8. Caesar was considered great because of his good deeds and generosity, Cato because of the integrity of his life. The former was made famous because of his gentleness and pity, the severity of the latter lent him dignity. (Sallust Catiline 54.2)
9. There is no severity in the courts, no respect … And so we are belittled and despised by the Roman people. (Cicero In Verrem 1.1.43)
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The Bigger Picture
Orator (The Orator), written in 46 bc, is the last of Cicero's rhetorical works after De Oratore in 55 bc and Brutus earlier in 46 bc. Addressed to Brutus, the dialogue discusses in some technical detail the characteristics of the ideal orator.
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FIGURE 8.3 Dying Gaul: a Roman copy of a Greek original. In his work De Bello Gallico, Caesar recounts his campaigns in Gaul (58–51 bc) to complete Rome's conquest of the region. Source: Musei Capitolini, Rome, Italy/Photo © BEBA/AISA/The Bridgeman Art Library
Vocabulary to Learn
Nouns
auctoritās, -ātis (f.) – authority; influence
cāsus, -ūs (m.) – chance
deus, deī (m.) – god
eques, equitis (m.) – horseman; member of the cavalry
equitātus, -ūs (m.) – cavalry
fātum, -ī (n.) – fate
gladius, gladiī (m.) – sword
impetus, -ūs (m.) – attack; charge
latus, lateris (n.) – side
lūna, -ae (f.) – moon
mundus, -ī (m.) – world
portus, -ūs (m.) – port
pretium, pretiī (n.) – price
regnum, -ī (n.) – reign
saxum, -ī (n.) – rock
scelus, sceleris (n.) – crime
sōl, sōlis (m.) – sun
soror, sorōris (f.) – sister
spolia, -ōrum (n. pl.) – spoils
unda, -ae (f.) – wave; water (in poetry)
vultus, -ūs (m.) – face; expression
Verbs
doceō, docēre, docuī, doctum – teach
fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitum – flee
interficiō, interficere, interfēcī, interfectum – kill
moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum – move; (of strings) pluck
occidō, occidere, occidī, occāsum – fall down; set (of sun)
perveniō, pervenīre, pervēnī, perventum – come to
Adjectives
alter, altera, alterum – other (of two)
cupidus, -a, -um – desirous; eager
idōneus, -a, -um – suitable
propinquus, -a, -um – related
reliquus, -a, -um – remaining; (pl. the rest; the others)
suus, -a, -um – his own; her own; their own
tālis, -e – such; of such a kind
tōtus, -a, -um (gen. tōtius, dat. tōtī) – whole
Adverbs
aliquandō – at some time
igitur – therefore; accordingly
Vocabulary Specifically for Chapter 8 Passages
Nouns
aetās, aetātis (f.) – age; time of life
anima, -ae (f.) – spirit; ghost
Belides, -um (f. pl.) – the 50 granddaughters of Belus, i.e., the Danaids (of whom 49 killed their husbands on their wedding night)
Cleopātra, -ae (f.) – Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, lover of Julius Caesar and then Marc Antony
Clōdius, -iī, Q. (m.) – Quintus Clodius, propraetor 207 bc, during the Second Punic War
excūsātiō, -ōnis (f.) – excuse
exercitatiō, exercitatiōnis (f.) – exercise; practice
familiāris, -is (m.) – family member; acquaintance; friend
Haeduī, -ōrum (m. pl.) – Haedui (a people of Gaul)
Hannibal, Hannibalis (m.) – Carthaginian leader during the Second Punic War (218–201 bc)
Hispania, -ae (f.) – Spain
hōra, -ae (f.) – hour
iecur, iecinoris (n.) – liver
Ixīon, -onis (m.) – Ixion, punished in the Underworld, attached to an eternally revolving wheel
lacrima, -ae (f.) – tear
manus, -ūs (f.) – (usually) hand; (here) hand-writing
moenia, -ium (n. pl.) – walls
monstrum, -ī (n.) – monster
multitūdō, -inis (f.) – large number; crowd
nervus, -ī (m.) – string (of a musical instrument)
Numida, -ae (m.) – Numidian
orbis, orbis (m.) – wheel
pābulātor, -ōris (m.) – forager
Pān (gen. Pānos; acc. Pāna) (m.) – Pan
perniciēs, -eī (f.) – disaster; destruction
pestis, -is (m.) – plague
prōdigium, prōdigiī (n.) – monster; prodigy
propinquus, -i (m.) – relative
prōpraetor, -ōris (m.) – propraetor (a Roman magistrate)
Ptolomaeus, -i (m.) (also Ptolemaeus) – ruler of Egypt; brother of Cleopatra
signum, -ī (n.) – (usually) sign; (here) seal
tabernaculum, -ī (n.) – tent
Tantalus, -i (m.) – punished in the Underworld – he stands in water and fruit trees are just above his head; however, when he tries to drink the water flows away and the fruit remains just beyond his grasp.
