Compare these two English sentences:
[i] I spoke to another
senator.
[ii] I spoke to the
other senator.
In [i] it is not
stated how many senators are present i.e. the speaker refers to one of a number
of them.
In [ii], by
stating ‘the other’, the speaker makes it clear that only two senators
are present.
We are focussing
here only on [ii].
alter, -a, -um: the
other (of two), the second (of two); it can also function as an ordinal
number with the same meaning as secundus, -a, -um: second
Magnā difficultāte
ad alteram rīpam flūminis pervēnit. │ With great difficulty he reached the
other bank of the river.
Sī quis tē
percusserit in dexterā māxillā tuā praebē illī et alteram (Vulgate) │ If
anyone strikes you on your right cheek, offer him the other one too.
Alterum iter per prōvinciam nostram multō facilius
est │ The other route through our province is much easier.
Sed Gesslerus
"Cūr alteram cēpistī sagittam?" inquit │ But Gesslerus said
“Why did you take the second / other arrow?”
Sed līberātus mox
Tellius superbum hominem alterā illā sagittā necāvit │ But Tellius,
having been freed, soon killed the arrogant man with that second arrow.
Ibi praesidium
pōnit et in alterā parte flūminis │ There he placed the garrison on the other
part of the river.
annō trecentēnsimō
alterō (Livy) │ in the three hundred and second year
Quōrum adventū altera
castra ad alteram oppidī partem pōnit (Caesar) │ On their arrival he
made a second camp on the other part of the town
Helvētiī undique
nātūrā locī continentur, ¦ ūnā ex parte ¦ flūmine Rhēnō, … ¦ alterā ex
parte ¦ monte Iūra altissimō …¦ tertiā ¦ lacū Lemannō et flūmine Rhodanō
(Caesar)
the Helvetians are
surrounded from all sides by the nature of the place: ¦ on one side ¦ by
the Rhine River, … on the other / second (side) by the very high
Jura Mountain Range, … on the third (side) by Lake Geneva and the Rhone
river …
A slightly adapted
quotation from Cicero:
Accūsātor nōn
ferendus est is, quī, quod in alterō vitium reprehendit, in eō ipsō
reprehenditur
He cannot be
admitted as accuser who is himself caught in the very vice he reprehends in another.
Exercise: Complete the Latin
sentences with the appropriate form of alter:
[1] The angry
general will send a second message to the soldiers. │ Dux īrātus ____ mīlitibus
nūntium mittet.
[2] Hurry to the
other city where you will find friendlier citizens. │ Properāte ad ____ urbem,
ubi cīvēs amīciōrēs inveniētis.
[3] He left the
ambassador on the other side of the river. │ In ____ parte flūminis lēgātum
relīquit.
[4] I received the
other letter of yours about this matter yesterday. │ ____ litterās tuās dē hāc
rē accēpī hesternō diē.
[5] The other
girl, called Julia, is in the garden too. │ Etiam in hortō est ____ puella,
nōmine Iulia.
[6] The Romans
surpassed the other soldiers in bravery. │ Rōmānī fortitūdīne _____ mīlitēs
vīcērunt.
altera; alterā;
alteram; alterās; alterōs; alterum
____________________
[1] Dux īrātus alterum mīlitibus nūntium mittet.
[2] Properāte ad alteram urbem, ubi cīvēs amīciōrēs inveniētis.
[3] In alterā parte flūminis lēgātum relīquit.
[4] Alterās litterās tuās dē hāc rē accēpī hesternō diē.
[5] Etiam in hortō est altera puella, nōmine Iūlia.
[6] Rōmānī fortitūdīne alterōs mīlitēs vīcērunt.
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