07.07.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [15]: noun + noun; consular dating

In Rome two consuls were elected each year, serving together, each with veto power over the other's actions. Roman years were customarily denoted according to the names of the two consuls who held office that year, which is not an immediate answer to a modern reader. The names of holders of the post and the post itself are expressed using the ablative absoute:

[i] C. Asiniō C. Antistiō (nouns) [ii] cōnsulibus (nouns) ¦ nōnus Tiberiō annus erat compositae reī pūblicae, flōrentis domūs … (Tacitus: Annālēs 4.1)

Literally: [i] (with) C. Asinius and (with) C. Antisitius ¦ [ii] (being) consuls …

> When / while C. Asinius and C. Antistius were consuls ¦ it was for Tiberius the ninth year of an orderly state and flourishing household …

Here Tacitus pays no more than lip-service to consular dating by employing the ablative absolute construction to detach the consular year from the main action thereby underlining the limitation of the consuls’ role; there is juxtaposition with nōnus Tiberiō annus i.e. the ninth year was already in progress (began the previous August) but the consuls were not in any way the cause of the positive conditions of the reign of Tiberius.

Some examples include both the names of the consuls and the number of years since the founding of the city (ab urbe conditā) traditionally considered as 753BC:

C. Fabiō et L. Virgīniō cōnsulibus │ During the consulship of Gaius Fabius and Lucius Virginius [ablative absolute: literally with GF and LV being consuls i.e. while they were the consuls]

L. Genuciō et Q. Servīliō cōnsulibus mortuus est Camillus. │ Camillus died during the consulship of Lucius Genucius and Quintus Servilius

[i] M. Tulliō Cicerōne ōrātōre et C. Antōniō cōnsulibus, ¦ [ii] annō ab urbe conditā sexcentēsimō nōnāgēsimō primō … │[i] During the consulship of Marcus Tullius Cicero, the orator and Gaius Antonius ¦ [ii] in the 691^st year from the founding of the city

[i] C. Fabiō Liciniō C. Claudiō Canīnā cōnsulibus ¦  [ii] annō urbis conditae quadringentēsimō sexāgēsimō prīmō ¦ lēgātī Alexandrīnī ā Ptolemaeō missī Rōmam vēnēre et ā Rōmānīs amīcitiam quam petierant obtinuērunt. │ [i] During the consulship of Gaius Fabius Licinius and Gaius Claudius Canina ¦ [ii]  in the 461^st year of the founding of the city ¦ ambassadors from Alexandria sent by Ptolemy came to Rome and obtained the friendship that they had sought.

07.07.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [14]: noun + noun; noun + adjective: formation

As with the nouns plus the participles, the construction with noun + noun or noun + adjective is exactly the same i.e. take the two words and transfer both of them into the ablative case:

• with [1] Caesar ¦ [2] being leader

Begin with the nominative singular:

[1] Caesar [2] leader

> [1] Caesar [2] dux

[ii] Transfer both words into the ablative case:

[1] Caesare [2] duce = ablative absolute = (with) Caesar (being) leader = while / when / since Caesar was leader; depending on context, the entire phrase could be reworked: under Caesar’s leadership

Boudiccā rēgīnā │ with Boudicca as queen; when Boudicca was the queen; since (because) Boudicca was / is queen

caelō obscūrō │ with the sky being dark; when the sky was / is dark; since (because) the sky is / was dark; beneath a dark sky

07.07.25: Level 3; the ablative absolute [13]: noun + noun; noun + adjective

Given that esse has no present active participle, absolute phrases can be constructed with [noun | pronoun] + noun or [noun | pronoun] + adjective.

Begin with a basic construction “with X ¦ being Y” e.g. Caesare duce: (with) Caesar (being) leader, and then, reword the phrase to a more fluent translation if it is appropriate to the context, for example:

[i] Caesare ¦ [ii] duce:

• With Caesar as leader, ..
• Because / since Caesar was / is leader, ...
• When Caesar was leader, …
• Caesar was leader and …

Remember that tense sequencing will still apply in translation:

Caesare duce, Gallia invāsa est. │ (with) Caesar (being) leader = when Caesar was leader, Gaul was invaded.

Caesare duce, Galliā invādētur. │ (with) Caesar (being) leader = because Caesar is leader, Gaul will be invaded.

