12.05.25: Level 3; summary of the uses of the ablative case [3]: prepositions (2)

[1] Prepositions with the ablative can indicate physical location e.g. where a building is situated, or where an action is taking place (known as the ablative of place where)

[i] in: in / on

In urbe habitābam. │I used to live in the city.

Agricola in īnsulā habitat. │ The farmer lives on an island.

[ii] sub: under

Mārcus sub arbore sedēbat. │ Marcus was sitting under a tree.

[2] Prepositions with the ablative can also indicate movement away from a location

[i] ā / ab: (away) from

Ab urbe profectus est. │ He set out from the city.

ā / ab can also be used to express from a certain time:

ab hōrā tertiā │ from the third hour

[ii] dē: (down) from

dē nāvibus dēsilīre │ to jump down from the ships

Mātrēs familiae dē mūrō vestem argentumque iactābant (Caesar) │ The married women began throwing their clothes and silver over [ = down from] the wall

[iii] ē / ex: out of

Ex omnibus partibus silvae ēvolāvērunt. │ They flew out from all parts of the forest.

Notes:

[1] These are the basic meanings of these prepositions. However, as you continue through the notes on the ablative case, you will see that they have other meanings and uses.

[2] The ablative case expressing “in” is not used with the names of towns, cities and small islands. The next two posts will look at this in order to “put it to bed” before continuing with the ablative. However it has already been discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/290324-locative-case.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/415064654438142/

12.05.25: Level 3; Beasts in Egypt and Libya [6]; the Crocodile

Translate into English:

Crocodīlī autem nātūra haec est. Per quīnque mēnsēs hībernōs cibum nūllum capit. Quadrupēs est terram pariter et aquam habitāns: ōva enim parit exclūditque in terrā, et maiōrem partem diēī in siccō versātur, noctū vērō in fluviō: est enim aqua noctū magis calida quam terra rōre cōnspersa. Omnium vērō animālium hoc ex minimō fit maximum. Ōva enim haud multō maiōra sunt ōvīs ānseris: at pervēnit ad septemdecim cubitōrum longitūdinem. Habet autem oculōs porcī, dentēs vērō magnōs. Sōlum ex omnibus animālibus linguam nōn habet: neque īnferiōrem māxillam movet. Habet autem unguēs rōbustōs, et cutem squāmātam. In aquā quidem caecus est, in aere bene videt. Os habet intus plēnum hirūdinibus. Iam aliae quidem avēs et bēstiae illum fugiunt: cum trochilō autem pācem colit. Hic ūtilem eī operam praestat: nam in os eius sēsē īnsinuāns hirūdinēs dēvorat.

Vocabulary

cōnspergō, -ere, cōnspersī, cōnspersus [3]: sprinkle, spatter

cutis, -is [3/f]: (living) skin

exclūdō, -ere, exclūsī, exclūsus [3]: (here) hatch

hībernus, -a, -um: of / pertaining to winter; wintry

hirūdō, hirūdinis [3/f]: leech

īnsinuō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]: (here) wind one’s way into; penetrate, enter

māxilla, -ae [1/f]: jaw (-bone)

pariō, -ere, peperī, partus [3-iō]: bear, give birth to; spawn; produce

pariter (adverb): equally; alike

rōs, rōris [3/m]: dew

sēsē: itself; emphatic form of sē

siccum, -ī [2/m]: dry land

squāmātus, -a, -um: scaly

versor, -ārī, versātus sum [1/dep]: live, stay, be

trochilus, -ī [2/m]: now referring to a species of small bird of the hummingbird genus but the bird described here was legendary:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trochilus_(crocodile_bird)

As [the crocodile] lives chiefly in the river, it has the inside of its mouth constantly covered with leeches; hence it happens that, while all the other birds and beasts avoid it, with the trochilus it lives at peace, since it owes much to that bird: for the crocodile, when he leaves the water and comes out upon the land, is in the habit of lying with his mouth wide open, facing the western breeze: at such times the trochilus goes into his mouth and devours the leeches. This benefits the crocodile, who is pleased, and takes care not to hurt the trochilus. (Herodotus)