urna, -ae (f.) – urn
venia, -ae (f.) – forgiveness; veniam dō = grant forgiveness
ventus, -ī (m.) – wind
volucer, volucris (m. and f.) – bird
Verbs
abdō, abdere, abdidī, abditum – hide
abeō, abīre, abīvī (see Chapter 12) – go away
accipiō, accipere, accēpī; acceptum – receive; accept
agō, agere, ēgī, actum – act (in a play)
anhelō, anhelāre, anhelāvī, anhelātum – breath (out); exhale
appetō, appetere, appetīvī, appetītum – aim at; make for
captō, captāre, captāvī, captātum – catch
carpō, carpere, carpsī, carptum – pluck at; feed on
comparō, comparāre, comparāvī, comparātum – furnish; provide
consisto, consistere (animō) – stand firm (in one's mind)
dēdūcō, dēdūcere, dēdūxī, dēductum – lead
dēlectō, dēlectāre, dēlectāvi, dēlectātum – please; delight
ērumpō, ērumpere, ērūpī, ēruptum – burst out
ēvādō, ēvādere, ēvāsī – get away; escape
excēdō, excēdere, excessī, excessum – leave; walk out of
expellō, expellere, expulsī, expulsum – expel
expōnō, expōnere, exposuī, expositum – put (troops) ashore
fallō, fallere, fefellī, falsum – deceive
fingō, fingere, finxī, fictum – compose; arrange
fleō, flēre, flēvī, flētum – weep; cry
furō, furere, furuī – rage; be mad
impellō, impellere, impulsī, impulsum – urge; impel
impendeō, impendēre, impendī, impensum – hang over; threaten
inserō, inserere, insēvī, insitum – implant
legō, legere, lēgī, lectum – read
oportet, oportuit (occurs only in 3rd person singular + infinitive) – one ought to; it is necessary to
perfundō, perfundere, perfūdī, perfūsum – moisten; bathe; fill
perturbō, perturbāre, perturbāvī, perturbātum – perturb; frighten; throw into confusion
praeferō, praeferre, praetulī, praelātum – carry in front; put on display
prōducō, prōdūcere, prōdūxī, prōductum – lead forward
regnō, regnāre, regnāvī, regnātum – rule; reign
stupeō, stupēre, stupuī – stop; stand still
vacō, vacāre, vacāvī, vacātum (+ dat.) – be at leisure for; rest from
vergō, vergere – lie; be situated
Adjectives
acerrimus, -a, -um – most eager; m
ost passionate
Athēnienis, -e – Athenian
commūnis, -e – common
exsanguis, -e – bloodless; pale
moritūrus, -a, -um – being about to die
quīdam, quaedam, quoddam – a certain
rapidus, -a, -um – rapid; swift
refugus, -a, -um – fleeing back
vagus, -a, -um – scattered; wandering
Adverbs; Conjunctions
cotīdiē – daily
etsi – although
frequenter – often
interdum – from time to time
libenter – willingly
nefāriē – evilly; impiously
praetereā – besides
prīmum – in the first place; first
quasi – as if; as it were
qui? – how?
tantum – only
vehementissimē – very greatly
English Derivations
From which Latin roots do the following English words derive?
