THE CASES

1. THE CASES

2. NOMINATIVE • Subject of a sentence • Caecilius aquam bibit • Complement (i.e. used after a verb acting like an `equals’ sign) • Petrus est senātor • Singular and plural endings are: • 1st decl: - a and –ae • 2nd decl: - us and –ī (neuter nouns: -um and -a) • 3rd decl: -??and –ēs (neuter nouns:? and –(i)a) • 4th decl: - usand –ūs (neuter nouns:u and –ua) • 5th decl: - ēs and –ēs (neuter nouns:? and –(i)a)

3. VOCATIVE • Used for addressing someone and almost always exactly the same as the nominative except in the 2nd declension where e is used in the singular. The e is dropped after i. • Marce, ad fenestram ambulā • Iūlia, surge. • Caecilī, mēcum venī • The particle `ō’ is often placed in front (as in very formal English) • Ō Caesar, nōs servā!

4. ACCUSATIVE • Used for the direct object of the verb • Servus aquam bibit. • Mīles amīcum videt. • Metella mercātōrem vocat. • Also for length of time or distance • Paulus sex mēnsēs Romae habitāvit • Quattuor chiliometra ambulāvimus • (In poetry) Used with a participle or adjective to refer to the affected part of the thing or person described • Arbor tremefacta comam nūtat (`The tree, made to tremble in its foliage, sways’) • Singular and plural endings • 1st decl: -am and -ās • 2nd decl: -um and –ōs (neuter nouns: -um and -a) • 3rd decl: –em and –ēs (neuter nouns:?? and –(i)a) • 4th decl: –um and –ūs (neuter nouns: u and –ua) • 5th decl: –em and –ēs

5. ACCUSATIVE (contd.) • For motion towards (normally with a preposition such as ad, but on its own with names of cities and small islands, and with rūs, domum) • Ad urbem contendimus • Rūs īre volumus

6. GENITIVE • Showing possession • Grumiō est servus Caeciliī • Showing a relationship of part to whole • Sex amīcorum meōrum sunt in tabernā • In an adjective-noun phrase describing another noun • Maria est fēmina maximae sapientiae • Expressing value • Mihi tantī est (It is worth so much to me) • Singular and plural endings • 1st decl: -ae and -ārum • 2nd decl: -ī and ōrum • 3rd decl: -is and –(i)um • 4th decl: -ūs and –uum • 5th decl: -eī and -ērum

7. DATIVE • Used for indirect object or person for whom something is done • Deīs multa dōna dedērunt • Metella Quīntō togam emit • Also used for a person affected or involved • Necesse est mihi cum Caesare manēre • Difficile est mercātōrī in vīllā dormīre • Tibi est puella laudanda. • Singular and plural endings • 1st decl: -ae and -īs • 2nd decl: -ō and -īs • 3rd decl: -ī and -ibus

8. DATIVE (contd.) • Used with many verbs including especially verbs formed from a preposition plus simple verb (e.g. appropinquō (approach), crēdō (believe, trust), imperō (order), invideō (envy), parcō (spare), pāreō (obey), resistō (resist)). This is really a special case of the dative of involvement. • Graeciae appropinquābāmus • Nōlī Salviō crēdere! • Mīlitēs imperātōrī pārēre dēbent

9. ABLATIVE • Used to indicate the accompanying circumstances of an action, including the starting point or location or the means of doing something. Often used with a preposition • Lupus insilvā habitat • Marcus et Quīntus Graecum gladiīs pulsāvērunt • Ab urbe discēdimus • Quīntā hōrā cēnāmus • Magnā cum diligentiā labōrāvit • Singular and plural endings • 1st decl: -ā and -īs • 2nd decl: -ō and -īs • 3rd decl: -e (less often –ī) and –ibus • 4th decl: -ū and -ibus • 5th decl: -ē and - ēbus

10. USES OF ABLATIVE • Place where (with in, sub etc.) • in Britanniāin Britain • Accompaniment (with cum) • cum amīcīs meīs ambulābam I was walking with my friends • Personal agent (with ā/ab) • lūna ab mīlitibus vidētur The moon is seen by the soldiers • Place from which (with ā/ab, dē, ē/ex except with names of cities and small islands, rūre, domō) • Marcus ab urbe ad vīllam currit Marcus runs from the city to the villa • Sextus Londiniō profectus est Sextus set off from London

11. USES OF ABLATIVE • Manner (indicating how something is done, usually, but not always, with cum) • magnā (cum) difficultātewith great difficulty • Separation (with or without ā/ab or ē/ex) • Rhēnus flūmen Gallōs (ā) Germānīs dīvidit The Rhine divides the Gauls from the Germans • Cause (= because of; with or without ā/ab, dē or ē/ex) • (ex) vulnere dolēbatHe was in pain from his wound

12. USES OF ABLATIVE • Time when • mēnse Septembrī ad scholam redībit In December he will return to school • Time within which • ad Centrālem decem minūtīs perveniēmus We will reach Central within ten minutes • Means (= by, with) • Mīles hostem gladiō vulnerāvit The soldier wounded the enemy with his sword

13. USES OF ABLATIVE • Comparison • Rōmaōlim maior erat Londīniō Rome was once bigger than London • Degree of difference • Rōmaōlim multō maior eratLondīniō Rome was once much bigger than London • Description (in a noun-adjective phrase) • Erat vir magnā fortitūdine He was a man of great courage

14. USES OF ABLATIVE • Respect (= according to, with regard to) • Meā sententiā, Graecī vincēbunt In my opinion, the Greeks will win • With some verbs (e.g. fruor (enjoy),potior (take posession), ūtor (use), careō (lack, be without), vescor (feed on)) • Fruēbāmur fēstō Nativitātis We were enjoying Christmas • Ablative absolute • Hostibus superātīs, ad castra revēnimus When the enemy had been defeated, we returned to camp • Iohanne canente, omnēs aurēs tēxērunt While John was singing, all covered their ears

15. USES OF ABLATIVE • With a number of adjectives (contentus,dignus, indignus, frētus (relying on), orbus (deprived of), praeditus (endowed with)): • Dēlectāmenta sunt pretiōsa sed digna pretiō The pleasures are costly but worth the cost • Contenta erat verbīs eius She was content with his words • To express the price at which something was bought or sold etc. • Librum illum tribus sēstertiīs vēndidī I sold that book for three sesterces Fundum parvō [pretiō] ēmī I bought the farm at a low price

16. LOCATIVE • This case is used only with names of cities and small islands and with the nouns domus (home), humus (ground) and rūs (coutryside) to indicate location: • Petrus Londiniī nātus est • Rūre habitāre iūcundum est • Multī philosophī Āthēnīs discipulōs docent • Singular and plural endings • 1st decl: -ae and -īs • 2nd decl: -ī and -īs • 3rd decl: -e or –ī and –ibus