COMPARISON OF ADVERBS
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
notus, -a, -um
notē
notior, notius
notius
notissimus, -a, -um
notissimē
fidēlis, -e
fidēliter
fidēlior, fidēlius
fidēlius
fidēlissimus, -a, -um
fidēlissimē
audāx (audācis)
audācter
audācior, audācius
audācius
audācissimus, -a, -um
audācissimē
pulcher, -ra, -rum
pulchrē
pulchrior, pulchrius
pulchrius
pulcherrimus, -a, -um
facilis, -e
facile (irreg.)
facilior, facilius
facilius
facillimus, -a, -um
facillimē
humilis, -e
humiliter
humilior, humilius
humilius
humillimus, -a, -um
humillimē
pulcherrimē
magnus, -a, -um
maior, maius
magnōpere (irreg.) magis (irreg.)
maximus, -a, -um
maximē
bonus, -a, -um
bene (irreg.)
melior, melius
melius
optimus, -a, -um
optimē
malus, -a, -um
male (irreg.)
peior, peius
peius
pessimus, -a, -um
pessimē
idōneus, -a, -um
idōneē
magis idōneus, -a, -um
magis idōneē
maximē idōneus, -a, -um
(not attested)
i
The Many Faces of Quam
a) relative pronoun (feminine, accusative singular)
o translates as “whom, which” depending on the English
definition of the antecedent
o examples:
 da(te) tuae fīliae, quam saepius legere illī magistrī
iussērunt, eōs librōs. “Give these books to your
daughter, whom those teachers were ordering to read
more often.”
 haec aqua quam bibō gelidior est. “This water that I
am drinking is too cold.”
 omnis Gallia, quam Rōmānī tenēbant, in partēs trēs
dīvisa est. “All of Gaul, which the Romans controlled,
was divided into three parts.”
b) adverb for exclamations
o translates as “how”: often used to modify either an adjective
or another adverb
o examples:
 quam ferōciter, avia, mordēs illum pullum! “How
fiercely you bite that chicken, Grandma!”
 quam mirābile! “How wonderful!”
o DO NOT CONFUSE WITH: interrogative adverb quōmōdō,
meaning “how” as in “in what manner” or “by what means”
 quōmōdō sentis hōdiē? “How do you feel today?”
 quōmōdō Rōmānī tot aedificia magna
fabricāvērunt? “How did the Romans build so many
great buildings?”
ii
The Many Faces of Quam (continued)
c) adverb for comparisons
o translates as “than”
o examples:
 Marcus multō celerius currere potest quam Spurius
(potest). “Marcus is able to run much more quickly
than Spurius (can).”
 meus fīlius septem annīs maior nātū quam fīlia est.
“My son is seven years older than my daughter.”
 elegantius dīcō semper quam scrībō. “I always speak
more elegantly than I write.”
 hī papyrī sōlum paulō magis idoneī quam illī sunt.
“These papers are only a little more suitable than
those.”
o DO NOT CONFUSE WITH: the ablative of comparison
 meus fīlius duōbus annīs senior fīliā est. “My son is
two years older than my daughter.”
 nōn possum invenīre aliquem maiōrem eō/illō/hōc.
“I cannot find anyone bigger than him.”
d) adverb with superlatives
o translates as “as (superlative adverb) as possible”
o examples:
 anguis mūrem parvum quam celerrimē vorābat.
“The snake was swallowing the little mouse as quickly
as possible.”
 ego quam laetissimus sum. “I am happy as can be.”
 quam saepissimē amāre amārīque debēmus. “We
ought to love and be loved as often as possible.”
iii
Ablative Degree of Difference – cf. p. 204
 this construction expresses how much (i.e. the degree to which) some
statement of comparison is true.
o it can be specified quantities using cardinal numbers (e.g. “three
feet” or “five years” or “seven hours” etc.)
o it can be more general quantities: multō (much) and paulō (a
little)
o a formula to handle it: “(adjective/adverb) by (degree of
difference)”
 “(taller) by (a little)” = a little taller
 “(more expensive) by (ten sesterces)” = ten sesterces more
expensive
 “(older) by (two days)” = two days older
 “(farther) by (a mile)” = a mile farther
 “(further) by (much)” = much further
 used with comparatives
o adjectives
o adverbs
 also with post and ante
Example Sentences (answers below):
1. This wall is three feet taller than that one. (“taller by three feet”)
2. Marcus will always be eleven years older than I am. (“older by
eleven years”)
3. He runs much more quickly than any dog. (“more quickly by much”)
4. You all can say that you love your parents a little more often. (“more
often by a little”)
5. This message reached me five days too late! (“too late by five days”)
iv
Example Sentence Answers:
1. This wall is three feet taller than that one.
hic mūrus trībus pedibus altior quam ille (est).
hic mūrus trībus pedibus altior illō est.
2. Marcus will always be eleven years older than I am.
Mārcus erit semper undecim annīs nātū maior quam ego sum.
Mārcus erit semper undecim annīs senior mē.
3. He runs much more quickly than any dog.
currit multō celerius quam ūllus canis (currit).
currit multō celerius ūllō cane
4. You all can say that you love your parents a little more often.
(Vōs) potestis dīcere *[(“that”) vōs amāre vestrōs parentēs] paulō
saepius
*indirect statement = accusative subject of the infinitive main verb; other cases and
constructions are the same as normal; no Latin word used for introductory “that”
5. This message reached me five days too late!
Hic nūntius ad mē quīnque diēbus serius/tardius pervēnit.
v
Practice Exercises:
1. I have heard all the parts of that tale (use fabula) that our most
famous poet has written, and that (thing) which you wrote is nearly
the same (use demonstrative adj. īdem, eadem, idem; cf. is, ea, id)
but much shorter
2. That very famous consul came to my house alone (use solus, -a, -um)
and sang as loudly as possible to me for many hours.
3. They will gladly accept any (use ūllus, -a, -um) kisses you can give
as quickly as possible.
4. How beautiful your face is! That famous woman’s beauty is even a
little lesser than yours.
5. Atalanta was able to run much more quickly than other (use alius,
alia, aliud) women; in fact (use verē), she was the fastest of all
mortals and was only (use sōlum, adv.) a little slower than Mercury
himself (use demonstrative ipse, ipsa, ipsum; cf. ille, illa, illud).
6. Marcus is only three years older than Lucius’ brother but he is already
as learned as can be (i.e. “as learned as possible”).
vi