Ablative Absolute EASY EASY EASY USES THE PARTICIPLES and one about Deponents

IMPORTANT SUPER IMPORTANT IN LATIN. ThERE ARE A TON OF GOOD PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Deponents IN LATIN

A deponent verb is a verb that: Looks passive (has passive endings) But means active.

Examples from class

-Dilabor- I slip away

-Collabor- I collapse

-Loquor - I speak

PASSIVE FORM AND ACTIVE MEANING

compared to laudor- I am praised (PASSIVE)

NORMAL ARE PASSIVE FORM, PASSIVE MEANING

so like

locutus- Having Spoken

• Deponent Is active

laudatus- Having been praised

• Normal is passive

FOR ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

WHEN VERB IS DEPONENT DOES NOT CHANGE IN PRESENT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE

👉 Form = passive
👉 Meaning = active

Differeence between passive and active

PASSIVE FORM-passive form if to be verb is in front of the verb

In passive voice, the subject receives the action.→ Puella amatur. = The girl is loved.

For example, puella amatur means "the girl is loved," instead of "the girl loves." In the present system (present, imperfect, and future), the passive is formed by adding special endings to the verb stem: -r, -ris, -tur, -mur, -minī, -ntur. So amat (he loves) becomes amatur (he is loved). In the perfect system (perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect), the passive is made with the fourth principal part of the verb plus a form of sum ("to be"). For instance, amatus est means "he was loved" or "he has been loved," while amatus erat means "he had been loved." In short, active forms show who does the action, while passive forms show who receives it.

ACTIVE FORM-A verb is in the active voice when the subject is the person or thing that performs the action.

Ablative Absolute EXAMPLE MORINING ANNOUNCEMENT

That being said, we are now going to discuss lunch.

It is not

Having said that, John cried.

THE CLAUSES ARE RELATED. SAME SUBJECT

KEY

 

Example: Blue

Most important= _This__

Important= Yellow

Type 1= Green

Type 2=Orange

Type 3=Red

ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE DEFINITION

A Latin grammatical construction, consisting of a noun/pronoun and a participle (or adjective/noun) both in the ablative case, forming an independent phrase that sets the time, cause, or condition for the main sentence's action, acting like an adverbial clause but without grammatical connection to the main verb/clause.

Separation is what makes the Ablative Absolute special. Completely separate from the main clause. It is Physically separated and Separated because it has a different subject than the main clause of the  sentence 

1. Using either an ablative noun/pronoun+ Noun or adjective in ablative

2. Or an ablative noun/pronoun + Present participle in ablative

3. Or an ablative noun/pronoun + Past Participle in ablative

It is often Translated as

1. TYPE 1 "when/with/since/while + Noun + [X -ing ] EX. with the poet praising

2. TYPE 2 when / since / with + Noun + [(being)] + Noun/ Adjective. EX.With Caesar (being) the leader

3. TYPE 3 NO ADDED PART NOUN + having been + __-ed] EX. The soldiers having been praised

• Describes the circumstances under which the main action happens
• Often translated with when, after, since, although
• AA has a different subject from the main clause

Ablative Absolute short definition

Describes the circumstances under which the main action happens
• Often translated with when, after, since, although

Ablative Absolute separation example

Romam videntes, viri gaudebant. 

= Seeing rome, The men were rejoicing

What is the subject of the sentence? 

The subject is viri (the men)

What is the participle videntes describing? 

viri (the men)

Does this sentence contain an AA? 

No, same subject not separated and also romam not in ablative case

Romā visā, viri gaudebant. 

With Rome having been seen, the men were rejoicing

What is the subject of the sentence? 

The subject of the sentence is men

What is the participle visa describing? 

Roma ( rome)

Does this sentence contain an AA? 

Yes, different subject separated and has ablative endings

Tricks for doing Ablative Absolute Literally for right now

but also elegent way

Like other participial phrases, the ablative absolute can be translated quite literally, as in Roma visa, (with Rome having been seen). 