Examples:

noun + noun

[i] fēminā [noun] + [ii] fūre [noun] │ [i] (with) the woman [ii] (being) a thief

[i] fēminīs [noun] + [ii] fūribus [noun] │ [i] (with) the women [ii] (being) thieves

[i] virō [noun] + [ii] fūre [noun], hominēs discessērunt │  [i] (with) the man [ii] (being) a thief, the people departed = since the man was a thief …

[i] virīs [noun] + [ii] fūribus [noun] hominēs conveniunt │[i]  (with) the men [ii] (being) thieves, the people come together = since the men are thieves …

noun + adjective

[i] incendiō [noun] + magnō [adjective] │ [i] (with) the fire [ii] (being) large …

[i] cōnsule [noun] + [ii] novō [adjective] │ [i] (with) the consul [ii] (being) new

[i] duce [noun] + bonō [adjective], mīlitēs bene pugnant │ [i] (with) the commander [ii] (being) good, the soldiers fight well = since the commander is good …

[i] rēge [noun] + [ii] salvō [adjective] cīvēs fuērunt fēlīcissimī │ [i] (with) the king [ii] (being) safe, the citizens were very happy = since the king was safe …

Rēge salvō, cīvēs laetissimī sunt. │ Because the king is safe, the citizens are very happy.

07.07.25: Level 3; the Labours of Hercules; [VI] Hercules cleans the Augean Stables and kills the Stymphalian Birds

[VI] HERCULES CLEANS THE AUGEAN STABLES AND KILLS THE STYMPHALIAN BIRDS

Deinde Eurystheus Herculī hunc labōrem multō graviōrem imperāvit. Augēas quidam, quī illō tempore rēgnum Ēlidis obtinēbat, tria milia boum habebat. Hī ingentī stabulō continēbantur. Hoc stabulum, quod per trīgintā annōs nōn pūrgātum erat, Herculēs intrā spatium ūnīus diēī purgāre iussus est. Ille negōtium alacriter suscēpit, et prīmum labōre gravissimō maximam fossam fōdit per quam flūminis aquam dē montibus ad mūrum stabulī dūxit. Tum partem parvam mūrī dēlēvit et aquam in stabulum immīsit. Hōc modō fīnem operis fēcit ūnō diē facillimē.

Post paucōs diēs Herculēs ad oppidum Stymphālum iter fēcit; nam Eurystheus iusserat eum avīs Stymphālidēs occīdere. Hae avēs rōstra ferrea habēbant et hominēs miserōs dēvorābant ille, postquam ad locum pervenit, lacum vīdit in quō avēs incolēbant. Nūllō tamen modō Herculēs avibus adpropinquāre potuit; lacus enim nōn ex aquā sed ē līmō cōnstitit. Denique autem avēs dē aliquā causā perterritae in aurās volāvērunt et magna pars eārum sagittīs Herculis occīsa est.

[1] Ēlis, Ēlidis [3/f]: Elis, an ancient Greek city-state

[2] tria milia boum habebat │ (he) had 3,000 head of cattle

image: declension of bōs, bovis [3 m/f]: head of cattle (cow, ox, bull); note the genitive and dative / ablative plurals

[3] hī ingentī stabulō continēbantur │ these were contained by a huge stable; ablative of means but can translate as “in a huge stable”

[4] intrā spatium ūnīus diēī │ within a period of one day

ūnus declines like any other 1^st / 2^nd declension adjective except in the genitive and dative singular:

genitive: ūnīus

dative: ūnī

[5] nūllō … modō │ in no way

nūllus, -a, -um: not any; no

Note: ūnus and nūllus belong to a group of nine words known as pronominal adjectives which will be discussed in detail in later posts; for the moment, simply recognise the meanings

[6] ē līmō cōnstitit │ consisted of mud

cōnstō, -āre, cōnstitī, cōnstātus [1] (here) consist; be composed of

līmus, -ī [2/m]: mud

[7] dē aliquā causā perterritae │ frightened for some reason

aliquis / aliquī [m], aliqua [f], aliquid [n]: [i] pronouns someone; anyone; something; anything [ii] adjectival: some; any

aliquis is normally a pronoun whereas aliquī acts likes an adjective but that usage is not consistent

Note: ali-, a prefix used to give a sense of indefiniteness, for example:

aliquandō: at some / any time; sometimes / now and then; at one time (in the past)

aliquot: some; several; a few

aliquotiē(n)s: several times

06.07.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Rōbur et Aes Triplex [1](ii); listening

[1]

[Tum Marcus "ō gentem fortem et admīrābilem Britannōrum!" inquit. "Nam insigne erat facinus quod contrā Rōmānōs, victōrēs orbis terrārum, tam fortiter et nōnnumquam prosperē pugnāvērunt. Nōn mīrum est, sī Rōmānī victōriam reportāvērunt." Nōs sententiam Marcī comprobāvimus.]

