The Absolutely Amazing
Ablative Absolute
LFA Lesson XLIV
pp 299-301
What it looks like
• A noun in the ablative case (no Latin preposition)
• Plus one of the following:
– A participle (4th principal part)
• Pecuniā amissā
– An adjective
• Populo libero
– A second noun
• Caesare duce
• Often set off by commas or at the beginning of
the sentence
– Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.
Formula Translations
• Noun + Noun
•  “With [Noun1] being [Noun2]”
– E.g. Caesare duce = with Caesar being the general
• Noun + Adjective
•  “With [Noun] being [Adjective]”
– E.g. Populo libero = with the people being free
• Noun + Participle
•  “With [Noun] [Having been Verbed]
• E.g. Pecuniā amissā = with the money having been lost
Fluent Translations
• Time clauses: When, After, As
• Causal clauses: Since, Because
• Condition/Adversative clauses: If,
With, Although
• Example: Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.
Examples
• Inspect the example sentences on pp. 300301.
• How else could you translate them besides the
book’s suggested translations?
Abl.Abs. vs. the Participle clause
• Participle Clause (PPP): The Participle (4th PP)
modifies a noun that belongs in the main
clause.
• Pecuniam amissam in viā invenit.
• Ablative Absolute: The Participle (4th PP)
modifies a noun that does not go in the main
clause.
• Pecuniā amissā, viam mihi monstravit.
What’s so “Absolute” about the
Absolutely Amazing Ablative Absolute?
• “Absolute” means that it is FREE from the rest of the sentence, from
the Latin verb “absolvo” meaning “to free”. Therefore, the Ablative
Absolute has NO connection GRAMMATICALLY to the rest of the
sentence. That is, it does not describe a word in the rest of the
sentence the way a regular PPP does.
• PPP example: After the money was found, we gave it to Mother.
(Pecuniam inventam Matri dedimus.)
• AblAbs example: After the money was found, Mother was happy.
(Pecuniā inventā, Mater beata erat.)
• The Key: If the adverbial (after/since/when/because) clause can be
rephrased as a RELATIVE CLAUSE, it can also be translated as a PPP. If
not, it is an ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE.
– We gave the money, which had been found, to Mother.
(Pecuniam, quae inventa erat, Matri dedimus.)
Absolutely Amazing Practice
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Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
“This boy, sent to visit his aunt, lost his way.”
Does sent relate to a noun in the main clause?
Yes – the boy was sent. Use a PPP.
“Puer, missus…”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
• “After the boy was freed, everyone was
happy.”
• Does was freed relate to a noun in the main
clause?
• No – it refers to the boy, which is NOT in the
main clause! Use an AblAbs.
• “Puero liberato, omnes beati erant.”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
• “Having read the books, we returned them to
the library.”
• Does read relate to a noun in the main
clause?
• Yes – it relates to them which is a pronoun
standing in for the books. Use a PPP.
• “Libros lectos ad bibliothecam reddidimus.”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
• “After putting the prisoner in jail, the
policewoman went home.”
• Does putting relate to a noun in the main
clause? (Who/what has been put?)
• No – it relates to the prisoner which is NOT in
the main clause. Use an AblAbs.
• “Captivo in carcere posito….”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
• “After the money was given, the boy was
returned to his parents.”
• Does was given relate to a noun in the main
clause?
• No – it relates to the money which is NOT in the
main clause. Use an AblAbs.
• “Pecunia data, puer redditus est parentibus….”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Would you use a PPP or an AblAbs?
• “The boys having been compelled to stop
fighting, the principal went back to her office.”
• Does having been compelled relate to a noun in
the main clause?
• No – it relates to the boys which is NOT in the
main clause. Use an AblAbs.
• “Pueris desistere pugnando coactis….”
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Change this dependent clause to an ablative
absolute phrase.
• Because the boy was seen: “Quod puer vīsus
est…”
• Use the noun and the PPP in ablative case!
• Puerō vīsō…
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Change this dependent clause to an ablative
absolute phrase.
• Because I saw the boy: “Quod puerum vidi…”
• Use the noun and the PPP in ablative
case…plus, since the PPP is PASSIVE, change
the subject “I” to an ablative agent “by me”!
• Puerō ā mē vīsō…
Absolutely Amazing Practice
• Change this dependent clause to an ablative
absolute phrase.
• Because the boys found the money: “Quod
pueri pecuniam invenerunt…”
• Use the noun and the PPP in ablative
case…plus, since the PPP is PASSIVE, change
the subject “the boys” to an ablative agent
“by the boys”!
• Pecūniā ā puerīs inventā…
Now…
Try some on your own!