18.10.25: Level 2; Reading (review): [24] [i] Some hope remained [ii] accusation of imperialism [1]

These two texts review the imperfect and future passive

[i] Ac profectō nōn cūnctī Rōmānī dūrī et asperī erant, nōn cūnctī servī ā dominīs caedēbantur, torquēbantur, contumēliīs violābantur. Multīs servīs ā dominīs hūmānīs pecūnia dabātur, interdum etiam sīc monēbantur: “Labōrāte magnā cum dīligentiā, servī; nam servī dominōrum contentōrum aliquandō servitiō līberābuntur. Tū, Āfer, officia semper bene explēvistī. Itaque prīmus ā mē mittēris. Vōs quoque, Lȳdē et Dāce, testāmentō meō mittēminī. Semper enim fīdī et impigrī fuistis.”

Tum Āfer et Lydus et Dācus laetī clāmāvērunt:

“Aliquandō fortūna nostra mūtābitur, aliquandō negōtiīs molestīs solvēmur et līberābimur!”

“Tum ego”, inquit Āfer, “lībertus dīcar; tū quoque, Lȳdē, lībertus dīcēris, et tū, Dāce! Fortasse in patriam redībimus – aut hīc manēbimus et inter Rōmānōs līberōs līberī vīvēmus!”

[ii] Romans accuse the Greeks of imperialism and provide this example of the violence against the inhabitants of the island Melos in the year 415BC

Etiam ā Graecīs antīquīs fēminae et līberī in servitium dabantur, etiam ab eīs imperium* gladiō et iniūriā obtinēbātur. Nam Mēliī ab Athēniēnsibus monēbantur: “Pārēte imperiō nostrō! Aliōquīn fortūna vestra mūtābitur; aut caedēminī aut in servitium dūcēminī.”

Ac profectō Mēliī, quod pārēre dubitant, iniūriīs violantur et caeduntur, fēminae eōrum cum līberīs in servitium mittuntur.

*imperium, -ī [2/n]: most often not ‘empire’ although it can have that meaning; imperium is a more general word referring to, for example, power, authority, (absolute) command, control; imperium Rōmānum i.e. those territories which collectively were subject to the absolute political authority of Rome.

Note

[i] ablative with ā / ab: used to express the passive agent i.e. the person by whom something is done

ā dominīs … pecūnia dabātur │ money was given by the masters

ā mē mittēris │ you will be let go / freed by me

ab eīs imperium … obtinēbātur │ authority was obtained by them

From reading [23]:

Num saepe ā dominā caediminī? │ Surely you (pl.) are not often beaten by the mistress?

ab eā torquēmur │ We are tortured by her

[ii] ablative alone (i.e. no preposition) used to express the instrument or means by which something is done

ab eīs imperium ¦ gladiō et iniūriā ¦ obtinēbātur │ (political) power used to be obtained by them ¦ by the sword and (by) injustice

Vōs quoque… testāmentō meō mittēminī │ You too will be set free by my will / testament

Mēliī… iniūriīs violantur │ the Meli are maltreated by injustice / wrongdoings

contumēliīs violābantur │ they were maltreated by acts of abuse

[iii] ablative alone when referring to being “freed” from something; the grammatical term is the ablative of separation

servī … servitiō līberābuntur │ the slaves will be freed from servitude

negōtiīs molestīs solvēmur et līberābimur │ we will be released and freed from these troublesome matters

17.06.25: Level 3; summary of of the uses of the ablative case [15]: the ablative of separation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/170625-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of.html