While most of these problems involve ablative absolutes, there are also occasional blanked words that aren’t ablative absolutes but might be mistaken for them. To avoid giving away the case, the notes present the blanked words from the quotes in the same way regardless of the case the words are in. The basic forms of participles are most of the time kept secret, too; you’re expected to figure out by yourself which kind of participle to use. So a note that would have looked like this in The Latin Tamer (or in other exercises). . .
Factus /facta/factum (1/2) is the perfect passive participle of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.
. . . can appear here like this:
is the singular form of the participle of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make.
(With the blanks standing for factus, masculine nominative, and perfect passive.)
The gender is blanked because it would provide information as to what case a word might be in or what kind of participle it could be. (E. g. , if you saw m/n singular, you would know that the word couldn’t be a nominative perfect participle because the masculine and neuter endings are different there: –us vs. – um; and you would know that it couldn’t be a nominative present participle either because the nominative singular forms there are the same for all three genders, not just m and n.)
Though you do not move a finger, he will die.
More literally: Even with you being at rest, he will die.
(He’s saying you shouldn’t waste energy being angry at others; your enemy will be dead soon enough.) Etiam (particle): still; also; even. is the form of tū: you. is the singular form of the participle of quiēscō, quiēscere, quiēvī, quiētum (3): to rest, be at rest; keep quiet; take no action, do nothing. Moriētur is the third person singular future form of morior, morī, mortuus sum (3, –ior, deponent): to die.
With God my leader, the sword my companion.
is the singular form of deus, deī (2m, irreg.): god. is the singular form of dux, ducis (3m/f): guide; leader. is the singular form of ferrum, ferrī (2n): iron or steel; blade; sword. is the singular form of comes, comitis (3m/f): companion, comrade.
When the talebearer is taken away, contentions will cease.
Alt. : Without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
More literally: With the mutterer removed, quarrels quiet down.
is the singular form of susurrō, susurrōnis (3m): whisperer, mutterer; tale-bearer. is the singular form of the participle of subtrahō, subtrahere, subtrāxī, subtractum (3): to drag from underneath; take away, remove. Iūrgia is the nominative plural form of iūrgium, iūrgiī (2n): quarrel, strife; abuse, invective. Conquiēscunt is the third person plural form of conquiēscō, conquiēscere, conquiēvī, conquiētum (3): to rest; settle down, quiet down; stop.
They are already calling him king while his father still lives.
More literally: (His) father (still) alive, they call him king.
Eum is the masculine accusative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. Iam (adv.): already; now; soon. Rēgem is the accusative singular form of rēx, rēgis (3m): king. is the singular form of vīvus/vīva/vīvum (1/2): alive. is the singular form of pater, patris (3m): father. Appellant is the third person plural form of appellō, appellāre, appellāvī, appellātum (1): to address, call.
So saying, with sweet-scented nectar she sprinkled the blood.
More literally: Having so spoken, . . .
Sīc (adv.): thus, so, in such manner. is the singular form of the participle of for, fārī, fātus sum (1, deponent): to speak, say. Cruōrem is the accusative singular form of cruor, cruōris (3m): blood, gore. Nectare is the ablative singular form of nectar, nectaris (3n): nectar. Odōrātō is the m/n ablative singular form of odōrātus/odōrāta/odōrātum (1/2): scented, fragrant, sweet-smelling. Sparsit is the third person singular perfect form of spargō, spargere, sparsī, sparsum (3): to scatter, sprinkle.
And having left them, he went away.
Alt. : And he left them, and departed.
More literally: And those (people) having been left behind, he went away.
Et (conj.): and. is the plural form of the participle of relinquō, relinquere, relīquī, relictum (3): to leave behind, abandon, relinquish. is the plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. Abiit is the third person singular perfect form of abeō, abīre, abiī, abitum (irreg.): to depart, go away.
Pastor came with not a trace of reproach on his face.
More literally: Pastor came, (his) face reproaching nothing.
