superlative adverb
Remove the ending of the superlative adjective and add -ē;
again, even if that superlative form is irregular, it makes no difference
because all the superlative adjectives have the same ending i.e. -us > -ē
pulcherrim¦us > pulcherrimē
fortissimus > fortissimē
facillimus > facillimē
optimus > optimē
Again, the superlative, if no specific comparison is being made,
can translate as “very” + the adverb:
Quid agis? │ How are you doing? > Bene, grātiās
tibi agō. │ Well, thank you. > Optimē, grātiās tibi agō. │ Very well, thank you.
quam + superlative adverb = as …ly as possible
This extract from one of Cicero’s letters shows [i] quam +
the superlative adverb and [ii] the superlative adjective both conveying “as X
as possible”:
simul ac prōgredī coeperō, quam celerrimē poterō, et quam
crēberrimīs litterīs faciam, ut tibi nota sit omnis ratiō diērum atque
itinerum meōrum (Cicero) │ as soon as I start to advance, I shall, as
quickly as I possibly can, and by as frequent letters as possible,
make sure that you are aware of the whole programme of my dates and routes
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