Caroline Balmer, Lauren Nagel, and Will Hennessy

Chapter 8: Ablatives

There are many different types of ablatives in Latin. The first type, ablative of manner, describes

the way in which the action took place. The preposition cum is usually used with this type of ablative.

The second type is called ablative of instrument, and it describes the mean or instrument by or with

something is done. This has no preposition. A third type of ablative in the ablative of agent, which

indicates by what person an action is performed. An ablative of agent always has the prepositions a or

ab in front of it. Another type is the ablative of separation, which is used with verbal expressions of

freein, lacking, or separation. It usually doesn’t have a preposition but sometimes the prepositions a/ab

or e/ex can be used. The last type of of ablative is the ablative of place from which and it is very similar

to the ablative of separation and it almost always appears with a preposition.

Assessment:

List what type of ablative-means, manner, agent, place from which, or separation

1. Cum amico ( long mark over the o)

2. Ex hostibus

3. Ab vinculis

4. Ambulo passeribus

5. A patria ( long mark over the a)

6. Cum fortitudine

7. De castris

Key:

1. Manner

2. Separation

3. Agent

4. Means/instrument

5. Place from which

6. Manner

7. separation