Notes

[1] dative of possession

Crocodīlī [dative] … nātūra haec est │ literally: to the crocodile is this nature = the crocodile has this nature

[2] present active participle

terram … et aquam habitāns │ inhabiting / which inhabits the land and the water …

… in os eius sēsē īnsinuāns … │ getting itself into its mouth

[3] ablative

[i] terra rōre cōnspersa │ land sprinked with dew

[ii] Os … plēnum hirūdinibus │ a mouth … filled with (full of) leeches; Latin uses the ablative case (categorised under the ablative of means) with adjectives and verbs that refer to filling something with something or being filled with (full of) something

Tōtum montem hominibus complēvit. │ He filled the whole mountain with men.

Vīlla abundat gallīnā, lacte, cāseō, melle (Cicero) │ The farm abounds in poultry, milk, cheese and honey.

[iii] Ōva enim [a] haud multō maiōra sunt [b] ōvīs ānseris

[a] ablative of degree of difference: haud multō maiōra │not much bigger

[b] ablative of the object of comparison: ōva … [a] haud multō maiōra sunt ¦ [b] ōvīs ānseris │ the eggs are [a] not much bigger ¦ [b] than the eggs of a goose

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/260724-level-2-de-crocodilo-1.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/477428204868453/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/290724-level-2-de-crocodilo-2.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/478215624789711/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/010824-level-2-de-crocodilo-3.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/479730151304925/

Vincent and the Alligators

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/22.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/465398589404748

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/06/250624-level-2-vincent-and-alligators-2.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/467026835908590

____________________

[6] Now the nature of the crocodile is as follows. During the five months of winter it takes no food. It is a quadruped, inhabiting land and water alike: for it lays and hatches its eggs on land, and lives on dry ground for the greater part of / most of the day, but by night in the river: for by night the water is warmer than the earth (which has been) sprinkled with dew. But of all animals this one, from being very small, becomes the greatest. For its eggs are not much larger than the eggs of a goose; but it reaches to the length of seventeen cubits. Moreover,  it has the eyes of a pig, but large teeth. Alone of all animals it does not have a tongue, nor does it move its lower jaw. However, it has strong claws, and a scaly skin. In the water, indeed, it is blind; it sees well in the air. It has its mouth full of leeches inside. Now other birds and beasts in fact flee from it, but it keeps peace with the wagtail (see notes). The latter does it a useful service: for creeping into its mouth it devours the leeches.

11.05.25: Level 2; review; prīmus annus [2]; praepositiōnēs: cāsus ablātīvus (2)

In Britanniā sunt multī lūdī et campī; in lūdō multī puerī labōrant, lūdunt in campō; innumerī igitur discipulī in tōtā Britanniā sunt. In lūdis sunt multae camerae, in camerīs multae sellae, in sellīs discipulī sedent. In camerā etiam sunt quattuor mūrī; in prīmō mūrō est iānua, in alterō fenestrae, in tertiō tabula nigra, in quārtō pīctūrae.

Magister ē sellā surgit, crētam ā mensā sūmit, trēs sententiās in tabulā scrībit, prīmam in summā tabulā, alteram in mediā, tertiam in īmā. Multae lītterae in sententiā sunt, permultae in pāginā, in tōtō librō innumerae. Nunc magister chartam Eurōpae mōnstrat. In summā chartā est Britannia, ubi Britannī habitant; in mediā est Helvētia, in īmā Sicilia. Graecia est ā dextrā, ā sinistrā Hispānia. Graecī in Graeciā habitant, in Hispāniā Hispānī. In mediā aquā multās īnsulās vidētis.

Nunc magister in mediā camerā stat et ad sellās sē vertit. Fenestrae sunt ā dextrā, iānua ā sinistrā, sellae ā fronte, tabula ā tergō. Ad iānuam sē vertit: ubi sunt fenestrae, iānua, sellae, tabula?

