[1326.] An introductory ablative of a demonstrative or relative pronoun sometimes precedes the construction with quam: as, quid hōc est clārius, quam omnīs Segestae mātrōnās et virginēs convēnisse? V. 4, 77, what fact is there better known than this, to wit, that all the women in Segesta, married and single, came streaming together?
[1327.] The ablative is sometimes used with comparative adverbs also.
So particularly in sentences of negative import: as, nihil lacrimā citius ārēscit, Corn. 2, 50, nothing dries up quicker than a tear. Less frequently in positive sentences in prose: as, fortūna, quae plūs cōnsilīs hūmānīs pollet, contrāxit certāmen, L. 44, 40, 3, fortune, who is mightier than the devices of man, precipitated the engagement. Very commonly, however, quam is used with comparative adverbs.
[1328.] Designations of number or extent are often qualified by amplius, longius, or plūs, over, or by minus, under.
The word thus qualified is put in the case which the context would require without any such qualification: as, plūs septingentī captī, L. 41, 12, 8, over seven hundred were taken prisoners. tēcum plūs annum vīxit, Q. 41, he lived with you over a year ([1151]). cum equīs plūs quīngentīs, L. 40, 32, 6, with over five hundred horses. Less frequently with quam. When these words are felt as real substantives in the nominative or accusative, the ablative of comparison may be used ([1320]): as, plūs trīduō, RA. 74, more than three days.
[1329.] In expressions of age with nātus, the adjectives maior and minor are used as well as amplius and minus, and with the same construction ([1328]): as, annōs nātus maior quadrāgintā, RA. 39, over forty years old. For other constructions, see the dictionary. Similarly conlēctus aquae digitum nōn altior ūnum, Lucr. 4, 414, a pool no deeper than a finger’s breadth ([1130]). But commonly with comparative adjectives of extent, quam is used, or the ablative ([1320]): as, palūs nōn lātior pedibus quīnquāgintā, 7, 19, 1, a marsh not wider than fifty feet.
[1330.] With a comparative adjective or adverb, the ablatives opīniōne, exspectātiōne, and spē, and some others, chiefly in poetry, take the place of a sentence with quam: as,
opīniōne melius, Pl. Cas. 338, better than you thought. minōra opīniōne, Caes. C. 2, 31, 5, more insignificant than is thought. lātius opīniōne dissēminātum est hoc malum, C. 4, 6, this infection is more sweeping than anybody dreams. spē omnium sērius, L. 2, 3, 1, later than was generally expected.