(i) authority
(ii) lateral
(iii) motion
(iv) fugitive
CHAPTER 9
Chapter Contents
9.1 THE PASSIVE VOICE CONTINUED 9.1.1 Perfect Indicative Passive
9.1.2 Pluperfect Indicative Passive
9.1.3 Future Perfect Indicative Passive
9.2 USES OF THE CASES 9.2.1 Ablative Absolute
9.2.2 Ablative of Cause
Translation from Latin
Translation into Latin
Vocabulary to Learn Nouns; Pronouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs; Prepositions; Conjunctions
Vocabulary Specifically for Chapter 9 Passages Nouns; Pronouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs; Prepositions; Conjunctions
FIGURE 9.1 Gladiators mosaic (3rd century ad). Gladiatorial contests became increasingly popular at Rome. Emperors, for example, gained favor with the people of Rome by staging elaborate games where gladiators were part of the entertainment. Source: Bignor Roman Villa, West Sussex, UK/Ancient Art and Architecture Collection Ltd/The Bridgeman Art Library
9.1 The Passive Voice Continued
The perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect tenses are also used in the passive. To form the passive voice of these tenses the perfect participle and appropriate forms of the verb sum are used. The perfect indicative passive is formed by using the present indicative of the verb sum with the perfect participle passive.
9.1.1 Perfect Indicative Passive
SINGULAR PLURAL
positus, -a, -um sum – I was placed positī, -ae, -a sumus – we were placed
positus, -a, -um es – you were placed positī, -ae, -a estis – you were placed
positus, -a, -um est – he, she, it was placed positī, -ae, -a sunt – they were placed
HINT!
As with the perfect active, Latin has only one form of the perfect passive and may mean, for example, “I have been placed.”
9.1.2 Pluperfect Indicative Passive
SINGULAR PLURAL
positus, -a, -um eram – I had been placed positī, -ae, -a erāmus – we had been placed
positus, -a, -um erās – you had been placed positī, -ae, -a erātis – you had been placed
positus, -a, -um erat – he, etc. had been placed positī, -ae, -a erant – they had been placed
HINT!
Because the participle is an adjective, it must agree with the subject. If the subject is feminine, singular, the participle must have feminine singular endings, etc.
9.1.3 Future Perfect Indicative Passive
The future perfect indicative passive is formed using the future indicative of the verb sum with the perfect participle passive.
SINGULAR PLURAL
vīsus, -a, -um erō – I will have been seen vīsī, -ae, -a erimus – we will have been seen
vīsus, -a, -um eris – you will have been seen vīsī, -ae, -a eritis – you will have been seen
vīsus, -a, -um erit – he, etc. will have been seen vīsī, -ae, -a erunt – they will have been seen
Try This
Perfect tenses of the passive.
Translate the following into Latin:
e.g., they had been taught – docti erant
(i) it had been decided (vi) they will have been seen
(ii) they will have been destroyed (vii) you (sing.) had been killed
(iii) it had been felt (viii) we shall have been captured
(iv) these things will have been changed (ix) you (pl.) have been moved
(v) the city had been defeated (x) I had been loved
9.2 Uses of the Cases
9.2.1 Ablative Absolute
The participle is frequently used in Latin with a noun or pronoun in the ablative case. This construction occurs when there is no grammatical connection between the ablative absolute phrase and the rest of the sentence. The ablative absolute occurs especially with the present and perfect participles and may be translated in various ways: temporal clause; causal clause; concessive clause; by a phrase introduced by with (which is one of the original meanings of the ablative case); sometimes even as a main clause.
hīs rēbus gestīs … superātīs Belgīs, expulsīs Germānīs, victīs in Alpibus Sedūnīs … Caesar in Illyrium contendit (Caesar De Bello Gallico 3.7.1): after these things had been accomplished and the Belgae had been defeated, the Germans driven out and the Seduni in the Alps conquered … Caesar hastened to Illyrium.
nullō hoste prohibente aut iter demorante incolumem legiōnem in Nantuātēs, inde in Allobrōgēs perdūxit ibique hiemāvit (Caesar De Bello Gallico 3.6.5): as no enemy was hindering or delaying the march, he led the legion in safety into the territory of the Nantuates, and from there into that of the Allobroges and he wintered there.
