Vita enim mortuōrum in memoria est posita vīvōrum. (Cicero) CHAPTER XLIII PLACE AND DISTANCE. ROMAN NUMERALS (Cont.) FIRST SECTION 348. Expressions of Place. In Latin, as in English, prepositional phrases are regularly used to express (a) the Place-from-which, (b) the Place-to-which, and (c) the Placein-which. Thus: (a) PLACE-FROM-WHICH: 1. Ex urbe vēnit, He came from the city. 2. A flumine copias abduxit, He led the troops away-from the river. 3. Pastor gregem dễ monte dēduxit, The shepherd led the flock down-from the mountain. (b) PLACE-TO-WHICH: 1. Ad urbem vēnit, He came to the city. 2. Ad urbem discessit, He left for the city. 3. In urbem contendit, He hastened to (into) the city. (c) PLACE-IN-WHICH: In oppidō magnō habitat, He lives in a large town. Observe. 1. In (a) we see that three prepositions express the general relation " from," but differ in their exact meaning: from, if equivalent to out-from, is expressed by ē, ex; if equivalent to away-from, by ā, ab; if equivalent to down-from, by dē, with the Ablative. 2. In (b) we see that to, if equivalent to into, is expressed by in, with the Accusative. NOTE. With the names of cities and towns, also with domus, home, and rūs, the country, the Place-from-which is expressed by the Ablative without a preposition. Thus: Rōmā vēnit, He came from Rome. Domo discessit, He went away from home. Rūre revenit, He came back from the country. The Place-to-which is expressed by the Accusative without a preposition. Thus: Romam venit, He came to Rome. Domum contendit, He hastened home. Rūs discessit, He went away to the country. The Place-in-which is expressed by a special case, the Locative. See below. 349. The Locative Case. In the singular of the First and Second Declensions the Locative has the same form as the Genitive; in the Third Declension, and in all plurals, the Locative has the same form as the Ablative. Thus: Romae, in (at) Rome; Corinthi, in (at) Corinth; Carthagine (or Carthagini), in (at) Carthage; Trallibus, in (at) Tralles; domi, at home; rūre (or rūrī), in the country. 350. Rules.-1. Place-from-which is expressed by a (ab), ē (ex), or dē with the Ablative, but with names of cities and towns, also with domus and rus, no preposition is used. 2. Place-to-which is expressed by ad and in with the Accusative, but with names of cities and towns, also with domus and rūs, no preposition is used. 3. Place-in-which is expressed by in with the Ablative, but with names of cities and towns, also domus and rūs, the Locative case is used. 351. Exercise. - Express in Latin: 1. The farmer is leaving for the town. 2. The citizens are gathering from the fields. 3. He will lead the soldiers into the new camp. 4. That man lived many years in Rome, in Athens, in Corinth, and in Carthage. 5. Is your father at home? No. He is in the country. 6. In what city does your friend live? A Roman Wall Painting from Pompeii 352. Expressions of Distance. In the English sentence (1) He walked two miles, the word miles is used adverbially (an "adverbial Objective case ") and expresses the extent of space. Also in (2) He was six feet tall, the word feet is an adverbial Objective and expresses the extent of space (height). Corresponding to the English Objective we have in Latin the Accusative (1) Ambulāvit duo passuum mīlia, He walked two miles (lit. two thousands of paces); (2) Fuit sex altus pedēs, He was six feet tall (lit. he was tall for [a height of] six feet). 353. Rule. The Extent of Space is expressed by the Accusative. NOTE. Distance from (away-from) a place, if considered as the Extent of Space, is expressed (as above) by the Accusative case, thus: He was three miles away-from Rome, Rōmā tria passuum mīlia aberat. But distance from (away-from) a place, if thought of as the Degree of Difference (291), is expressed by the Ablative case, thus: Rōmā tribus passuum mīlibus aberat (lit. He was away-from Rome by [the difference of] three miles). 1 mille, thousand, is an indeclinable adjective; but in the plural (thousands) it is a noun; mīlia (or mīllia), -ium, n. |