Other more elegant way is to transform the phrase to a clause when translating, converting the participle to a verb in the appropriate tense, treating the ablative noun as its subject, and supplying the most logical conjunction (usually 'when,' 'since,' or 'although:' 

Examples

1. Eo imperium tenente, eventum timeo. → “While he was holding power, I fear the outcome.”

2. His rebus auditis, coepit timere. → “When these things had been heard, he began to fear.”

3. Literal vs. better style:

   • Literal: “With him holding power, I fear the outcome.”

   • Better: “While he was holding power, I fear the outcome.”

Or: when, since, after, etc. 

When, since, after, etc, these things had been heard, he began.... 

3 TYPES OF ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

I) TYPE I: NOUN (in abl) + PRESENT PARTICIPLE (in abl) 

Formation: Present participle in the ablative + noun in the ablative
• Claudia audiente — “while Claudia was listening”

II) TYPE II: NOUN (in abl) + Noun/or Adjective (in abl) 

• Numā rege — “with Numa as king”

III)TYPE III: NOUN (in abl) + PERFECT PAST PARTICIPLE (in abl) 

• ex. Romā visā — “with Rome having been seen”

TYPE 1 ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

NOUN (in abl) + PRESENT PARTICIPLE (in abl) 

Formation: Present participle in the ablative + noun in the ablative

Examples TRANSLATED LITERALLY:

1. Laudante poeta eius matrem, regina gaudebat. =

   1. (with the poet praising her mother, the queen was rejoincing

2. Laudantibus poetis eius matrem, regina gaudet. +

   1. With the poets praising her mother, the queen rejoices.

FOR THESE ALWAYS ADD “WITH”

HOW TO DO TYPE 1

To do these find the noun that the participle describes. Then know the nouns gender and number and you know it is in ablative so you find those use the declension endings to get the word. You obviously need to know the declension and use those endings . The endings will not always match for these because Present ACTIVE Participle is 3rd declension endings.

To get the Present active Participle use what we learned about it. Then add the ablative ending for the 3rd declension and what number it is.

So then and the noun can be 1st or 2nd declension and it will keep its declension endings. the noun that the participle describes doesn’t have to be 3rd declension. It can be 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd declension. Important: Whatever declension the noun is, it keeps its normal ablative endings.The participle (always 3rd declension) will then match the noun in case and number, but not in gender and declension, because participles always use 3rd declension endings.

Gender gets ignored.

Example: “With the poet praising” poet is in ablative singular and it is poetā. Then the present participle for praising get 4th principal part laudatum and take the -um and add the ablative singlular for 3rd declension ending and get laudante. the final result is poetā laudantē gender get ignored

IMPORTANT RULE FOR TYPE 1 ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

PRESENT PARTICIPLES

If you use a present participle in an ablative absolute, the action happens at the SAME TIME as the main verb.

also saying that first clause with the participle will be coontemporaneous with the second clause if present participle

Examples

1⃣ Main verb = present

Imperātōre canente, omnēs tacent.
→ While the commander is singing, everyone is silent.

2⃣ Main verb = imperfect (past ongoing)

Imperātōre canente, omnēs tacēbant.
→ While the commander was singing, everyone was silent.

CONTEMPORANEOUS

Ablative absolute Type 2

Ablative Absolute TYPE II: NOUN (in abl) + Noun/or Adjective (in abl)

Formation: Noun in ablative + noun in ablative 

Examples TRANSLATED LITERALLY:

1. Caesare duce, regina non gaudet =

   1. With Caesar (being) the leader, the queem does no rejoice

2. Caesare magno, regina gaudebat=

   1. With Caesar (being) great, the queen was rejoicing

3. Agricolis ducibus, regina gaudet=

   1. With the farmers (being) the leaders, the queen rejoices.

4. Caesare et Julio consulibus, Roma magna erat=

   1. With Caesar and Julius being the consuls, rome was great

FOR THESE ALWAYS ADD “WITH” AND “BEING”

HOW TO DO TYPE 2

To do Type II Ablative Absolute. You use the structure of a noun in the ablative + another noun or an adjective in the ablative. So you first identify the main noun, put it in the ablative case, then place the second noun or adjective in the ablative as well.

