20.12.24: Level 2; the passive voice [4]; present passive; passive agent

[1] A passive statement can stand alone:

Fābula narrātur │ A story is (being) told

Oppidum munītur │ The town is (being) fortified

[2] Often, however, the passive statement is made together with a passive agent; this is the grammatical term that refers to the person by whom the action is performed.

The story is told ¦ by the teacher.

The passive agent is expressed by ā / ab + the ablative case

Fābula ā magistrō narrātur │ The story is (being) told by the teacher

Oppidum ā mīlitibus mūnitur │ The town is (being) fortified by the soldiers

[3] A passive statement may also include by what something is done i.e. something inanimate. Latin then uses the ablative without a preposition = the ablative of means / instrument

Oppidum mūrō altō mūnītur │ The town is fortified by / with / by means of a wall

Oppidum mūrīs firmīs mūnītur │ The town is fortified by / with / by means of  strong walls

[4]

Below is the text again together with questions about the content; note the two different ways in which the question is asked:

[i] Ā quō │ by whom? i.e. the answer is looking for a passive agent expressed by ā / ab + the ablative case

Ā quō fābula narrātur? │ By whom is the story told? [= Who is the story told by?] > Fābula ā magistrō narrātur. │ The story is told ¦ by the teacher [passive agent].

[ii] Quōmodo? │ how? i.e. the answer is looking for an ablative of means or instrument with the ablative alone

Quōmodo oppidum mūnītur? │ How (with what / by what means) is the town fortified? > Oppidum mūrō altō mūnītur. │ The town is fortified by / with / by means of a high wall [ablative of means].

Orbilius magister discipulōs laudat sī dīligenter student. Interdum ā magistrō fābulae nārrantur. Hodiē Orbilius rogat, “Dēsīderātīsne fābulam, puerī?” “Certē, certē, fābulam longam, fābulam longam dēsīderāmus,” puerī clāmant. Tum fābula dē Helenā, fēminā pulchrā Graecā, ab Orbiliō nārrātur.

“In Graeciā Helena habitat. Fēmina pulchrā ā multīs virīs amātur. Troiānus clārus ad Graeciam nāvigat. Fēmina pulchra ā Troiānō vidētur et amātur. Tandem Troiānus fēminam Troiam dūcit. Graecī sunt īrātī; itaque bellum parātur. Arma et frūmentum et armātī onerāriīs ad ōrās Troiānās mittuntur. In ōrīs Troiānīs Graecī castra pōnunt. Troia mūrō altō et portīs frimīs mūnītur. Posteā castra Graecōrum fossā et vallō altō mūniuntur. Graecī Troiānōs nōn timent sed ā Troiānis timentur. Diū bellum geritur. Armātī gladiīs, hastīs sagittīs pugnant. Et Graecī et Troiānī ā virīs clārīs dūcuntur sed deī victōriam nōn dant.”

1. Ā quō fābulae nārrantur?
2. Ā quō fābula dē fēminā pulchrā nārrātur?
3. Ā quō pulchra fēmina vidētur et amātur?
4. Quid ā Graecīs parātur?
5. Quōmodo arma et frūmentum at armātī ad ōrās Troiānās mittuntur?
6. Quōmodo Troia mūnītur?
7. Quōmodo castra Graecōrum mūniuntur?
8. Ā quō Graecī timentur?
9. Quid diū geritur?
10. Ā quō et Graecī et Troiānī dūcuntur?