Ablative Absolute Flashcards
Coniuge veniente, femina discedet
With her husband coming, the woman will depart
Since/If/Although her husband is coming, the woman will depart
subject of absolute (coniuge) iis different from subject of main clause (femina)
translation of a present participle in the ablative absolute
-e ending rather than the -i
Expressing an ACTIVE absolute idea occurring prior to the time of the main verb without recasting it in PASSIVE VOICE
no perfect active participle
another construction would have to be used
How to say
If/ after/although her husband is coming
Si/postquam/quamquam coniunx venit
Coniuge viso, femina discessit
with her husband having been seen, the woman departed
Although/when/since/if she had seen her husband, the woman departed
subordinate clause changed from passive to active
“She” is the same subject in the absolute and the main clause in English but in Latin the subjects are coniuge and femina
How to say
When she was departing, the woman saw her husband
we can’t use the ablative absolute because the subject of both clauses (“she” and “woman”) is the same. a simple participle must be used instead
Femina discedens coniugem vidit
Illa femina regina, incolae felices erant
With that woman being queen, the inhabitants were happy
When that woman was queen, the inhabitants were happy
What does one do when sum needs to be used
no present participle of sum
two nouns in ablative absolute construction used with an implied participle used connecting them
Custode amicum vocante, nautae fugerunt
with the guardian calling his friend, the sailors fled
When the guardian was calling his friend, the sailors fled
Participle is a verbal adjective and retains its verbal functions.
Consequently it can control an object (amicum)
what is it
refers to a part of the sentence which has no close syntactical connection with the rest
subject of the absolute is different from that of the main clause
functions as an adverb giving the circumstances in which the action of the main clause occurs
