Such an ablative is translated by than: as, (a.) lūce sunt clāriōra nōbīs tua cōnsilia, C. 1, 6, your schemes are plainer to us than day. ō mātre pulchrā fīlia pulchrior, H. 1, 16, 1, O daughter fairer than a mother fair. Particularly in sentences of negative import: as, quis Karthāginiēnsium plūris fuit Hannibale? Sest. 142, of all the sons of Carthage, who was rated higher than Hannibal? nec mihī̆ est tē iūcundius quicquam nec cārius, Fam. 2, 10, 1, and there is nothing in the world nearer and dearer to me than you. (b.) illud cōgnōscēs profectō, mihī̆ tē neque cāriōrem neque iūcundiōrem esse quemquam, Fam. 2, 3, 2, one thing I am sure you will see, that there is nobody nearer and dearer to me than you.
1321. (2.) The ablative of comparison is similarly used when the first member of comparison is an accusative of the object: as,
exēgī monumentum aere perennius, H. 3, 30, 1, I have builded up a monument more durable than bronze. Particularly so in sentences of negative import: as, hōc mihī̆ grātius facere nihil potes, Fam. 13, 44, you can do nothing for me more welcome than this. Also with predicate adjectives dependent on a verb of thinking (1167): as, Hērodotum cūr vērāciōrem dūcam Enniō? Div. 2, 116, why should I count Herodotus any more truthful than Ennius? Regularly when the second member of comparison is a relative: as, quā pecude nihil genuit nātūra fēcundius, DN. 2, 160, nature has created nothing more prolific than this animal, i.e. the sow.
1322. (3.) In poetry, the ablative of comparison may be used with the first member of comparison in any case: as, Lūcīlī rītū, nostrūm meliōris utrōque, H. S. 2, 1, 29, after Lucilius’s way, a better man than thou or I.
1323. (4.) In sentences of negative import, the ablative is sometimes used with alter and alius, as with a comparative: as, neque mēst alter quisquam, Pl. As. 492, and there’s no other man than I. nec quicquam aliud lībertāte commūnī quaesīsse, Brut. and Cass. in Fam. 11, 2, 2, and to have aimed at nothing else than freedom for all. But in prose, quam is commonly used.
1324. (1.) The second member of comparison is often introduced by quam, than, or in poetry by atque or ac. This member, whatever the case of the first member, is sometimes made the subject of a form of sum in a new sentence: as,
meliōrem quam ego sum suppōnō tibī̆, Pl. Cur. 256, I give you as a substitute a better than I am myself. verba M. Varrōnis, hominis quam fuit Claudius doctiōris, Gell. 10, 1, 4, the words of Varro, a better scholar than Claudius ever was. ut tibī̆ maiōrī quam Āfricanus fuit, mē adiūnctum esse patiāre, Fam. 5, 7, 3, so that you will allow me to be associated with you, a bigger man than Africanus ever was.
1325. (2.) When the first member is in the nominative or accusative, quam is commonly a mere coordinating word, with both members in the same case: as,
(a.) plūris est oculātus testis ūnus quam aurītī decem, Pl. Tru. 490, a single witness with an eye rates higher than a dozen with the ear. (b.) tū velim exīstimēs nēminem cuiquam neque cāriōrem neque iūcundiōrem umquam fuisse quam tē mihī̆, Fam. 1, 9, 24, I hope you will be convinced that nobody was ever nearer and dearer to anybody than you to me.
1326. An introductory ablative of a demonstrative or relative pronoun sometimes precedes the construction with quam: as, quid hōc est clārius, quam omnīs Segestae mātrōnās et virginēs convēnisse? V. 4, 77, what fact is there better known than this, to wit, that all the women in Segesta, married and single, came streaming together?
