Compounds of ferō can convey specific forms of physical action. Below are some examples; note the changes in the spelling of the prefix in the principal parts:
ab [away] + ferō > auferō, auferre, abstuli, ablātus: take away; remove
ad [towards] +
ferō > afferō (or adferō), afferre, attulī, allātus:
bring / carry something to a place
circum [around] +
ferō > circumferō, circumferre, circumtulī, circumlātus: bring / carry
around
con- [together]
(from cum) + ferō > cōnferō, cōnferre, contulī, collātus:
bring / collect together; gather
ex [out of] + ferō
> efferō, efferre, extulī, ēlātus: bring / carry
out
in [into] + ferō
> īnferō, īnferre, intulī, illātus: bring /
carry in
ob [towards] +
ferō > offerō, offerre, obtulī, oblātus: bring
before; present
prae [in front] +
ferō > praeferō, praeferre, praetulī, praelātus: bring / carry in front
trāns [across] +
ferō > trānsferō, trānsferre, trānstulī, trānslātus: bring / carry across
From the
authors:
[1]
Et tunicam parvam faciēbat eī māter sua quam adferēbat statūtīs diēbus (Vulgate) │ And his would make him a little robe which she used to bring to him every year [i.e. on the appointed days]
multa palam domum suam auferēbat (Cicero) │ he carried many things openly off to his own house.
noctū ligna contulērunt circā casam eam (Nepos) │ at night they gathered logs together around his house
dextrā laevāque ad
circumstantia agmina oculōs manūsque circumferēns (Quintus Curtius) │ and
turning his eyes [i.e. he is “carrying” his eyes around] and
stretching out his hands right and left to the troops who stood about him
satiātīs vīnō
cibōque pōculum idem quod mihi datum fuerit circumferētur (Livy) │ When
you have taken your fill of food and wine, the same goblet that is handed to me
will be passed round to you.
ibi iterum Scīpiō
lectīculā in aciem illātus cōnflīxit (Caesar) │ There Scipio again
engaged (in combat), (having been) carried into the battle-line
in a litter
Cum mihi sē
… obtulit (Virgil) │ When she presented herself to me …
incitātō equō sē
hostibus obtulit atque interfectus est (Caesar) │ after he had spurred
on his horse, he threw himself upon the enemy, and was killed
sinistrā manū
retinēbat arcum, dextrā ārdentem facem praeferēbat (Cicero) │ in her
left hand she carried her bow, her right hand held a burning torch; the
verb conveys the idea of holding the torch out in front of the body
relictō praetōre
signa ad Curium trānsferunt atque ad eum trānseunt (Caesar) │ the
praetor having been deserted, they carry (carried) their colours (across)
to Curius and go over (went over) to him
[2] Examples with
the passive infinitive ferrī:
impedīmenta
sarcināsque in ūnum locum cōnferrī … iussit (Caesar) │ he ordered that
the baggage should be brought together [ = the baggage to be brought together;
passive infintive] into one place
Clāvem mī harunc
aedium Lacōnicam iam iubē efferrī intus (Plautus) │ Order the
master-key of the house to be brought me at once from within
[3] This example
from Virgil shows that compounds of ferō do not necessarily convey
something physical, but figurative:
“Ille meōs, prīmus
quī mē sibi iūnxit, amōrēs abstulit │ “That man, who first joined
himself to me, he has taken away all my love
Compare:
Abī atque obsōnium
adfer (Plautus) │ Go and bring some provisions (here).
Thespriō, exī
istāc per hortum, adfer domum auxilium mihi (Plautus) │ Thesprio,
come this way through the garden. Come to my rescue at home! [literally:
bring help home to me]
The next posts
will look at the figurative uses of these, and other compounds of ferō.
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