15.05.25: Level 3; the locative case (1)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/120525-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of.html

As you saw in the previous post:  [Level 3;  summary of of the uses of the ablative case [3]: prepositions (2)] Latin normally indicates location by using in with the ablative case, for example:

in Ītaliā │ in Italy

in macellō │ in the market

However, with the names of towns and cities, small islands and a few other isolated nouns, the locative case is used. This case existed in Old Latin but was eventually absorbed by the ablative and therefore is not generally listed as a separate case except when there are nouns which have a distinct locative ending. Like the ablative, it denotes ‘in’ or ‘at’ a place, but no preposition is used.

Image #1: The locative endings for 1^st and 2^nd declension singular nouns are the same as the genitive singular.

Image #2: A few town / city names in Latin are plural e.g. Athēnae (Athens), Pompeiī (Pompeii); these names which are first and second declension have a locative case which is the same as the ablative plural:

Image #3: Further examples with the English equivalents:

Pliny the Younger, who provides us with the only written account of the eruption of Vesuvius particularly with reference to his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who died in the eruption, begins the main part of the narrative with:

Erat Mīsēnī classemque imperiō praesēns regēbat. ¦ He was at Misenum and was personally commanding the fleet. [Nominative: Mīsēnum (now: Miseno) > Locative: Mīsēnī]

Image #4: Third declension nouns have a locative case which is the same as the ablative or sometimes the dative.

The definition “small islands” is rather vague and Roman authors are not always consistent in interpreting an island as such hence there are variations where a writer may use a locative case or an ablative; it isn’t something you should lose sleep over (or machete your way through example from literature trying to find exceptions). A rule of thumb is that if the island is small enough to have upon it only one town i.e. one major population centre and / or the island shares the name of the town, then it conforms to the rule that the locative case is used with ‘cities, towns and small islands.’ The island of Rhodes, for example, had several population centres although the city, which had been the capital from c. 408 BC, and the island shared the same name.

Caesar paucōs diēs in Asiā morātus, cum audīsset Pompēium Cyprī vīsum (Caesar) │ Having delayed for a few days in Asia, Caesar, when he had heard that Pompey had been seen in Cyprus …

Samia mihi māter fuit: ea habitābat Rhodī (Terence) │ Samia was my mother: she used to live on Rhodes.

ante paucōs quam obīret diēs, turris Pharī terrae mōtū Capreīs concidit (Suetonius)│ a few days before he died, the Pharos at Capri was thrown down by an earthquake. 

Islands which had several populations centres e.g. Sicily were not classified as small and, therefore, in + ablative was used to express location.

Gāius Syrācūsīs [locative of the town name] ¦ in Siciliā habitat. │ Gaius lives at Syracuse ¦ on Sicily.

Exercise: Complete the sentences by putting the noun in brackets into the locative case.

1. Puerī (Rōma) manent. │ The boys are staying in Rome.
2. Magnum bellum (Troia) erat. │ There was a great war at Troy.
3. Mortuus est (Londīnium). │ He died in London.
4. Domus poētae est (Athēnae). │The poet’s house is in Athens.
5. Ferōciter (Cannae) pugnātum est. │A fierce battle was fought at Cannae.
6. (Syrācūsae) nātus est. │He was born at Syracuse.
7. (Carthāgō) habitat. │ He lives at Carthage.
8. Quid facis in urbe (Cōnstantīnopolis)? │ What are you doing in the city of Constantinople?