1327. The ablative is sometimes used with comparative adverbs also.
So particularly in sentences of negative import: as, nihil lacrimā citius ārēscit, Corn. 2, 50, nothing dries up quicker than a tear. Less frequently in positive sentences in prose: as, fortūna, quae plūs cōnsilīs hūmānīs pollet, contrāxit certāmen, L. 44, 40, 3, fortune, who is mightier than the devices of man, precipitated the engagement. Very commonly, however, quam is used with comparative adverbs.
1328. Designations of number or extent are often qualified by amplius, longius, or plūs, over, or by minus, under.
The word thus qualified is put in the case which the context would require without any such qualification: as, plūs septingentī captī, L. 41, 12, 8, over seven hundred were taken prisoners. tēcum plūs annum vīxit, Q. 41, he lived with you over a year (1151). cum equīs plūs quīngentīs, L. 40, 32, 6, with over five hundred horses. Less frequently with quam. When these words are felt as real substantives in the nominative or accusative, the ablative of comparison may be used (1320): as, plūs trīduō, RA. 74, more than three days.
1329. In expressions of age with nātus, the adjectives maior and minor are used as well as amplius and minus, and with the same construction (1328): as, annōs nātus maior quadrāgintā, RA. 39, over forty years old. For other constructions, see the dictionary. Similarly conlēctus aquae digitum nōn altior ūnum, Lucr. 4, 414, a pool no deeper than a finger’s breadth (1130). But commonly with comparative adjectives of extent, quam is used, or the ablative (1320): as, palūs nōn lātior pedibus quīnquāgintā, 7, 19, 1, a marsh not wider than fifty feet.
1330. With a comparative adjective or adverb, the ablatives opīniōne, exspectātiōne, and spē, and some others, chiefly in poetry, take the place of a sentence with quam: as,
opīniōne melius, Pl. Cas. 338, better than you thought. minōra opīniōne, Caes. C. 2, 31, 5, more insignificant than is thought. lātius opīniōne dissēminātum est hoc malum, C. 4, 6, this infection is more sweeping than anybody dreams. spē omnium sērius, L. 2, 3, 1, later than was generally expected.
1331. (1.) Singular proper names of towns and of little islands are put in the locative to denote the place in or at which action occurs: as,
quid Rōmae faciam? mentīrī nescio, J. 3, 41, what can I do in Rome? I don’t know how to lie. Corinthī et Karthāginī, Agr. 2, 90, at Corinth and at Carthage. Lacedaemonī, N. praef. 4, in Lacedaemon. Tīburī, Att. 16, 3, 1, at Tibur. Rhodī, Fam. 4, 7, 4, at Rhodes. mānsiōnēs diutinae Lēmnī, T. Ph. 1012, protracted stays at Lemnos (1301). Sometimes in dates: as, data Thessalonīcae, Att. 3, 20, 3, given at Thessalonica (1307). The locative rarely means near: as, Antiī, L. 22, 1, 10, round about Antium. In Plautus only two singular town names with consonant stems occur, and these regularly in the locative, Carthāginī and Sicyōnī, three times each; once in a doubtful example, Sicyōne, Cist. 128. Terence has no examples of these stems. From Cicero on, the locative ablative is commoner with them (1343).
1332. With an adjective attribute also, the locative is used: as, Teānī Āpulī, Clu. 27, at the Apulian Teanum. Suessae Auruncae, L. 32, 9, 3, at the Auruncan Suessa. The appellative forum, market place, used, with an attribute, as a proper name, is sometimes put in the accusative with ad: as, Claternae, ad Forum Cornēlium, Fam. 12, 5, 2, at Claterna and at Forum Cornelium; sometimes in the locative ablative: Forō Iūlī, Plin. Ep. 5, 19, 7.
