[102.] Rule. Ablative of Cause. Cause is denoted by the ablative without a preposition. This answers the question Because of what?
[103.] Rule. Ablative of Means. Means is denoted by the ablative without a preposition. This answers the question By means of what? With what?
N.B. Cum must never be used with the ablative expressing cause or means.
[104.] Rule. Ablative of Accompaniment. Accompaniment is denoted by the ablative with cum. This answers the question With whom?
[105.] Rule. Ablative of Manner. The ablative with cum is used to denote the manner of an action. Cum may be omitted, if an adjective is used with the ablative. This answers the question How? In what manner?
[106.] What uses of the ablative do you discover in the following passage, and what question does each answer?
The soldiers marched to the fort with great speed and broke down the gate with blows of their muskets. The inhabitants, terrified by the din, attempted to cross the river with their wives and children, but the stream was swollen with (or by) the rain. Because of this many were swept away by the waters and only a few, almost overcome with fatigue, with great difficulty succeeded in gaining the farther shore.
[107.] EXERCISES
First learn the [special vocabulary], p. 286.
I. The Romans prepare for War. Rōmānī, clārus Italiae populus, bellum parant. Ex agrīs suīs, vicīs, oppidīsque magnō studiō virī validī ad arma properant. Iam lēgatī cum legiōnariīs ex Italiā ad Rhēnum, fluvium Germāniae altum et lātum, properant, et servī equīs et carrīs cibum frūmentumque ad castra Rōmāna portant. Inopiā bonōrum tēlōrum īnfirmī sunt Germānī, sed Rōmānī armāti galeīs, lōrīcīs, scūtīs, gladiīs, pīlīsque sunt validī.