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Ablatives

Types of ablatives

  1. cum to indicate ACCOMPANIMENT:
    • Cum amīcō id scrīsit. He wrote it with his friend.
  2. cum to indicate MANNER (whether or not an adjective is used):
    • Cum cūrā id scrīpsit. He wrote it with care.
  3. in and sub to indicate PLACE WHERE:
    • In urbe id scrīpsit. He wrote it in the city.
  4. ab, dē, ex to indicate PLACE FROM WHICH:
    • Ex urbe id mīsit. He sent if from the city.
  5. ab, dē, ex to indicate SEPARATION:
    • Ab urbe eōs prohibuit. He kept them from the city.
  6. ab to indicate PERSONAL AGENT:
    • Ab amīcō id scrīptum est. It was written by his friend.
  7. ex or dē following certain CARDINAL NUMERALS to indicate a group of which some part is specified:
    • Trēs ex nāvibus discessērunt. Three of the ships departed

  1. MEANS/INSTRUMENT:
    • Suā manū id scrīpsit. He wrote it with his own hand.
  2. MANNER, when an adjective is used:
    • Magnā cūrā id scrīpsit. He wrote it with great care.
  3. TIME WHEN/WITHIN WHICH:
    • Eō tempore or ūnā hōrā id scrīpsit. He wrote it at that time or in one hour.
  4. SEPARATION, especially with ideas of freeing, lacking, depriving:
    • Metū eōs līberāvit. He freed them from fear.
  5. ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE:
    • Caesare Gallos captante, Romani gaudent. With Caesar capturing the Gauls, Romans rejoice.

Ablatives of Means or Instrument

  • by means of what; with what was the action performed?
  • ablative noun without preposition
Ex: Litterās stilō scrīpsit.

He wrote the letter with a pencil.

Ex: Cīvēs pecūniā vīcit.

He conquered the citizens with/by money

Ablatives of Accompaniment

  • in whose company was the action performed.
  • cum + ablative
Ex: Cum amīcīs vēnērunt.

They came with friends. (= with whom?)

Ex: Id cum eīs fēcit.

He did it with them (= with whom?)

Ablatives of Manner

  • in what manner was the action performed.
  • cum + ablative
Ex: Cum celeritāte vēnērunt.

They came with speed. (= how?)

Ex: Id cum virtūte fēcit.

He did it with courage (= how?)

Ablatives with Cardinal Numerals

  • cardinal numerals (other than mīlia)/quīdam (a certain one)/paucī + ex/dē + ablative
Ex: trēs ex amīcīs meīs.

three of my friends.

Ex: quīnque ex eīs.

five of them.

Ex: quīdam ex eīs.

a certain one of them.

Ex: centum ex virīs.

100 of the man.

Ex: paucī ex amīcīs.

a few of the friends.

Ablatives with Cardinal Numerals

  • In Latin, the Romans indicate the TIME WHEN OR WITHIN WHICH an action occurred by using the ablative without a preposition.
  • When translating to English, you usually must supply "at", "on," "in," or "within," depending upon English idiom as it indicates DURATION OF TIME
Ex: Eō tempore nōn poteram id facere.

At that time I could not do it.

Ex: Agricolae bonīs annīs valēbant.

In good years the farmers flourished.

Ex: Eōdem diē vēnērunt.

They came (on) the same day.

Ex: Aestāte lūdēbant.

In the summer they used to play.

Ex: Paucīs hōrīs id faciet.

In (within) a few hours he will do it.

Ablatives of Personal Agent

  • The ABLATIVE OF AGENT represents by whom the action of a passive verb is performed.
    • ā/ab + ablative
  • The ABLATIVE OF MEANS represents the means by which the action is accomplished.
    • no preposition before ablative
Ex: Caesar ā dīs admonētur.

Caesar is warned by the gods. (Agent)

Ex: Caesar hīs prōdigiīs admonētur.

Caesar is warned by these omens. (Means)

Ex: Urbs ab malīs virīs dēlēbātur.

The city was being destroyed by evil men. (Agent)

Ex: Urbs flammīs dēlēbātur.

The city was being destroyed by flames. (Means)

Ex: Patria ab hīs cīvibus cōnservābitur.

The country will be saved by these citizens. (Agent)

Ex: Patria armīs et vēritāte cōnservābitur.

The country will be saved by arms and truth. (Means)

Ablative of Place From Which

  • The ABLATIVE OF PLACE FROM WHICH regularly involves a verb of active motion from one place to another.
    • The ablative is governed by one of the prepositions ab, dē, or ex (away from, down from, out of)
Ex: Graecī ā patriā suā ad Italiam nāvigāvērunt.

The Greeks sailed from their (own) country.

Ex: Flūmen dē montibus in mare flūxit.

The river flowed down from the mountains into the sea.

Ex: Multī ex agrīs in urbem venient.

Many will come from the country into the city.

Ex: Cicero hostēs ab urbe mīsit.

Cicero sent the enemy away from the city.

Ablative of Separation

  • The ABLATIVE OF SEPARATION implies only that some person or thing is separate from another.
    There is no movement from one place to another and sometimes there is no preposition.
    • Look for certain verbs meaning "to free," "to lack," and "to deprive".
Ex: Cicerō hostēs ab urbe prohibuit.

Cicero kept the enemy away from the city.

Ex: Eōs timōre līberāvit.

He freed them from fear.

Ex: Agricolae pecūniā saepe carēbant.

The farmers were often lacking money.

Ablative of Place Where

  • A noun in the ablative, typically with in (in/on) or sub (under), describing where someone or something is located or an action is occuring
    • Look for certain words like in and sub.
Ex: In magnā casā vīvunt.

They live in a large house.

Ex: Nāvis sub aquā fuit.

The ship was under water.

Ablative Absolute

  • Type of participial phrase.
    • Noun/Pronoun + modifying participle in ablative case
    • Usually set off by commas
  • Always contained in the same clause.
    • Does not modify anything from the main clause.
    • The ablative absolute stays away from the main clause.
    • Nothing/No one in the ablative absolute should participate in the main clause.
  • Recognizing the Structure of the Ablative Absolute:
    • Ablative Noun + Ablative Participle, Main Clause
  • Translating the Ablative Absolute:
    • Can be directly translated using "with".
    • Use "when," "since," "although," "if" for a more natural translation (when appropriate).
    • With the verb "to be" generally not present in an ablative absolute, substitute "being" when translating to English.
Ex: Caesare capto, Romani timent.
With Caesar having been captured, Romans are afraid.

Because Caesar has been captured, Romans are afraid.

Ex: Caesare duce, Romani gaudent.

With Caesar being general, the Romans rejoice.