Lesson 21: Demonstrative Adjectives; Ablatives of Time

Demonstrative adjectives are used to point out or emphasize the noun they modify. They are usually translated in English as this or that. In Latin, they are (each is given in masculine, feminine, and neuter forms like other adjectives):

• is, ea, id, this, that
• hic, haec, hoc, this
• ille, illa, illud, that

Some tips to aid memorization: You'll notice that they have the same -ius and -i endings in the genitive and dative singular that we learned last lesson for unus, and hic has some extra irregularity in the other singular forms, but they mostly follow the usual first and second declension patterns otherwise. Hic has the -c ending all through the singular except for after the -ius in the genitive, where it would be impossible to pronounce. Also, the -m ending that we're used to seeing in the singular accusative turns into a -n before the -c, since -mc would also be impossible to say.

The ablative can express the time when an action occurs. This does not require a preposition.

• Tertia hora castra movimus. - We broke camp at the third hour.

The ablative also can express the time within which an action occurs. This also does not require a preposition.

• Tertia hora navigabimus. - We shall sail within three hours.

So, how do you tell which is which? Couldn't that last one be, “We shall sail at the third hour”? Yes, it could. Often you'll have to count on the context to help you. For example, if you see “a few hours” in the ablative (paucis horis), you'll know it's “within a few hours,” because “at a few hours” doesn't make sense.

And, just to confuse the issue, while these ablatives don't require a preposition, sometimes you'll see them with one. Many Gospel chapters begin with:

• In illo tempore… - In that time…

That may have been a change from Classical to Church Latin, or simply poetic license. In any case, be prepared to see it either way.

As mentioned when we learned the personal pronouns ego and tu, Latin doesn't actually have any third person personal pronouns. But we've also learned that Latin frequently uses an adjective without a noun when the noun can be implied by the number and gender:

• Bonus bonae bona dedit. - The good man gave good things to the good woman.

Likewise, when the demonstrative adjective is, ea, id is used without a noun, it takes on the purpose of a prounoun.

• Is est bonus. - He is good.
• Ea est pulchra. - She is beautiful.
• Ei donum dedi. - I gave him a gift.
• Eam gladio pugnavi. - I attacked her with a sword.
• Id portavit. - He carried it.

In the first two examples, pronouns are used as the subject of a sentence. We learned long ago that this is usually not done, since the verb ending tells us that, but you will see it when the subject is being emphasized.

• Julia et sorores sunt pulchrae, sed ea est pulchrissima. - Julia and her sisters are beautiful, but she is the most beautiful (pulchrissima).

Hic and ille can also be used in this way to add the connotations of this or that, or to add even more emphasis. For example, from the Gospels' account of the Last Supper:

• Hoc est corpus meum. - This is My Body.

If you left out hoc, it would still mean, “This is my body.” But the hoc emphasizes the subject, to say something more like, “See this here? This is my body.”

• eques, equitis, m., horseman, knight; (plural) cavalry
• ēsca, -ae, f., dish, food, meat
• oculus, -ī, m., eye, sight
• pedes, peditis, m., foot solider, infantryman; (plural) infantry

• spērō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum, to hope for, expect

• quaeso, quaesumus, defective verb, to ask, beseech

• is, ea, id, this, that
• hic, haec, hoc, this
• ille, illa, illud, that

• opportūnus, -a, -um, suitable, useful

• ōlim, adv., formerly, once upon a time, someday

In the early days of Rome, a “knight” was a man who was wealthy enough to own a horse for use in battle. By the classical period, there was no longer such a requirement, but the “equestrian” class was still used to refer to wealthy businessmen.

In English we may use cavalry and infantry as singular words: “The cavalry is coming!” In Latin, they are always plural: Pedites ambulant. “The infantry is walking.” (Literally: The infantrymen are walking.)

Hic and ille suggest location. Hic means “this here close to me,” and ille means “that over there.” Is suggests no particular location, so it is used as a simple pronoun, or to point out that something has been mentioned before. When is modifies a noun, you often could drop it without changing the meaning of the sentence. That isn't so with hic and ille, since they have the extra meaning of location.