1333. When the locative is further explained by an appellative following, the appellative is put in the locative ablative, either alone, or with in: as, Antiochīae, celebrī quondam urbe, Arch. 4, at Antioch, once a bustling town. Neāpolī, in celeberrimō oppidō, RabP. 26, at Neapolis, a town swarming with people. An appellative in the ablative with in may be further defined by a proper name in the locative: as, duābus in īnsulīs, Melitae et Samī, V. 5, 184, in two islands—at Melita and Samos. in oppidō, Antiochīae, Att. 5, 18, 1, within town walls—at Antioch. in sēcessū, Apollōniae, Suet. Aug. 94, out of town—at Apollonia. Or in the ablative: as, in oppidō Citiō, N. 5, 3, 4, in the town of Citium. in urbe Rōmā, L. 39, 14, 7, in the city of Rome.
1334. In Plautus, singular town names with stems in -ā- or -o- are put in the locative ten or twelve times, in the ablative with in some fifteen times. Three such have only in, never the locative: in Anactoriō, Poen. 896, in Seleuciā, Tri. 901, in Spartā, Poen. 663; furthermore, in Epidamnō, Men. 267, 380 twice, in Ephesō, B. 309, MG. 441, 778, and in Epidaurō, Cur. 341, 429, E. 540, 541, 554, but also Epidamnī, Men. prol. 51, Ephesī, B. 336, 1047, MG. 648, and Epidaurī, E. 636. Terence, who has only -o- stems, uses the locative six times, the ablative with in four times: only with in: in Andrō, Andr. 931, in Imbrō, Hec. 171. Furthermore in Lēmnō, Ph. 873, 1004 but also Lēmnī, Ph. 680, 942, 1013. Also Mīlētī, Ad. 654, Rhodī, Eu. 107, Sūniī, Eu. 519.
1335. A town name is sometimes put in the ablative with in by assimilation with a parallel in: as, in Illyricō, in ipsā Alexandrēā, Att. 11, 16, 1, in Illyricum, and at Alexandrea itself. Antiochum in Syriā, Ptolemaeum in Alexandrīā esse, L. 42, 26, 7. that Antiochus was in Syria, Ptolemy at Alexandria. in mōnte Albānō Lāvīniōque, L. 5, 52, 8, on the Alban mount and at Lavinium. Also without assimilation: as, nāvis et in Caiētā est parāta nōbīs et Brundusiī, Att. 8, 3, 6, we have a vessel all chartered, one in Cajeta and one at Brundusium. in Hispalī, Caes. C. 2, 18, 1, in Hispalis.
1336. With country names, the locative is very exceptional: as, Chersonēsī, N. 1, 2, 4, at the Peninsula. Aegyptī, Val. M. 4, 1, 15, in Egypt. Similarly Accheruntī, Pl. Cap. 689, 998, Mer. 606, Tru. 749, in Acheron; Accherunte however once: Accheruntest, Pl. Poen. 431. In Sallust, Rōmae Numidiaeque, I. 33, 4, with assimilation of Numidiae to Rōmae.
1337. (2.) The locatives domī, rūrī, humī, and rarely orbī, are used like proper names of towns: as,
(a.) cēnābō domī, Pl. St. 482, I shall dine at home. Metaphorically, domī est, nāscitur, or habeō, I can get at home, I need not go abroad for, or I have in plenty: as, id quidem domī est, Att. 10, 14, 2, as for that, I have it myself. With a possessive pronoun or aliēnus in agreement, either the locative is used, or the ablative with in; for domuī, as, Off. 3, 99, see 594; with other adjectives the ablative with in. (b.) rūrī, T. Ph. 363, up in the country; for rūre, see 1344 and 1345. (c.) humī, on the ground, or to the ground, in Terence first: as, hunc ante nostram iānuam appōne :: obsecrō, humīne? T. Andr. 724, set down this baby at our door :: good gracious; on the ground? iacēre humī, C. 1, 26, sleeping on bare ground. (d.) orbī with terrae or terrārum: as, amplissimum orbī terrārum monumentum, V. 4, 82, the grandest monument in the wide wide world.