[i] To which people – the Romans or the Britons – do the following statements refer?

admirable

victorious

distinguished deed

sometimes successful

world conquerers

[ii] What do the others think of Mark’s opinion?

[2]

[Sed iam nōna hōra erat, cum Alexander, digitō ad orientem monstrāns, "Nōnne nāvēs procul ā lītore spectātis?" inquit. Et patruus meus "Ita est" inquit; "nam illīc est statiō tūta nāvibus. Sed illae nāvēs, ut putō, nāvēs longae sunt ex classe Britannicā; nam pars classis nostrae nunc in fretō Gallicō est."]

[i] In what direction does Alexander point? (1)

[ii] Where are the ships and why are they there? (3)

[iii] What kind of ships does the writer’s uncle think they are? (2)

[iv] Why does he think that? (2)

[3]

[Tum ego "eugē, optimē!" inquam; "nāvem longam adhūc nōn spectāvī. Sed nōn tam grandēs sunt quam putāvī." "Pergrandēs sunt," inquit patruus meus "sed procul ā lītore sunt; omnēs lāminīs ferreīs, nōnnullae arietibus vel turribus armātae sunt."]

[i] Why is the writer happy? (1)

[ii] What does he say about the size of the ships? (2)

[iii] What explanation does the uncle give for that? (2)

[iv] How does the uncle describe the ships? (3)

06.07.25: Level 2; Sonnenschein: Rōbur et Aes Triplex* [1](i); text and exercises

Tum Marcus "ō gentem fortem et admīrābilem Britannōrum!" inquit. "Nam insigne erat facinus quod contrā Rōmānōs, victōrēs orbis terrārum, tam fortiter et nōnnumquam prosperē pugnāvērunt. Nōn mīrum est, sī Rōmānī victōriam reportāvērunt." Nōs sententiam Marcī comprobāvimus. Sed iam nōna hōra erat, cum Alexander, digitō ad orientem monstrāns, "Nōnne nāvēs procul ā lītore spectātis?" inquit. Et patruus meus "Ita est" inquit; "nam illīc est statiō** tūta nāvibus. Sed illae nāvēs, ut putō, nāvēs longae sunt ex classe Britannicā; nam pars classis nostrae nunc in fretō Gallicō est." Tum ego "eugē, optimē!" inquam; "nāvem longam adhūc nōn spectāvī. Sed nōn tam grandēs sunt quam putāvī." "Pergrandēs sunt," inquit patruus meus "sed procul a lītore sunt; omnēs lāminīs ferreīs, nōnnullae arietibus vel turribus armātae sunt."

* The title of the text - rōbur et aes triplex – is a quotation from the Roman poet Horace which symbolises great strength and courage and used here to refer both to the Ancient Britons in their battles with the Romans and to the modern British war-ships.

illī rōbur et aes triplex / circā pectus erat (Horace: Odes 1.3) │ Oak and brass of triple fold / Encompass'd sure that heart, … [He had a heart encased in oak and triple bronze, …]

rōbur, rōboris [3/n]: oak tree; strength

aes, aeris [3/n]: brass

triplex, triplicis: triple; three-fold

** statiō, satiōnis [3/f]: (here) roadstead, a partly sheltered area near the shore where ships can anchor

[i] Vocabulary review: match the Latin and English

adhūc

ariēs, arietis [3/m]

comprobō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus [1]

eugē

facinus, facinoris [3/n]

grandis, -e

illīc

insignis, -e

mīrus, -a, -um

nōnnumquam

orbis, -is [3/m] terrārum

pergrandis, -e

prosperus, -a, -um

sententia, -ae [1/f]

turris, -is [3/f]

tūtus, -a, -um

approve; big; deed / action; distinguished; favourable / successful; globe; hurray / bravo!; opinion; over there; ram; safe; sometimes; still / thus far; tower / turret; very big; wonderful / surprising

[ii] Find the Latin:

1. pointing ¦ with (his) finger ¦ to the east
2. over there is a safe roadstead for the ships
3. as I think i.e. in my opinion
4. they’re not as big as I thought
5. some are armed with towers

05.07.25: Level 1; Road to Latin [6]; Vīlla Rōmāna; notes and exercises

[i] The enclitic [a small group of letters attached to the end of a word] -ne is used in questions to show a "yes or no" question but the speaker cannot anticipate what the answer will be. It is attached to the most important word of the question for emphasis, usually the verb, and this important word is placed at the beginning of the question.

