Transcript The Ablative Absolute

The Ablative Absolute
Compare these sentences in terms of the time difference
between the verbs :
When the city had been captured, the soldiers departed
After the city had been captured, the soldiers departed
With the city having been captured, the soldiers departed
In each case the verb in the first part of the sentence expresses
an action which has occurred before the action of the second verb
In English we use the pluperfect tense to express an action which
occurs before another action in the past. Latin, however, has a very
neat way of expressing this time difference which follows the
construction of the third sentence:
With the city having been captured, the soldiers departed
urbe capta, milites discesserunt
This type of structure is called the ablative
absolute
It is made up of a noun ‘urbe’ and a participle ‘capta’
in the ablative case and is very common in Latin
Grammatically, it is completely separate from the rest of the
sentence and this is why it is called ‘absolute’ from the Latin
verb ‘absolvere’ or ‘untied’
In the example we have just looked at, the participle in the
ablative absolute phrase is a perfect passive participle. Ablative
absolute phrases can also be formed with a present participle:
omnibus tacentibus, libertus nomina recitavit
With everyone being quiet, the freedman read out the names
Or, in more natural English:
When everyone was quiet, the freedman read out the names
n.b.: the present participle declines like a third declension adjective
Translation of the Ablative Absolute
bello confecto, Agricola ad Italiam rediit
With the war having been finished, Agricola returned to Italy
or, in better English:
When the war had been finished, Agicola returned to Italy
or
After finishing the war, Agricola returned to Italy
Translations (Latin > English)
ponte deleto, nemo flumen transire poterat
After the bridge had been destroyed, nobody could cross
his verbis auditis, cives plauserunt
When they heard these words, the citizens applauded
nave refecta, mercator a Britannia discessit
When the ship had been repaired, the merchant left Britain
iuvenes, togis depositis, balneum intraverunt
After taking off their clothes, the young men entered the baths
latrones, omnibus dormientibus, tabernam incenderunt
The thieves set fire to the inn when everybody was sleeping
Imperator, sacerdotibus adstantibus, preces divo Tito obtulit
consule ingresso, omnes senatores surrexerunt
clientes, denariis raptis, abierunt ut cibum emerent
mercator, clamoribus auditis, e lecto perterritus surrexit
Imperator, sacerdotibus adstantibus, preces divo Tito obtulit
The Emperor offered prayers to the god Titus when the priests
were present
consule ingresso, omnes senatores surrexerunt
All the senators stood up when the consul entered
clientes, denariis raptis, abierunt ut cibum emerent
After grabbing the money, the clients went away to buy food
mercator, clamoribus auditis, e lecto perterritus surrexit
When he heard the shouts, the merchant got out of bed terrified
Translations (English > Latin)
1. The citizens returned home when the arch had been dedicated
2. After losing her money, the slave girl began to cry
3. The captives escaped while the guards were sleeping
4. The soothsayer announced the omens once the victims had been
sacrificed
5. The enemy was in despair when their leader was killed
6. When the cat is away, the mice are accustomed to play
7. The clients went away unwillingly when the door had been shut
1. arcu dedicato cives domum redierunt
2. pecunia amissa ancilla lacrimare coepit
3. custodibus dormientibus captivi effugerunt
4. victimis sacrificatis haruspex omina nuntiavit
5. duce interfecto hostes desperabant
6. fele absente mures luderunt
7. ianua clausa clientes inviti discesserunt