1338. The locatives bellī, older du͡ellī, and mīlitiae are sometimes used in contrast with domī: as, domī du͡ellīque, Pl. Cap. prol. 68, domī bellīque, L. 2, 50, 11, domī mīlitiaeque, TD. 5, 55, mīlitiae et domī, T. Ad. 495, at home and in the field. Rarely without domī: as, bellī, RP. 2, 56, mīlitiae, S. I. 84, 2.
1339. (3.) Other appellatives rarely have the locative: as, proxumae vīcīniae, Pl. B. 205, MG. 273, in the next neighbourhood. terrae, L. 5, 51, 9, in the earth. With verbs of suspense, doubt, and distress, and with many adjectives, animī, in soul, is not infrequent; and animī being mistaken for a genitive, mentis is also used: as, dēsipiēbam mentis, Pl. E. 138, I was beside myself. Oftener animō (1344).
1340. Many original locatives have become set as adverbs: as, peregrī, abroad. Particularly of pronouns: as, illī, Pl. Am. 249, off there, oftener illīc; istī or istīc, hīc; sometimes further defined by an added expression: as, hīc vīcīniae, T. Ph. 95, here in the neighbourhood. hīc proxumae vīcīniae, MG. 273, here in the house next door. hīc in Veneris fānō me͡a͡e vīcīniae, Pl. R. 613, here, in the shrine of Venus, in my neighbourhood. hīc Rōmae, Arch. 5, here in Rome.
1341. The locative proper sometimes denotes time when: as, lūcī, by light, temperī, betimes, herī or here, yesterday, vesperī, at evening, herī vesperī, DO. 2, 13, last evening. In Plautus, diē septimī, Men. 1156, Per. 260, on the seventh day, māne sānē septimī, Men. 1157, bright and early on the seventh, diē crāstinī, Most. 881, tomorrow. Often with an adjective juxtaposed: as, postrīdiē, the day after, postrīdiē māne, Fam. 11, 6, 1, early next day, cōtīdiē, each day, daily, prīdiē, the day before.
(B.) THE ABLATIVE USED AS LOCATIVE.
1342. (1.) Plural proper names of towns and of little islands are put in the locative ablative to denote the place in or at which action occurs: as,
mortuus Cūmīs, L. 2, 21, 5, he died at Cumae. Athēnīs tenue caelum, crassum Thēbīs, Fat. 7, in Athens the air is thin, at Thebes it is thick. locus ostenditur Capreīs, Suet. Tib. 62, the place is pointed out at Capreae. Rarely with substantives of action (1301): as, mānsiō Formiīs, Att. 9, 5, 1, the stay at Formiae. With an attribute: Athēnīs tuīs, Att. 16, 6, 2, in your darling Athens. Curibus Sabīnīs, L. 1, 18, 1, at the Sabine Cures.
1343. (2.) Singular proper names of towns with consonant stems are oftener put in the locative ablative than in the locative proper: as,
adulēscentium gregēs Lacedaemone vīdimus, TD. 5, 77, we have seen the companies of young men in Lacedaemon. Karthāgine, Att. 16, 4, 2, at Carthage. Tībure, H. E. 1, 8, 12, at Tibur. Nārbōne, Ph. 2, 76, at Narbo. See 1331. So also Acherunte, Lucr. 3, 984, in Acheron. Calydōne et Naupāctō, Caes. C. 3, 35, 1, at Calydon and Naupactus, with Naupāctō attracted by Calydōne. With an attribute: Carthāgine Novā, L. 28, 17, 11, at New Carthage. Acherunte profundō, Lucr. 3, 978, in vasty Acheron.
1344. (3.) A few general appellatives are used in the locative ablative without an attribute, especially in set expressions, to denote the place where: as,
terrā marīque, IP. 48, by land and sea; less commonly marī atque terrā, S. C. 53, 2, by sea and land. dextrā Pīraeus, sinistrā Corinthus, Cael. in Fam. 4, 5, 4, Piraeus on the right, Corinth on the left. Rarely, rūre, Pl. Cas. 110, H. E. 1, 7, 1, in the country, for rūrī (1337). So animō, animīs, with verbs of feeling: as, angor animō, Br. 7, I am distressed in soul, or I am heart-broken. Metaphorically: locō, (a.) in the right place, also suō locō, or in locō. (b.) locō, instead; numerō, in the category, both with a genitive. prīncipiō, initiō, in the beginning.
