Such an ablative is translated by than: as, (a.) lūce sunt clāriōra nōbīs tua cōnsilia, C. 1, 6, your schemes are plainer to us than day. ō mātre pulchrā fīlia pulchrior, H. 1, 16, 1, O daughter fairer than a mother fair. Particularly in sentences of negative import: as, quis Karthāginiēnsium plūris fuit Hannibale? Sest. 142, of all the sons of Carthage, who was rated higher than Hannibal? nec mihī̆ est tē iūcundius quicquam nec cārius, Fam. 2, 10, 1, and there is nothing in the world nearer and dearer to me than you. (b.) illud cōgnōscēs profectō, mihī̆ tē neque cāriōrem neque iūcundiōrem esse quemquam, Fam. 2, 3, 2, one thing I am sure you will see, that there is nobody nearer and dearer to me than you.
[1321.] (2.) The ablative of comparison is similarly used when the first member of comparison is an accusative of the object: as,
exēgī monumentum aere perennius, H. 3, 30, 1, I have builded up a monument more durable than bronze. Particularly so in sentences of negative import: as, hōc mihī̆ grātius facere nihil potes, Fam. 13, 44, you can do nothing for me more welcome than this. Also with predicate adjectives dependent on a verb of thinking ([1167]): as, Hērodotum cūr vērāciōrem dūcam Enniō? Div. 2, 116, why should I count Herodotus any more truthful than Ennius? Regularly when the second member of comparison is a relative: as, quā pecude nihil genuit nātūra fēcundius, DN. 2, 160, nature has created nothing more prolific than this animal, i.e. the sow.
[1322.] (3.) In poetry, the ablative of comparison may be used with the first member of comparison in any case: as, Lūcīlī rītū, nostrūm meliōris utrōque, H. S. 2, 1, 29, after Lucilius’s way, a better man than thou or I.
[1323.] (4.) In sentences of negative import, the ablative is sometimes used with alter and alius, as with a comparative: as, neque mēst alter quisquam, Pl. As. 492, and there’s no other man than I. nec quicquam aliud lībertāte commūnī quaesīsse, Brut. and Cass. in Fam. 11, 2, 2, and to have aimed at nothing else than freedom for all. But in prose, quam is commonly used.
[1324.] (1.) The second member of comparison is often introduced by quam, than, or in poetry by atque or ac. This member, whatever the case of the first member, is sometimes made the subject of a form of sum in a new sentence: as,
meliōrem quam ego sum suppōnō tibī̆, Pl. Cur. 256, I give you as a substitute a better than I am myself. verba M. Varrōnis, hominis quam fuit Claudius doctiōris, Gell. 10, 1, 4, the words of Varro, a better scholar than Claudius ever was. ut tibī̆ maiōrī quam Āfricanus fuit, mē adiūnctum esse patiāre, Fam. 5, 7, 3, so that you will allow me to be associated with you, a bigger man than Africanus ever was.
[1325.] (2.) When the first member is in the nominative or accusative, quam is commonly a mere coordinating word, with both members in the same case: as,
([a.]) plūris est oculātus testis ūnus quam aurītī decem, Pl. Tru. 490, a single witness with an eye rates higher than a dozen with the ear. (b.) tū velim exīstimēs nēminem cuiquam neque cāriōrem neque iūcundiōrem umquam fuisse quam tē mihī̆, Fam. 1, 9, 24, I hope you will be convinced that nobody was ever nearer and dearer to anybody than you to me.