The Ablative Absolute

1
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
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
Translations (Latin gt 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
6
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
7
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
8
Translations (English gt 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
ancilla
2. pecunia
amissa
lacrimare
coepit
dormientibus
captivi
effugerunt
3. custodibus
haruspex
4. victimis
sacrificatis
omina
nuntiavit
desperabant
5. duce
interfecto
hostes
6. fele
absente
mures
luderunt
clausa
clientes
inviti
discesserunt
7. ianua