1345. Certain appellatives, with an attribute, often denote the place where by the locative ablative; so especially locō, locīs, rūre, librō, librīs, parte, partibus: as, remōtō, salūbrī, amoenō locō, Fam. 7, 20, 2, in a sequestered, healthy, and picturesque nook. idōneō locō, 3, 17, 5, in an advantageous spot. inīquō locō, 5, 51, 1, on unsuitable ground. campestribus ac dēmissīs locīs, 7, 72, 3, in level and sunken places. rūre meō, H. E. 1, 15, 17, at my own country box. rūre paternō, H. E. 1, 18, 60, J. 6, 55, on the ancestral farm. aliō librō, Off. 2, 31, in another book.
1346. Substantives are often used in the locative ablative with tōtus in agreement, less often with cūnctus, omnis, or medius, to denote the place where: as, tōtā Galliā, 5, 55, 3, all over Gaul. tōtīs trepidātur castrīs, 6, 37, 6, there is a panic all over the camp. omnibus oppidīs, V. 2, 136, in all the towns. omnibus oppidīs maritimīs, Caes. C. 3, 5, 1, in all the seaports. mediā urbe, L. 1, 33, 8, in the heart of Rome. But sometimes in is used, or the accusative with per.
1347. (4.) With country names and most appellatives, the place where is generally expressed by the ablative with in. But even without an attribute, the ablative alone is sometimes used, especially in poetry: as,
Ītaliā, V. 1, 263, in Italy, lītore, V. 1, 184, upon the beach, corde, V. 1, 209, in heart, pectore, V. 1, 657, in breast, thalamō, H. 1, 15, 16, in bower, umerō, V. 1, 501, on shoulder, Ēsquiliīs, DN. 3, 63, on the Esquiline. Once in Plautus Ālide, Cap. 330, in Elis, but eight times in Ālide.
1348. The locative ablative is sometimes used with such verbs as teneō and recipiō: as, (a.) Ariovistus exercitum castrīs continuit, 1, 48, 4, Ariovistus kept his infantry in camp. oppidō sēsē continēbant, 2, 30, 2, they kept inside the town. (b.) oppidīs recipere, 2, 3, 3, to receive inside their towns. rēx ecquis est, qui senātōrem tēctō ac domō nōn invītet? V. 4, 25, is there a monarch in the wide world that would not welcome a senator to house and home?
1349. The locative ablative is used with fīdō and cōnfīdō, glōrior, laetor, nītor, stō, and with frētus: as, barbarī cōnfīsī locī nātūrā in aciē permānsērunt, 8, 15, 1, the natives, trusting in the nature of their position, kept their stand in battle array. superiōribus vīctōriis frētī, 3, 21, 1, relying on their former victories. For other constructions with these words, see the dictionary.
Time at which or Time within which.
1350. (1.) The locative ablative is used to denote the point of time at which action occurs.
So particularly of substantives denoting periods or points of time, thus: hieme, 5, 1, 1, in the winter. Kalendīs, H. Epod. 2, 70, upon the first, i.e. of the month. Generally with an attribute: as, prīmō vēre, 6, 3, 4, in the first month of spring. Mārtiīs Kalendīs, H. 3, 8, 1, upon the first of March. With a parallel locative (1341): vesperī eōdem diē, Att. 8, 5, 1, the evening of the same day.
