Latin for beginners (1911)/Part II/Lesson LIV

by Benjamin Leonard D'Ooge

Layout 2

LESSON LIV

IRREGULAR COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES • THE ABLATIVE WITH COMPARATIVES WITHOUT QUAM

307. The following six adjectives in -lis form the comparative regularly; but the superlative is formed by adding -limus to the base of the positive. Learn the meanings and comparison.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
facilis, -e, easy	facilior, -ius	facillimus, -a, -um
difficilis, -e, hard	difficilior, -ius	difficillimus, -a, -um
similis, -e, like	similior, -ius	simillimus, -a, -um
dissimilis, -e, unlike	dissimilior, -ius	dissimillimus, -a, -um
gracilis, -e, slender	gracilior, -ius	gracillimus, -a, -um
humilis, -e, low	humilior, -ius	humillimus, -a, -um

308. From the knowledge gained in the preceding lesson we should translate the sentence Nothing is brighter than the sun

Nihil est clārius quam sōl

But the Romans, especially in negative sentences, often expressed the comparison in this way,

Nihil est clārius sōle

which, literally translated, is Nothing is brighter away from the sun; that is, starting from the sun as a standard, nothing is brighter. This relation is expressed by the separative ablative sōle. Hence the rule 309. Rule. Ablative with Comparatives. The comparative degree, if quam is omitted, is followed by the separative ablative.

310.

EXERCISES

First learn the special vocabulary, p. 296.

I.

1. Nēmō mīlitēs alacriōrēs Rōmānīs vīdit.
2. Statim imperātor iussit nūntiōs quam celerrimōs litterās Rōmam portāre.
3. Multa flūmina sunt lēniōra Rhēno.
4. Apud Rōmānōs quis erat clārior Caesare?
5. Nihil pulchrius urbe Rōmā vīdī.
6. Subitō multitūdō audācissima magnō clāmōre proelium ācrius commīsit.
7. Num est equus tuus tardus? Nōn vērō tardus, sed celerior aquilā.
8. Ubi Rōmae fui, nēmō erat mihi amīcior Sextō.
9. Quaedam mulierēs cibum mīlitibus dare cupivērunt.
10. Rēx vetuit cīvīs ex urbe noctū discēdere.
11. Ille puer est gracilior hāc muliere.
12. Explōrātor duās (two) viās, alteram facilem, alteram difficiliōrem, dēmōnstrāvit.

II.

1. What city have you seen more beautiful than Rome?
2. The Gauls were not more eager than the Germans.
3. The eagle is not slower than the horse.
4. The spirited woman did not fear to make the journey by night.
5. The mind of the multitude was quite gentle and friendly.
6. But the king's mind was very different.
7. The king was not like (similar to) his noble father.
8. These hills are lower than the huge mountains of our territory.

ARMA ROMANA

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References