[1] Respondē:

1. Ubi labōrās?
2. Ubi lūdis?
3. Ubi sunt camerae?
4. Ubi sunt sellae?
5. Ubi sedētis?
6. Ubi magister sedet?
7. Ubi pīctūrās vidēs?
8. Ubi pēnsum scrībis?
9. Ubi magister prīmam sententiam scrībit? alteram? tertiam?
10. Ubi sunt pāginae?
11. Magister sē ad fenestrās vertit: ubi sunt fenestrae, iānua, sellae, tabula? Ubi magister stat?
12. Ubi sunt Britannia, Hispānia, Gallia, Germānia, Āfrica, Graecia?
13. Ubi sunt īnsulae?
14. Ubi habitant Ītalī, Helvētiī, Germānī, Gallī?

[2] ablative case; find the Latin:

[a]

1. in Britain
2. in Greece
3. in Spain
4. in a sentence
5. in the room
6. in rooms
7. in schools

[b]

1. The teacher writes three sentences on the blackboard; Note: some languages may interpret this as movement i.e. the sentences are being written onto the board, but Latin uses the ablative case to indicate the location where that action is taking place; a further example: Librōs in mēnsā posuit.│ He placed the books on the table. (Compare German: auf den Tisch [accusative] and Russian: na stol [accusative] but Latin does not use the accusative here.)
2. on the page
3. on chairs

[c]

1. on the right
2. on the left
3. at the front
4. at the back

[d]

1. on the first wall
2. on the second (wall)
3. on the third (wall)
4. on the fourth (wall)

[e]*

1. at the top of the map / blackboard
2. at the bottom (of the map / blackboard)
3. in the middle (of the map / blackboard)
4. in the middle (of the water / room)
5. in the whole book
6. in all / the whole of Britain

*note that, in English, we use nouns to express these ideas e.g. at the top ¦ of the map; Latin uses adjectives which then agree in gender, number and case with the noun

11.05.25: Level 2; topic; Mankind; the human body; accident and illness [8]

Consider yourself lucky that you never had to see a doctor in Ancient Rome, but we can practise saying what is wrong with you.

Image #1

Quid tibi est?  │What’s wrong with you?

Quid tibi dolet? │What’s hurting you? (What is causing you pain?)

Dorsum mihi dolet. │My back is hurting. (My back is causing me pain.)

doleō, -ēre [2]; doluī: hurt; cause pain can be used in the 3^rd person singular or plural to indicate what is / are hurting. In English we usually say ‘my back hurts’, but Latin expresses the idea literally as ‘the back is causing pain to me’ using the dative case of the person affected. If the noun is singular dolet is used, if the noun is plural then the verb will be dolent:

Dēns mihi dolet. │ My tooth hurts. / I have toothache.

Doletne tibi caput? │Do you have a headache?

Dentēs mihi dolent. │ My teeth hurt.

Image #2

[1] Look at the images below and, using dolet or dolent, say what is / are hurting you.

aurēs; bracchium; calcāneum; caput; collum; crūs; dēns; digitī; digitus; genū; humerus; manus; oculī; pedēs; pēs; venter

[2] Now change the phrases, this time saying what was / were hurting using the imperfect tense: dolēbat or dolēbant.

Dēns mihi dolēbat. │ My tooth was hurting / I was having toothache.

Dentēs mihi dolēbant.│ My teeth were hurting.

Reading

Puer quī aegrōtat māne ē lectō nōn surgit, neque vestēs induit, neque per scālās dēscendit. Māter ad puerum venit, cui, "Cūr," inquit, "ē lectō nōn surrēxistī?" Cūr vestēs nōn induistī?"

Cui puer, "Ō māter," inquit, "aegrōtō. Ex capite, ex ventre labōrō."