1351. Words not in themselves denoting periods or points of time, are in the same way put in the ablative: as,
patrum nostrōrum memoriā, 1, 12, 5, in the memory of our fathers. nōn modo illīs Pūnicīs bellīs, sed etiam hāc praedōnum multitūdine, V. 4, 103, not only in the Punic wars of yore, but also in the present swarm of pirates. proxumīs comitiīs, 7, 67, 7, at the last election. spectāculīs, Att. 2, 19, 3, at the shows. Especially substantives of action in -tus or -sus (235): as, sōlis occāsū, 1, 50, 3, at sunset. adventū in Galliam Caesaris, 5, 54, 2, at Caesar’s arrival in Gaul. eōrum adventū, 7, 65, 5, after these people came. discessū cēterōrum, C. 1, 7, when the rest went away.
1352. (2.) The locative ablative is used to denote the space of time within which action occurs: as,
paucīs diēbus opus efficitur, 6, 9, 4, the job is finished up in a few days. tribus hōris Aduātucam venīre potestis, 6, 35, 8, in three hours you can get to Aduatuca. quae hīc mōnstra fīunt, annō vix possum ēloquī, Pl. Most. 505, what ghost-transactions take place here I scarce could tell you in a year. cum ad oppidum Senonum Vellaunodūnum vēnisset, id bīduō circumvāllāvit, 7, 11, 1, arriving at Vellaunodunum, a town of the Senons, in two days time he invested it. quicquid est, bīduō sciēmus, Att. 9, 14, 2, whatever it may be, we shall know in a couple of days.
1353. The ablative of the time at or within which action occurs is sometimes accompanied by in: as, in bellō, 6, 1, 3, in the war. in tempore, T. Hau. 364, in the nick of time. in adulēscentiā, Pl. B. 410, in my young days. in tālī tempore, Lucr. 1, 93, L. 22, 35, 7, in such a stress, at such an hour. in hōc trīduō, Pl. Ps. 316, within the next three days. Especially of repeated action, in the sense of a or every, with numerals: as, ter in annō, Pl. B. 1127, RA. 132, three times a year. in hōrā saepe ducentōs versūs dictābat, H. S. 1, 4, 9, two hundred verses in an hour he’d often dictate off. But occasionally without in: as, mē deciēns diē ūnō extrūdit aedibus, Pl. Aul. 70, ten times a day he thrusts me from the house. septiēns diē, L. 28, 6, 10, seven times a day.
1354. An ablative of the time within which action occurs is sometimes followed by a relative pronoun sentence, with the relative pronoun likewise in the ablative: as, quadrīduō, quō haec gesta sunt, rēs ad Chrȳsogonum dēfertur, RA. 20, within the four days space in which this occurred, the incident is reported to Chrysogonus, i.e. four days after this occurred. diēbus decem, quibus māteria coepta erat conportārī, omnī opere effectō, 4, 18, 1, the job being all done ten days after the carting of the stuff had begun.
1355. The ablative is exceptionally used to denote duration of time: as,
tōtā nocte continenter iērunt, 1, 26, 5, they went on and on all night without interruption. Regularly, however, the accusative (1151); but the ablative is common in inscriptions.
(A.) THE ABLATIVE OF ATTENDANCE.
The Ablative of Accompaniment.
1356. A few indefinite designations of military forces denote accompaniment by the ablative alone, or oftener with cum: as,
(a.) ad castra Caesaris omnibus cōpiīs contendērunt, 2, 7, 3, they marched upon Caesar’s camp with all their forces. omnibus cōpiīs ad Ilerdam proficīscitur, Caes. C. 1, 41, 2, he marches before Ilerda, horse, foot, and dragoons. (b.) is cīvitātī persuāsit, ut cum omnibus cōpiīs exīrent, 1, 2, 1, well, this man induced the community to emigrate in a body, bag and baggage.
1357. The participles iūnctus and coniūnctus take the ablative of the thing joined with: as, dēfēnsiōne iūncta laudātiō, Br. 162, a eulogy combined with a defence. But sometimes the ablative with cum is used, or the dative (1186).
1358. (1.) Certain substantives without an attribute are put in the ablative alone to denote manner; but usually substantives without an attribute have cum.
