2.2 GENITIVE
In most uses, the genitive case is an adjectival modifier, i.e., it is used to express the relation of one noun to another. As the object of certain verbs, the genitive has a core function. It is also found as an adverbial modifier with certain adjectives.
Adjectival and adverbial uses of the genitive are usually best translated with the prepositional phrase “of ____.” Some uses of the genitive are better translated with “for ____.”
2.3 POSSESSIVE GENITIVE (ItL CH3)
The possessive genitive is an adjectival modifier. It is used to show the person or thing to which an object, feeling, quality, feeling or action belongs.
Examples:
liber puellae the book of the girl or the girl’s book
animus viri the spirit of the man or the man’s spirit
Ariovisti mors the death of Ariovistus
2.4 PARTITIVE GENITIVE (ItL CH3)
The partitive genitive is an adjectival modifier. It expresses the whole of which a part is mentioned.
Examples:
pars militum part of the soldiers
nemo feminarum no one of the women
animalium fortiora the stronger [of] animals
Omnium Gallorum fortissimi sunt Belgae. Of all the Gauls the bravest are the Belgians. (Caesar, BG)
2.5 OBJECTIVE GENITIVE (ItL CH5)
The objective genitive is an adjectival modifier. It expresses the object with nouns of action, agency, and feeling. An objective genitive is frequently best translated with the prepositions for and from.
Examples:
amor tui love for you
cupiditas regni desire for a kingdom
odium Caesaris hate of Caesar or hatred for Caesar
In this sentence, Caesar is the object of the hatred.
fuga malorum flight from disaster/evils
2.6 GENITIVE WITH ADJECTIVES
The genitive occurs with adjectives denoting desire, knowledge, memory, fullness, power, sharing, guilt, and their opposites. This use of the genitive is an adverbial modifier. The preposition used to translate this use is determined by the meaning of the adjective.
Examples:
iuris peritus skilled in law
memorem vestri, oblitum sui mindful of you, forgetful of himself
coniurationis participes sharing in the conspiracy
plenus aranearum full of cobwebs
cupidus discendi desirous of learning
2.7 GENITIVE WITH GRATIĀ, CAUSĀ (ItL CH10)
The ablatives causā and gratiā can be preceded by an adjectival genitive. The entire phrase is an adverbial modifier of reason or purpose.
Examples:
Civitatis causā pugnate! Fight for the sake of the state!
Exempli gratiā unum dico. I mention one thing for example.
2.8 GENITIVE OBJECT WITH SPECIAL INTRANSITIVE VERBS
There are several groups of verbs which take a genitive object. These include memini to remember and obliviscor to forget. The genitive object is a core element in a special intransitive pattern.
Examples:
obliviscere caedis atque incendiorum forget about slaughter and conflagrations
humanae infirmitatis memini I remember human weakness