Deinde māter medicum quaerit; medicus venit et puerō, "Linguam," inquit, "mihi mōnstra." Puer linguam extendit, et medicus, "Ō tē miserum," exclāmat, "Pessima est lingua; oportet tē medicāmentum bibere. Medicāmentum tibi mittam."

aegrotō, -āre, -āvī [1]: be sick, ill

extendō, -ere, extendī [3]: stretch out

induō, -ere, induī [3]: put on (e.g. clothes); exuō, -ere, exuī [3]: take off (e.g. clothes)

(ē lectō) surgō, -ere, surrēxī [3]: get up (out of bed)

medicāmentum, -ī [2/n]: medicine

Note: another way of expressing the source of pain is using the preposition ē / ex + the ablative:

ex capite ¦ labōrō │ literally: I’m suffering ¦ from the head = I have a headache, a sore head

ex ventre ¦ labōrō │ literally: I’m suffering ¦ from the stomach = I have stomach ache, a sore stomach

10.05.25: Level 1; readings [12]: Gods on stage

Tum Epicharmus: “Et Cornēlia et tū, Mārce, in theātrō libenter fābulās spectātis. Itaque tibi certē Amphitruō Plautī nōtus est: Iuppiter cum Mercuriō Alcmēnae appropinquat…”

Et Mārcus: “Mihi cūnctae fābulae Plautī nōtae sunt cūnctaeque mē dēlectant, imprīmīs autem Amphitruō. Nihil magis rīdeō, quam cum Mercurius scālās portāre dēbet.”

Epicharmus autem: “Gaudēmus igitur et ego et tū in theātrō, et tē et mē iuvat fābulās Plautī spectāre.”

Nunc Mārcus rīdet et “Vōs Graecī”, inquit, “nōs Rōmānōs ēloquentiā superātis. Nōn ignōrō. Ecce, ā vōbīs victus neque tamen maestus sum. Vōs nōn iam vituperō, sed vōbīscum rīdeō.”

Et Dēmarātus: “Gaudeō, quod nōbīscum rīdēs, Mārce; nam iuvat rīdēre.”

Amphitruō: Amphitryon, title of a play by Plautus

____________________

This text focuses on the 1^st and 2^nd person personal pronouns i.e. the equivalents of ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘you’, ‘we’, ‘us’ etc. Most of these are used in the text and the full table is given in the image. These will be reviewed and discussed in more depth later but begin by recognising them and note in particular the use of the preposition cum (with) since it is attached to the end of the pronoun i.e. nōbīscum (with us) vōbīscum (with you); that is the only preposition which acts in that way.

[1] Nominative

Et [i] ego et [ii] tū │ both [ii] you and [i] I:

Gaudēmus … et ego et tū in theātrō │ Both you and I … rejoice in the theatre i.e. being in theatre

Et Cornēlia et tū …│ Both you and Cornelia …

Et Cornēlia et tū … libenter fābulās spectātis │ Both you … and Cornelia … like to watch plays

[2] Accusative

Et [ii] tē et [i] mē iuvat │ It pleases both [ii] you and [i] me …

et tē et mē iuvat fābulās Plautī spectāre │ Literally: it pleases both you and me to watch the plays of Plautus = you and I like to watch …

cūnctaeque mē dēlectant │ and they all delight me

Vōs nōn iam vituperō │ I no longer scold you (plural)

[3] Two cases in the same sentence:

“Vōs [nominative] Graecī”, inquit, “nōs [accusative] Rōmānōs ēloquentiā superātis. │ “You Greeks,” he says, “conquer us Romans with eloquence.”