(a.) Such adverbial ablatives are iūre and iniūriā, ratiōne et viā, silentiō, vitiō, ōrdine, sponte, cōnsuētūdine, &c.: as, Arātus iūre laudātur, Off. 2, 81, Aratus is justly admired. iniūriā suspectum, C. 1, 17, wrongfully suspected. in omnibus, quae ratiōne docentur et viā, O. 116, in everything that is taught with philosophic method. silentiō ēgressus, 7, 58, 2, going out in silence. cēnsōrēs vitiō creātī, L. 6, 27, 5, censors irregularly appointed. ōrdine cūncta exposuit, L. 3, 50, 4, he told the whole story from beginning to end, i.e. with all the particulars. (b.) With cum: face rem hanc cum cūrā gerās, Pl. Per. 198, see that this job with care thou dost. cum virtūte vīvere, Fin. 3, 29, to live virtuously.
1359. (2.) The ablative of a substantive with an attribute is often used to denote manner, sometimes with cum: as,
(a.) ī pede faustō, H. E. 2, 2, 37, go with a blessing on thy foot. dat sonitū magnō strāgem, Lucr. 1, 288, it deals destruction with a mighty roar. ferārum rītū sternuntur, L. 5, 44, 6, they throw themselves down beast-fashion. apis Matīnae mōre modōque operōsa carmina fingō, H. 4, 2, 27, in way and wise of Matin bee laborious lays I mould. ‘indoctus’ dīcimus brevī prīmā litterā, ‘īnsānus’ prōductā, ‘inhūmānus’ brevī, ‘īnfēlīx’ longā. O. 159, we pronounce indoctus with the first letter short, īnsānus with it long, inhūmānus with it short, īnfēlīx with it long (167). ternō cōnsurgunt ōrdine rēmī, V. 5, 120, with triple bank each time in concert rise the oars. (b.) Allobroges magnā cum cūrā suōs fīnēs tuentur, 7, 65, 3, the Allobrogans guard their own territory with great care.
1360. With a substantive meaning way or manner, as modō, rītū, &c., feeling or intention, as hāc mente, aequō animō, condition, as eā condiciōne, or a part of the body, as in nūdō capite, bareheaded, cum is not used.
1361. Other expressions denoting manner, particularly prepositional expressions with per, may be found in the dictionary: as, per dolum, 4, 13, 1, by deceit, per iocum, Agr. 2, 96, in fun, per litterās, Att. 5, 21, 13, by letter, in writing, per vim, RA. 32, violently, per praestigiās, V. 4, 53, by some hocus pocus or other, &c., &c. Sometimes the ablative with ex.
1362. (1.) The ablative of a substantive, with a predicate participle in agreement, is used to denote an attendant circumstance of an action.
In this construction, which is called the Ablative Absolute, (a.) the present participle is sometimes used: as, nūllō hoste prohibente incolumem legiōnem in Nantuātīs perdūxit, 3, 6, 5, with no enemy hindering, he conducted the legion in safety to the Nantuates. Much oftener, however, (b.) the perfect participle: as, hōc respōnsō datō discessit, 1, 14, 7, this answer given he went away. (c.) The future participle is also used in the ablative absolute from Livy on: as, hospite ventūrō, cessābit nēmo tuōrum, J. 14, 59, a visitor to come, your slaves will bustle each and all.
1363. A predicate ablative with a participle meaning made, kept, chosen, or the like, occurs in Cicero, Caesar, Nepos, and Livy, but is rare (1167): as, Dolābellā hoste dēcrētō, Ph. 11, 16, Dolabella having been voted an enemy of the state.
1364. The perfect participles of deponents used actively in the ablative absolute, are chiefly those of intransitive use, such as nātus, mortuus, ortus, profectus. From Sallust on, other perfect deponent participles also are used actively with an accusative. Cicero and Caesar use a few deponent participles, such as ēmeritus, pactus, partītus, dēpopulātus, as passives, and later authors use many other participles so.