• Hic eques magnus; ille parvus est. - This horse (close to me) is large; that horse (over there) is small.
• Equum Marci heri vidi; is equus parvus erat. - I saw Marcus's horse yesterday; that horse was small.

Hic and ille can also be used to mean “the latter” and “the former,” respectively, when referring to two things mentioned previously. Since hic means “here,” it refers to the thing mentioned most recently, or the latter:

• Marcus et Julia amici sunt. Haec celeris est et ille fortis. - Marcus and Julia are friends. The latter (Julia, the one mentioned most recently) is fast and the former (Marcus) is strong.

Quaeso is a defective verb that exists only in two forms, the first person singular quaeso, “I ask,” and the first person plural quaesumus, “we ask.” You see quaesumus frequently in prayers, often with the vocative Domine, “Lord.”

Olim has the basic meaning, “at an indistinct time far from now.” That time can be in the past (once upon a time) or in the future (someday). Which is meant should be obvious from the context, especially whether the verb is in the past or future tense.

1. hic pedes (this foot soldier)
2. haec puella (this girl)
3. hoc corpus (this body)
4. is puer (this/that boy)
5. ea femina (this/that woman)
6. id animal (this/that animal)
7. ille poeta (that poet)
8. illa urbs (that city)
9. illud tempus (that time)

1. Oculi omnium in te sperant, Domine; et tu das illis escam in tempore opportuno.
2. Equites in Roma duabus horis erunt, sed pedites in ea urbe cras.
3. Marcus filius meus est; ei equum primum eius dedi.
4. Roma ad Brittainiam non est; haec patria mea.
5. Hic carrus est meus; illi tres tui.
6. Hanc escam ad illas mensas portavit.
7. Legatus gladium portavit et regi eum dedit.
8. Castra ad illam partem campi cras movebimus.
9. Equites nostri oppidum quarta hora oppugnaverunt.
10. Aut hic puer aut ille in pugna erat.

Find an English word derived from each Latin word in the vocabulary.

This takes care of the most common pronouns, so it should open up the number of things we can translate. Next lesson, back to verbs as we tackle the third conjugation.

1. hic pedes (this foot soldier)

1. haec puella (this girl)

1. hoc corpus (this body)

1. is puer (this/that boy)

1. ea femina (this/that woman)

1. id animal (this/that animal)

1. ille poeta (that poet)

1. illa urbs (that city)

1. illud tempus (that time)

1. Oculi omnium in te sperant, Domine; et tu das illis escam in tempore opportuno. - (Psalm 144. 15) The eyes of all hope in you, Lord, and you give food to all at the suitable time.
2. Equites in Roma duabus horis erunt, sed pedites in ea urbe cras. - The cavalry will be in Rome within two hours, but the infantry will be in that city tomorrow.
3. Marcus filius meus est; ei equum primum eius dedi. - Marcus is my son; I gave him his first horse (literally: the first horse of his).
4. Roma ad Brittainiam non est; haec patria mea. - Rome is not near Britain; the latter is my homeland.
5. Hic carrus est meus; illi tres tui. - This wagon is mine; those three are yours.
6. Hanc escam ad illas mensas portavit. - I carried this food to those tables.
7. Legatus gladium portavit et regi eum dedit. - The lieutenant carried a sword and gave it to the king.
8. Castra ad illam partem campi cras movebimus. - Tomorrow we will move the camp to that part of the plain.
9. Equites nostri oppidum quarta hora oppugnaverunt. - Our cavalry attacked the town at the fourth hour.
10. Aut hic puer aut ille in pugna erat. - Either this boy or that was in the fight.

Find an English word derived from each Latin word in the vocabulary.

• eques, equitis, m., horseman, knight; (plural) cavalry, equestrian
• ēsca, -ae, f., dish, food, meat - ??
• oculus, -ī, m., eye, sight - ocular
• pedes, peditis, m., foot solider, infantryman; (plural) infantry - pedestrian

• spērō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum, to hope for, expect - aspirations

• quaeso, quaesumus, defective verb, to ask, beseech - ??

• is, ea, id, this, that
• hic, haec, hoc, this
• ille, illa, illud, that

• opportūnus, -a, -um, suitable, useful - opportune

• ōlim, adv., formerly, once upon a time, someday - ??