If the second word is an adjective like “the ships being big” it must agree with the noun in case, number, and gender. Each word keeps its own declension endings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). So like “the ships being big” is “Navibus magnis” because navibus is 3rd declension plural ablative feminine and magnis is a 1st/2nd declension adjective and is in ablative, plural and feminine

If the second word is a noun so noun+noun like “With Caesar being the leader” then you match the case which is always ablative and also the number most of the time. The nouns do not have to match in gender because , they are there own nouns they have "fixed" genders. In a noun + noun construction, the genders do not match always but they can. To translate “With Casear being the leader” is noun+noun and Caesar in ablative singular is Caesare and then leader in latin is dux which is 3rd declension as well and it is in singular so it is duce. so translated it is Caesare Duce

another exampe of noun+noun is “With the farmers (being) the leaders” so farmers in ablative plural is agricolis and then leaders in ablative plural is ducibus so agricolis ducibus

Example of gender not matching noun+noun is “With the queen being the leader.” Queen in ablative singular is reginā and it is feminin and then leader in ablative singular is duce and it is masculine

Special case for number not matching: The numbers will not match if it is two nouns like “Caesare et Julio consulibus”. That is with Caesar and Julius being the Consuls. So consuls in plural because it is 2 nouns.

When translating, you always add “with” and “being” in English: “with ___ being ___.” Examples include Caesare duce (“with Caesar being the leader”) and Caesare magno (“with Caesar being great”

Ablative absolute Type 3

Ablative Absolute TYPE III: NOUN (in abl) + PERFECT PAST PARTICIPLE (in abl)

Formation: Past participle in the ablative + noun in the ablative

Examples: 

Examples TRANSLATED LITERALLY:

1. Militibus laudatis, regina gaudebat=

   1. The soldiers having been praised, the queen was rejoicing.

2. Oppido deleto, regina lacrimavit.=

   1. The fortified town, having been destroyed, the queen wept.

3. Urbe captā, milites clamaverunt “io”!=

   1. the city having been captured, the soldiers shouted “hurray”!)

4. Urbe delendā, …=

   1. ( =the city about to be destroyed,..)

FOR THESE ALWAYS THE PAST PARTICIPLE IS TRANSLATED AS HAVING BEEN …..-ED

HOW TO DO TYPE 3

To do these just find the noun the participle describes. Then determiunes its gender number and declension and you know to put in ablative so you find those and match them. Then you know how to get the perfect passive participle and use use the 4th principal part of verb and you always use 1st and 2nd declension endings (masculine, feminine, neuter).and you match the case which is ablative and you match the number, and gender as well

Example “The soldiers having been praised”

Soldiers is plural and masculine and it is in the ablative case and 3rd declension so you use the 3rd declension endings and it is militibus and then having been praised is perfect passive participle and used 4th principal part which is laudatum and then take off the um and then make it match case number and gender by adding the ending that is plural, ablative and masculine and it is laudatis. It is 1st/2nd declension endings (because perfect passive participles always use 1st/2nd declension endings) you get “Militibus Laudatis”

1. Translate literally as “the ___ having been ___” or “after the ___ had been ___.” You can add context with when, since, or although if needed for smoother English.

IN CLASS SHEET PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BEST PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Test yourself! Can you identify the TYPE of ablative absolute structure used in each clause below? Can you translate it into Latin? Give it a try!