Labōratne agricola? │ Is the farmer working?

Habetne domina ancillās? │  Does the mistress have female slaves?

[ii] The word nōnne is used to introduce questions to which the speaker expects the answer to be "yes"

Nōnne agricola labōrat? │ Surely the farmer is working? / The farmer is working, isn't he?

Nōnne vīlla Rōmāna columnās habet? │  The Roman villa has columns, doesn’t it? /  Surely the Roman villa has columns?

[iii] The question word num is used to introduce questions to which the speaker expects the answer to be "no"

Num agricola laborat? │ Surely the farmer isn’t working? / The farmer isn't working, is he?

Exercise [1]

1. Estne vīlla Rōmāna?
2. Quālis vīlla Corneliāna est?
3. Habetne vīlla Rōmāna multam terram?
4. Nōnne vīlla Rōmāna columnās habet?
5. Num casa columnās habet?
6. Quid vīlla Corneliāna habet?
7. Nōnne vīlla Corneliāna est magna?
8. Num est vīllā parvā?
9. Habetne domina ancillās?
10. Nōnne ancillae labōrant?
11. Nōnne Tullia fīliās habet?
12. Num puellae stant?
13. Nōnne agricolae labōrant?
14. Quid agricolae amant?
15. Quid nautae amant?

Unit 3; Grammar Exercise

Supply the proper case endings:

1. Tullia fili___ bon___ amat.
2. Silva pulchra domin___ Rōmā___ dēlectat.
3. Fēmin___ vīll___ et ancill___ habet.
4. Ancill___ labōrant quod domin___ amant.
5. Vīll___ magn___ est pulchr___.
6. Agricolae silv___ amant.
7. Terra et silva agricol___ dēlectant.
8. Dēlectatne aqua naut___?
9. Nōnne fenestra est apert___?
10. Num casae sunt pulchr___?

05.07.25: Level 1; Road to Latin [5]; Vīlla Rōmāna; reading and vocabulary

[Review of the Nominative and Accusative; Latin Questions with "-ne," "nonne" and "num"]

Estne vīlla Americāna? Vīlla nōn est Americāna. Vīlla est Rōmāna. Vīlla Rōmāna casās parvās et multam terram habet. Vīlla Rōmāna est Vīlla Corneliāna. Vīlla Corneliāna est longa et lāta. Nōnne vīlla Corneliāna est magna et pulchra? Vīlla Corneliāna est magna et pulchra. Vīlla columnās habet. Num casa parva columnās habet? Casa parva columnās nōn habet.

Quis est fēmina? Tullia est fēmina. Nōnne Tullia est Rōmāna? Certē Tullia est Rōmāna. Tullia domina est. Domina multās ancillās habet. Ancillae labōrant. Habetne Tullia fīliās? Tullia fīliās habet. Cornēlia et Secunda fīliae sunt. Stantne Cornēlia et Secunda? Puellae nōn stant sed fēmina stat.

Labōrantne agricolae? Agricolae labōrant. Nōnne terra agricolās dēlectat? Terra agricolās dēlectat. Agricolae et terram et silvam amant. Num terram nautae amant? Terram nautae nōn amant. Nautās nōn terra sed aqua dēlectat. Nōnne vīlla Corneliāna et Tulliam et fīliās dēlectat? Villa Corneliāna et Tulliam et fīliās dēlectat.

agricola: farmer

ancilla: slave woman

aqua: water

casa: cottage; hut; shed; little house

certē: certainly; surely; indeed

columna: column

Cornēliāna: belonging to Cornelius; Cornelius'

domina: mistress

fīlia: daughter

labōrat: he/she/it works

labōrant: they work

lāta: wide: broad

multa: much

multae: many

nauta: sailor

pulchra: beautiful; handsome; pretty

Secunda: Secunda (second daughter of Cornelius)

silva: forest; woods

terra: land: earth

Tullia: Tullia (wife of Cornelius)

vīlla: villa; farm; country estate