est. The soldier was sent from the city. An animate noun found as the object of a/ab with an active verb expresses place from which or separation: Canis a puero currit. The dog runs away from the boy. |
2.41 ABLATIVE OF DESCRIPTION OR QUALITY (ItL Ch32)
The ablative of description or quality is an adjectival modifier, i.e., it modifies a noun rather than a verb. There is never a Latin preposition with this use. The ablative of description always has an adjective modifying it.
| Memorandum |
| The ablative of description is the syntactic equivalent of an adjective. While it is usually used attributively to modify a noun, it is sometimes found as a subject complement in a linking sentence pattern. In both uses, it is normally translated with of. |
Examples:
Aristoteles, vir summo ingenio Aristotle, a man of the greatest genius
statua immani magnitudine a statue of immense size
Animo meliore sunt gladiatores. The gladiatores are of a better mind.
2.42 ABLATIVE OBJECT OF SPECIAL INTRANSITIVE VERBS (ItL 7, 22)
The ablative in the environment of certain intransitive deponent verbs is the equivalent of the accusative direct object of transitive verbs and is called an ablative object; the sentence pattern is called special intransitive. The ablative is a core element in this pattern. An ablative object can be recognized by:
- a noun in the ablative with no preposition (NIAWOP)
- the presence of verb which raises the expectation of an ablative object
Special intransitive verbs which raise the expectation of an ablative object:
utor, uti, usus use, make use of
fruor, frui, fructus make use of, enjoy
fungor, fungi, functus be engaged in, be busy with, discharge
potior, potiri, potitus take control of, acquire, obtain
vescor, vesci feed on
Example:
Cicero vi verborum usus est. Cicero used the force of words.
In this sentence, Cicero is the subject, usus est the verb, and vi verborum the ablative object.
2.43 ABLATIVE SUBJECT OF AN ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE (ItL Ch17)
The ablative without a preposition is used as the subject of an ablative absolute clause. An ablative absolute can be recognized by the following two features:
- a noun in the ablative without preposition (NIAWOP)
- a present or perfect participle agreeing with the noun in case (abl), number and gender
| Memorandum |
| In an ablative absolute the ablative noun-head of the participle is the subject and the ablative participle is the verb. The ablative noun more often precedes the participle, but it may also follow. In an ablative absolute with a linking pattern, both the subject and subject complement are in the ablative case; such clauses often consist of only the ablative S and SC, as there is no present participle for sum, esse. |
Examples:
His rebus factis,… With these things having been done,…
Fortuna fortes adiuvante, periculum vincitur. With Fortune helping the brave, danger is overcome.
vulneratis tribus Albanis,… with the three Albans wounded,…
Illo duce, nihil timebimus. With that man as leader, we will fear nothing.
L. Cornelio Lentulo, Fulvio Flacco consulibus,… in the consulship of Lentulus and Flaccus or with Lentulus and Flaccus being/as consuls