	TYPE (select from list above)	TRANSLATION INTO LATIN
The city having been destroyed,	III	Urbe deletā,
The ships being big,	II	Navibus (f) magnis,
With the waves striking the sky,	I	Undis pellentibus caelum,
The ships having been seen near (prope) the shore (litus, litoris - N),	III	Navibus visis prope litus
The Harpies (Harpyia, -ae) having been captured,	III	Harpyis captis,
With the kings dragging the cart (carrus, -i),	I	Regibus trahentibus carrum,
The carts (carrus, -i) having been moved by the king,	III	Carris motis a rege,
With the angry goddess striking the door (ianua, -ae),	I	Deā iratā pellente ianuam,
Annā Hamptoneque consulibus,	II	Anne and Hampton being consuls,
10. With the Harpies destroying the city,	i	Harypis urbem delentibus,

IN CLASS SHEET PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BEST PRACTICE PROBLEMS

MORE ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

22 sentences with deponents

EVEN MORE ABLATIVE ABSOLUTES!

VOCABULARY WORD BANK(in order of appearance -for the most part)

__________________________________________________________ _____________

dilabor, dilabi, dilapsus sum: to slip away, to dissolve

collabor,  collabi, collapsus sum = to collapse, fall down in ruinsagito, agitare, agitavi, agitatum: to stir, drive, shake, move about

rebus ←res, rei (f): think, matter, business

perficio, perficere, perfeci, perfectum: to complete, finish, execute

pax, pacis (f): peace

impono, imponere, imposui, impositum: to impose, put upon, inflict

os, ossis (n): bone

eligo, eligere, elegi, electum: pick out, choose

senatū (4th declension ablative) ←senatus, senatus (M): the senate

voveo, vovere, vovi, votum: vow, dedicate, consecrate

sumo, sumere, sumpsi, sumptum: to take

amitto, amittere, amisi, amissum: to lose, let go

Facio, Facere, Feci, Factum: to do, to make

do, dare, dedi, datum: to give

loquor, loqui, locutum sum: to speak

adsto, adstare, adsteti, adstatum: to stand at, on, by or near

aperio, aperire, aperui, apertum: to open, appear

amicitia, amicitiae [f.]: friendship

Imperium, -i: (power) the right to rule

Eventum, -i: occurrence, event, issue, outcome

________________________________________________________________________

1. Mercurio e caelo dilapso, ___________________________________

________________________________________________________

2. Saxis e montibus in viam collapsis, ____________________________

________________________________________________________

3. Ventis tempestate agitatis, ___________________________________

________________________________________________________

4. His rebus uno die perfectis, __________________________________

________________________________________________________

5. Pace in Asiam a Mario impositā, ______________________________

________________________________________________________

6. Ossibus in terrā sepultis, ____________________________________

________________________________________________________

7. Puero e senatu electo, ______________________________________

________________________________________________________

8. Votis a Troianis factis, ______________________________________

________________________________________________________

9. Filiā ducis in matrimoniam datā, ______________________________

________________________________________________________

10. Antonio consule, _________________________

________________________________________________________

11. Fabula narratā, __________________________

________________________________________________________

12. Rege loquente, __________________________

________________________________________________________

13. Verbis dictis, ____________________________

________________________________________________________

14. Pecunia amissā, _________________________

________________________________________________________

15. Cibo sumpto, ____________________________

________________________________________________________

16. Senatoribus adstantibus, __________________

________________________________________________________

17. Ianuā apertā, ___________________________

________________________________________________________

18. Oraculo dato, ___________________________

________________________________________________________

19. Patre duce, ____________________________

________________________________________________________

20. Libro de amicitiā ā Cicerone scripto, __________________________

________________________________________________________

21. Caelo sereno, ______________________

________________________________________________________

22. Caesare imperium tenente, eventum timeo. 

________________________________________________________

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

Choose the English phrase that best translates the Latin word or phrase in italics. 

Just translate whole sentence if needed

1. Signō datō, milites urbem  oppugnaverunt. 

•  The signal having been given

• when the signal was given

• although the signal was given 

AA is Signō Datō because both in ablative and clause is alone and also verb and noun together.

and you know it is a verb and taken from 4th principal part and has no -nt so you know perfect passive participle is having been -ed. So it would be the signal having been given. DO THAT FOR ALL OTHERS. because perfect passive participle is always having been ___

2. Servus non accusatus fugit. 

• although he was not accused

• not having been accused

• because he was not accused 

3. urbe oppugnatā, bellum geremus. 

