[200]. Objective Genitive. This denotes the object of an action or feeling; as,—
metus deōrum, the fear of the gods;
amor lībertātis, love of liberty;
cōnsuētūdō bonōrum hominum, intercourse with good men.
1. This relation is often expressed by means of prepositions; as,—
amor ergā parentēs, love toward one's parents.
[201]. Genitive of the Whole. This designates the whole of which a part is taken. It is used—
1. With Nouns, Pronouns, Comparatives, Superlatives, and Ordinal Numerals; as,—
magna pars hominum, a great part of mankind;
duo mīlia peditum, two thousand foot-soldiers;
quis mortālium, who of mortals?
major frātrum, the elder of the brothers;
gēns maxima Germānōrum, the largest tribe of the Germans;
prīmus omnium, the first of all.
a. Yet instead of the Genitive of the Whole we often find ex or dē with the Ablative, regularly so with Cardinal numbers and quīdam; as,—
fidēlissimus dē servīs, the most trusty of the slaves;
quīdam ex amīcīs, certain of his friends;
ūnus ex mīlitibus, one of the soldiers.
b. In English we often use of where there is no relation of whole to part. In such cases the Latin is more exact, and does not use the Genitive; as,—