Notice that in the ablative absolute construction the present participle ends in -e, not -i.
The ablative absolute is also used to indicate the year in which events occur (i.e., in whose consulship). There is no present participle from the verb sum:
Romam vēnit Mariō consule (Cicero Pro Archia 5): he came to Rome in the consulship of Marius (i.e., when Marius was consul).
HINT!
If you see a noun or pronoun with a participle in the ablative case, your first thought should be ablative absolute. Consider all the possible ways to translate.
9.2.2 Ablative of Cause
The ablative of a noun is used without a preposition to express cause:
sunt in culpā, qui officia dēserunt mollitiā animī, id est labōrum et dolōrum fugā (Cicero De Finibus 1.33): they are to blame who abandon their duties because of a weakness of spirit, that is because of avoidance of work and pains.
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SOUND BITE
Ovid on when to apply drink (Ovid Remedia Amoris 131–2)
data tempore prosunt
et data non apto tempore vina nocent.
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Translation from Latin
1. Idibus Ianuariis in senatu nihil est confectum, propterea quod dies magna ex parte consumptus est altercatione Lentuli consulis et Canini tribuni plebis. (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 1.2.1)
2. de ceteris rebus quicquid erit actum, scribam ad te. (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 1.2.4)
3. ceteris iniuriis, quae propositae sunt a Catone, facile, ut spero, resistemus. (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 1.5b.2)
4. hic Sulpicius temporibus floruit iis, quibus inter profectionem reditumque L. Sullae sine iure fuit et sine ulla dignitate res publica. (Cicero Brutus 227)
5. ubi de eius adventu Helvetii certiores facti sunt, legatos ad eum mittunt. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.7)
6. Vercingetorix … cuius pater principatum totius Galliae obtinuerat et ob eam causam, quod regnum appetebat, a
civibus erat interfectus, convocatis suis clientibus, facile incendit. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 7.4.1)
7. sic cum suis fugientibus permixti, quos non silvae montesque texerunt, ab equitatu sunt interfecti. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 7.62.9)
8. M. Metius repertus et ad eum reductus est. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.53.8)
9. reus in iudicium adductus est C. Verres, homo vita atque factis omnium iam opinione damnatus. (Cicero In Verrem 1.1.2)
FIGURE 9.2 Roman papyrus fragment. The papyrus plant grew mainly in Egypt. It was processed to make a kind of writing surface; often a number of sheets were glued together to form a roll (usually 20–26 feet long). © Leeds Museums and Galleries (Discovery Centre)
Translation into Latin
1. The Helvetii, induced by a lack of all things, sent envoys to him concerning surrender. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.27.1)
2. Having learned these things Caesar encouraged the spirits of the Gauls with his words. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.33.1)
3. However, having read the letters of Philotimus I changed my plan about the women whom, as I had written to you, I was sending back to Rome. (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 7.23.2)
4. Having learned of the arrival of Caesar, <Pompey> departed from that place and in a few days came to Mitylene. (Caesar Bellum Civile 3.102.4)
5. With these men as our advisers and leaders, if the gods help, if we are watchful and exercise much forethought for the future, if the Roman people agree, we will surely be free in a short time. (Cicero Philippicae 3.36)
6. Publius Servilius brought back for the Roman people those statues and ornaments which had been captured from the city of the enemy by force and courage and which he removed by the law of war and his right as a general. (Cicero In Verrem 2.1.57)