1365. (2.) The ablative of a substantive, with a predicate noun in agreement, is often used to denote an attendant circumstance of an action: as,
brevitātem secūtus sum tē magistrō, Fam. 11, 25, 1, I aimed at brevity with you as a teacher. nātus dīs inimīcīs, Pl. Most. 563, born under wrath of gods. M. Messālā et M. Pīsōne cōnsulibus, 1, 2, 1, in the consulship of Messala and Piso. istō praetōre vēnit Syrācūsās, V. 4, 61, in the defendant’s praetorship he came to Syracuse.
1366. The nominative quisque, plerīque, or ipse, sometimes accompanies the ablative absolute: as, causā ipse prō sē dictā, damnātur, L. 4, 44, 10, he is condemned after pleading his case in person.
1367. The ablative absolute may denote in a loose way various relations which might be more distinctly expressed by subordinate sentences.
So particularly: (a.) Time: as, tertiā initā vigiliā exercitum ēdūcit, Caes. C. 3, 54, 2, at the beginning of the third watch he leads the army out. (b.) Cause or means: as, C. Flāminium Caelius religiōne neglēctā cecidisse apud Trāsumēnum scrībit, DN. 2, 8, Caelius writes that Flaminius fell at Trasumene in consequence of his neglect of religious observances. (c.) Concession: as, id paucīs dēfendentibus expugnāre nōn potuit, 2, 12, 2, though the defenders were few, he could not take it by storm. (d.) Hypothesis: as, quae potest esse vītae iūcunditās sublātīs amīcitiīs? Pl. 80, what pleasure can there be in life, if you take friendships away? (e.) Description: as, domum vēnit capite obvolūtō, Ph. 2, 77, he came home with his head all muffled up.
1368. It may be seen from the examples above that a change of construction is often desirable in translating the ablative absolute. Particularly so in many set idiomatic expressions: as, nūllā interpositā morā, Caes. C. 3, 75, 1, without a moment’s delay, instantly. equō admissō, 1, 22, 2, equō citātō, Caes. C. 3, 96, 3, full gallop. clāmōre sublātō, 7, 12, 5, with a round of cheers. bene rē gestā salvos redeō, Pl. Tri. 1182, crowned with success I come back safe and sound.
1369. The substantive of the ablative absolute usually denotes a different person or thing from any in the main sentence. But exceptions to this usage sometimes occur: as,
quibus audītīs, eōs domum remittit, 4, 21, 6, after listening to these men, he sends them home again. sī ego mē sciente paterer, Pl. MG. 559, if I should wittingly myself allow, more emphatic than sciēns. sē iūdice nēmo nocēns absolvitur, J. 13, 2, himself the judge, no criminal gets free.
1370. Two ablatives absolute often occur together, of which the first indicates the time, circumstances, or cause of the second: as, exaudītō clāmōre perturbātīs ōrdinibus, 2, 11, 5, the ranks being demoralized from hearing the shouts. cōnsūmptīs omnibus tēlīs gladiīs dēstrictīs, Caes. C. 1, 46, 1, drawing their swords after expending all their missiles.
1371. The substantive is sometimes omitted in the ablative absolute, particularly when it is a general word for a person or a thing which is explained by a relative: as, praemissīs, quī repūrgārent iter, L. 44, 4, 11, sending sappers and miners ahead to clear a way. relātīs ōrdine, quae vīdissent, L. 42, 25, 2, telling circumstantially all they had seen.
1372. The ablative neuter of some perfect participles is used impersonally (1034). This use is rare in old Latin, in classical Latin commonest in Cicero, and afterwards in Livy: as, auspicātō, DN. 2, 11, with auspices taken. sortītō, V. 2, 126, lots being drawn, or by lot. Such ablatives readily become adverbs (704). Substantives are also sometimes used alone: as, austrō, Div. 2, 58, when the wind is south. tranquillitāte, Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 6, when it is calm. serēnō, L. 37, 3, 3, the day being clear.