•  when the city had been attacked

• the city having been attacked

• if the city is attacked 

4. Servus accustus fugit 

• although he was accused 

• having been accused 

• because he was accused 

5. Multis militibus interfectis, oppicum tamen expugnavimus 

• many soldiers having been killed

• since many soldiers were killed

• although many soldiers were killed 

6. Pueri laudati laeti erant. 

• having been praised

• because they were praised 

• although they were praised 

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

Match the italicized English phrase to its Latin equivalent. 

HAVE NOT LEARNED SOME OF IT YET!!!!!!!

NEED TO DO OVER BREAK

Step 1: Identify the English meaning

Look at the sentence and figure out what kind of action or tense it expresses. Ask yourself:

• Is it present, past, or future?

• Is it completed, ongoing, or about to happen?

• Is it active or passive?

Spend time and do them

1. Are they going to come? 

2.   When he had found the book, he was happy. 

   1. You know that it is not an ablative absolute because the subjects are the same. But it is a perfect passive participle because it is had ___. So The subject is

3. Are they coming? 

4. We saw the boys running. 

5. I know that they are coming. 

6. While running to the street, the boy fell. 

7. I knew she wrote the letter. 

8. She said the letter had been written. 

9. She was about to run across the street.

10. He said they had come. 

ANSWER BANK

a. scriptae erant

b. scripsisse

c. scriptās esse

d. scriptum esse 

e. cursūra 

f. currentēs 

g. currebat 

h. cursūri 

i. curréns 

j. inveniēns librum 

k. venturi 

1. libro inventō 

m. venire 

m veniuntne 

o. vēnisse 

p. vēnērunt 

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

Complete the Latin sentences by translating the English words in parentheses. 

1. (What) _____librös lēgisti? 

2. Auctor (by whom) ______liber scriptus est nōtus est. 

3. (What) _____ facis? 

4. (Whose) _____ consilium id est? 

5. (Who)_____  trāns viam cucurrerunt? 

6. (To what) ______ puerō librum dönās? 

7. Puellae (whose)  ___ librōs habeō sorōrēs meae sunt. 

8. (What)  ______ auxilium exspectās? 

9-10. (Who)  ________ pecuniam (which)  , ______ āmïserās invēnit? 

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

THE GOOD PART

TRANSLATE THE AA PHRASES

1. Antôniô cònsule  _____

2. të vivo ____ 

3. magistratibus creātis ____

4. fäbulā närrätä  _____

5. rege loquente  _____

6. öráculo dato ______

7. verbis dictis _____

8. timore depositö  _____

9. vestimentis indūtīs _____

10. pecânia ǎmissǎ ______

11. ianuă apertă ______

12. Gallia pacātā  ______

13. ignibus exstinctis ____

14. cibo sumpto  _____

15. senatoribus adstäntibus  _____

Ablative absolute not always separated by commas

Editors of Latin texts often set off the Ablative Absolute construction by commas, which makes it easy for the reader to spot. However, this is not always the case. Also, sometimes the two words (there must always be two) which make up the Ablative Absolute are separated from each other by qualifying words or phrases. 

Examples Consiliis ducis ab senatoribus compertis, After the leader's plans had been discovered by the senators, 

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

PART 2

TRANSLATE THE AA PHRASES

Number 1 done and how to do it

Translate the following Ablative Absolute phrases. 

1. Mercurio é caelo dilapsō 

• For this one you know it is type 3 with the perfect passive participle because it is a verb from 4th principal part and has 2nd declension ending.

• Then you know for an AA you need a noun and a participle in the ablative

• The noun is Mercurio is Mercury in ablative singular

• The participle(verb) is fall/ slip and for the Perfect Passive Participle you translate to having been

• Then the é caelo is added and it is in ablatve and translated to from the sky

• Put it all together and get Mercury having (been) fallen from the sky

2. saxīs ē mōntibus in viam collapsis 

• The rocks having collapsed from the mountains into the road

• it is acuative road because into the road they collapsed.

