Schaum's Outline of Latin Grammar - Alan Fishbone [29]
ablin, on
in AsiaÅ est
he is in Asia
in tantaÅ maestitiaÅ fuisse
to have been in such great sadness
2 Generally, the form ab is used before a word beginning with a vowel, and aÅ before a word beginning with a consonant.
3 In the sense of an action performed ` by' a person. This kind of prepositional phrase usually occurs with verbs in the passive voice and constitutes the ablative of personal agent. See p. 92.
4 Generally the form ex is used before a word beginning with a vowel, and eÅ before a word beginning with a consonant.
CHAPTER 5 Adverbs and Prepositions
77
sub
accunder (implying motion)
sub portam venient
they will come beneath the gate
ablunder (stationary)
quidquid sub terraÅ est
whatever is beneath the earth
Exercise
2. Translate the following phrases:
1. sub luÅnaÅ
_____________
2. post bellum
_____________
3. apud reÅgem
_____________
4. circum urbem
_____________
5. per agroÅs
_____________
6. sine amoÅre
_____________
7. ex aquaÅ
_____________
8. cum avaÅritiaÅ
_____________
9. deÅ montibus
_____________
10. contraÅ mõÅliteÅs
_____________
11. ob pecuÅniam
_____________
12. proÅ reÅgõÅnaÅ
_____________
13. trans mare
_____________
14. ante diem
_____________
15. aÅ poeÅtaÅ
_____________
This page intentionally left blank.
CHAPTER 6
Syntax of the Noun
Nominative Case
SUBJECT
The nominative case is the case for the subject of a sentence: PoeÅta vincit.
The poet conquers.
PoeÅta is in the nominative case because it is the subject of this sentence.
Any adjective used to modify this subject must agree with it in gender and number, as well as case.
PoeÅta miser vincit.
The wretched poet conquers.
Miser is masculine nominative singular to agree with poeÅta.
PREDICATE NOMINATIVE
The nominative case is also used in the following manner: PoeÅta est miser.
The poet is wretched.
or
PoeÅta est servus.
The poet is a slave.
In these sentences poeÅta is still the subject. The function of the sentence is to make a statement about this subject, saying essentially ` X Y,' with the verb acting as an equal sign.
PoeÅta
est
miser
X
5
Y
79
Copyright 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click Here for Terms of Use.
80
CHAPTER 6 Syntax of the Noun
This Y is called a predicate, and it agrees in case with the subject. Therefore, in the sentences on page 79, miser and servus are called predicate nominatives.
Genitive Case
The genitive case has many meanings in common with the English preposition of.
For example:
poeÅta amoÅris.
a poet of love.
amor pecuÅniae.
love of money.
A noun in the genitive case usually follows another noun and gives information about it. Above, amoÅris tells us something about what kind of poet she is, pecuÅniae about what kind of love it is. In other words, the genitive case functions like an adjective.
POSSESSIVE GENITIVE
terra reÅgis
the land of the king
This genitive shows possession or ownership.
PARTITIVE GENITIVE
numerus viroÅrum
a number of men
lõÅbra aurõÅ
a pound of gold
The partitive genitive expresses the whole from which a part has come. This genitive is often found with superlatives:
Ille vir est optimus poeÅtarum
That man is the best of the poets
OBJECTIVE GENITIVE
amor pecuÅniae
love of money
nex animaÅlium
slaughter of animals
The objective genitive follows a noun that has a verbal idea in its meaning.
amor
amoÅ, amaÅre
to love
nex
necoÅ, necaÅre
to kill
The use of genitive then corresponds to the direct object of the verbal idea contained in that noun:
to love money
CHAPTER 6 Syntax of the Noun
81
In the phrase amor pecuÅniae, the genitivèòf money'' represents the direct object of the verbal idea of ``love.' Therefore, it is called an objective genitive.
SUBJECTIVE GENITIVE
amor maÅtris
the love of a mother
adventus naÅvis
the arrival of the ship
Like the objective genitive, the subjective genitive follows a noun with a verbal idea in its meaning, e.g., ``to love,' ``to arrive.' This genitive corresponds to the subject of that verbal idea:
The mother loves.