[4] Dative

Mihi cūnctae fābulae Plautī nōtae sunt │ All the plays of Plautus are well-known to me

… tibi … Amphitruō Plautī nōtus est │ Plautus’s “Amphitryon” is … well-known to you

[5] Ablative

nōbīscum rīdēs │ you laugh with us

vōbīscum rīdeō │ I laugh with you (plural)

ā vōbīs victus │ conquered by you (plural)

09.05.25: Level 3; summary of the uses of the ablative case [2]: prepositions (1)

The ablative case is used with a range of prepositions which can refer to either a [i] physical  /  literal or [ii] non-physical idea i.e. you may come across the terms “figurative” or “transferred” meaning, for example:

[i] “John went out of the house” i.e. that is what he literally / physically did

[ii] “Get that idea out of your head”  i.e. it has a transferred meaning equivalent to “forget that idea”

Latin prepositions can also serve those two functions. These are not all of them, but the ones most commonly found.

ā / ab: away from

cōram: face to face; in the presence of

mihi vērō ipsī ¦ cōram generō meō, propinquō tuō ¦ quae dīcere ausus es? (Cicero) │ But what was it that you dared to say to me myself, ¦ in the presence of my son-in-law, your own relation?

cum: (together) with

dē: (away / down) from

ē / ex: out of

in: in / on

prae: before; in front of

prō: before; in front of

sine: without

sub: under; up to; close to

The mnemonic SIDSPACE (the ablative astronaut 😊) is often used as a reminder of the most common prepositions that take the ablative case:

Sub – In – Dē – Sine – Prō – Ab / ā – Cum – Ex/ ē

09.05.25: summary of the uses of the ablative case [1]: introduction to the ablative case

Ablatives are to Latin grammar what black holes are to space: they suck in all matter and energy. 

The ablative case … is a kind of catchall. You can do almost anything with the ablative case.

The ablative case has been called the “junk case” by students over the years.

The ablative case is sometimes called the “everything case”, since it seems to do a bit of, well, everything. 

All of these light-hearted but nonetheless unhelpful online introductions certainly emphasise that the ablative case has many uses. However, it isn’t a question of the ablative doing all the jobs that other cases don’t want to do, it isn’t “catching all”, nor does it do a bit of, well, everything.

We need to be more specific.

The uses of the ablative case can almost exclusively be found under the umbrella term adverbial.

[1] [i] At six o’clock John was waiting [ii] at the railway station:

[i] “at six o’clock” is an adverbial phrase; it gives additional information pertaining to when the action was performed i.e. it refers to circumstances (< La. circumstāns: standing around).

[ii] “at the railway station” is also an adverbial phrase giving more details as to where the action was performed.

Even though English uses “at” to express both ideas, those two ideas i.e. time and place are expressed differently in Latin.

[3] A little boy, who was standing [i] with his mother, hit John [ii] with a stone.

[i] “with his mother”; this adverbial phrase again explains circumstances i.e. who the little boy was with when he performed the action

[ii] “with a stone”; this time – even though the same word “with” is used – the phrase gives details as to what object the boy used to perform the action

Similarly, both of those i.e. with whom and with what (object) are expressed differently in Latin.

We call all of these adverbial and most often adverbial phrases because they are constructed from two or more words that are not in themselves adverbs but, when combined, perform an adverbial function:

with: preposition + mother: noun > He was waiting with his mother = adverbial phrase

Latin, too, uses adverbial phrases with prepositions but it can also use its case system without a preposition to express an idea which, in English, needs more than one word e.g. nocte │ at night

Those examples - at the station, at six o’clock, with his mother, with a stone – are all expressed in Latin using the ablative case some of which use a preposition and some of which do not.

The grammar books consistently use a series of terms that specifically describe the type of ablative being used; when reading the language, it is not essential to know these terms because the meaning is generally clear without needing to analyse what that use is. Nevertheless, those terms will come up again and again in any discussion about grammar and so, step-by-step, we’ll review all the different uses. Every ablative use has come up in the posts and has been referred to – mostly briefly – at each stage. Therefore, the following posts are simply going to give a summary of each one together with a few examples as illustration.

The very important point to note when operating at this level of Latin is that there is not 100% consistency in a literature that spans centuries. What is given in these posts are the main features of the ablative and the main ways in which those features are expressed. There will be exceptions and different possibilities but it is far better to have an overview rather than become embroiled in fine detail.