3. ventis tempestate agitātis 

4. his rebus und die perfectis 

5. påce in Asiam ǎ Mario imposita 

6. ossibus in terra sepultis 

7. puerò ĕ senātů čiectõ 

8. võtis a Troianis factis 

9. filia ducis in matrimonium dată 

10. milite metü subitō exânimātō 

11. vēlīs in altum datīs 

12. dis cotidiē iuvāntibus 

13. filio Romam à patre praemisså 

14. scelere magnð ab eð perfecto 

15. libro de amicitiâ â Cicerone scripto 

16. quo crudeliter facto 

17. litteris sine moră scriptīs 

18. signō å príncipe dată 

19. quibus rebus ab omnibus auditis 

20. cenă celeriter sumptă 

How to do the next PROBLEMS

Restate the first clause in each of these sentences as an Ablative Absolute. 

In an Ablative Absolute, the construction often uses:

1. The noun that the participle modifies is actually the object or subject of the action in the original clause.

2. The participle of the verb.

3. The original subject often goes with ab (if active) to show “by whom” the action happened.

Example

1. Postquam Antonius complürēs nāvēs āmīsit, Agrippa consilium novum cepit. 

It is translated to this (“After Antonius lost several ships, Agrippa made a new plan.”)

Naves (ships is in the accusative) it is the direct object. However in ablative absolute it becomes the noun with the participle

Then amisit is in the perfect participle so you get the 4th principal part and it is plural and feminine and in the ablative so get ammissis

Compluribus Navibus ammissis ab antonio

With several ships having been lost by Antonius…”

Ablative Absolute Practice problems on PDF

PART 3

Restate the first clause in each of these sentences as an Ablative Absolute. 

Restate the first clause in each of these sentences as an Ablative Absolute. 

When you see cum, dum, quod it means it is taking place Contemporaneously. So present Active Participle

When you see postquam, means it is taking place after the first action to Perfect Passive Participle

e.g., Postquam pontifex sacrificium perfêcit, pompam spectāvimus. 

sacrificio_______a pontifice  perfectă 

1. Postquam Antonius complürēs nāvēs āmīsit, Agrippa consilium novum cepit. 

__________ ab Antönið  ________

How to solve

1. Identify the subject and the verb of the first clause

• Subject: Antonius

• Verb: āmīsit (is he/she/ it lost”) → this is perfect active participle because there is a postquam whohc means it was prior action.

Antoniō

ships are ablative plural

Here, the ships are being lost → the object nāvēs becomes part of the participle phrase.

Step 2: Make the noun(s) ablative

• Antonius → Antoniō (ablative singular)

• nāvēs → nāvibus (ablative plural)

---

Step 3: Use the perfect passive participle of the verb

• Verb: āmīsit → “having been lost”

• Perfect passive participle of amittere (to lose) is āmissa, -ae, -um

• Since nāvēs is plural feminine, we agree with nāvibus → āmissīs

---

Step 4: Put it together in Ablative Absolute

• Nāvibus āntoniō āmissīs → “with the ships having been lost by Antonius”

---

✅ Complete sentence in Ablative Absolute:
Nāvibus Antoniō āmissīs, Agrippa consilium novum cepit.
= “With the ships having been lost by Antonius, Agrippa devised a new plan.”

2. Cum septem cervi transfixi essent, Aenēās et socif convivium parāvērunt. 

__________ ________

3. Cum pōns trans Rhenum factus est, Caesar in Germaniam transivit. 

________trans Rhēnum  ______

4. Dum cantat imperätör, omnes tacent. 

________ ________

5. Quod caelum erat serënum, ad insulam năvigäre constituimus. 

_________ __________

6. Cum equus in urbem trāctus esset, Graeci multōs Trõiðnōs interfécérunt. 

____________ in urbem __________

7. Dum discipuli librõs legunt, magister scribebat. 

____________ ă discipulis __________

8. Postquam gemini in Tiberim missī sunt, multōs diēs pluit. 

____________ in Tiberim ___________