(Pastor was a Roman knight who was invited to dinner by Caesar after Caesar had executed his son.) Vēnit is the third person singular perfect form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. Pāstor, Pāstōris (3m): here a proper name (but otherwise also a common noun meaning shepherd). is the singular form of vultus, vultūs (4m): countenance; (facial) expression; face; appearance. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. is the singular form of the participle of exprobrō, exprobrāre, exprobrāvī, exprobrātum (1): to reprove, reproach.
At long last, and by your advice, I have come to my senses.
More literally: With you (as) an adviser, I have finally barely come to my senses.
Vix (adv.): barely; with difficulty. Aliquandō (adv.): sometimes; once, in the past; sometime, someday; finally. is the form of tū: you. is the singular form of auctor, auctōris (3m/f): creator; author; supporter; adviser; initiator; agent; seller. Resipīscō, resipīscere, resipuī/resipiī/ resipīvī, — (3): to come to one’s senses.
Having taken water, he did wash the hands before the multitude.
Alt. : He took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd.
More literally: With water having been taken, he washed hands before the people.
is the singular form of the participle of accipiō, accipere, accēpī, acceptum (3, –iō): to receive, accept, take. is the singular form of aqua, aquae (1f): water. Lāvit is the third person singular perfect form of lavō, lavāre/lavere, lāvī, lavātum/lautum (1/3): to wash. Manūs is the accusative plural form of manus, manūs (4f): hand. Cōram (prep.): in the presence of, before (takes the ablative). Populō is the ablative singular form of populus, populī (2m): people.
While the Roman people wept, he did not even change countenance.
(He’s talking about Tiberius Caesar delivering a eulogy for his own son without emotion.) is the singular form of the participle of fleō, flēre, flēvī, flētum (2): to weep, cry. is the singular form of populus, populī (2m): people. is the singular form of Rōmānus/Rōmāna/Rōmānum (1/2): Roman. Nōn: not. Flexit is the third person singular perfect form of flectō, flectere, flexī, flexum (3): to bend; change; move, influence, persuade. Vultum is the accusative singular form of vultus, vultūs (4m): countenance; (facial) expression; face; appearance.
An involuntary act is not one’s own act.
More literally: An act done with me unwilling is not my act.
Āctus, āctūs (4m): act. is the form of ego: I (me). is the singular form of invītus/invīta/invītum (1/2): unwilling. Factus /facta/factum (1/2) is the perfect passive participle of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Nōn: not. Est: is. Meus /mea/meum (1/2): my, mine. Āctus, āctūs (4m): act.
Bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.
Alt. : Having bowed his head, he delivered up his spirit.
More literally: Head having been bowed, he delivered up the spirit.
is the singular form of the participle of inclīnō, inclīnāre, inclīnāvī, inclīnātum (1): to bend, bow, tilt. is the singular form of caput, capitis (3n): head. Trādidit is the third person singular perfect form of trādō, trādere, trādidī, trāditum (3): to hand over, deliver; surrender; hand down, transmit; tell, relate. Spīritum is the accusative singular form of spīritus, spīritūs (4m): breath; spirit.
Our deeds will speak even if we are silent.
More literally: Things will speak with us being silent.
Rēs is the nominative plural form of rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair; fact; event; circumstance; deed; property. Loquentur is the third person plural future form of loquor, loquī, locūtus sum (3, deponent): to speak. is the form of nōs: we. is the plural form of the participle of taceō, tacēre, tacuī, tacitum (2): to be silent.
Many in addition threw away their arms and fled.
More literally: Many in addition, having been stripped of arms, fled.
(The work is traditionally attributed to Caesar but now widely thought to have been written by an unknown author.) Multī is the masculine nominative plural form of multus/multa/multum (1/2): much, many. Praetereā (adv.): in addition, moreover. Armīs is the ablative form of arma, armōrum (2n, plural only): arms, weapons. is the plural form of the participle of exuō, exuere, exuī, exūtum (3): to take off (clothes); strip, lay bare (the thing one is stripped of goes in the ablative). Fūgērunt is the third person plural perfect form of fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus (3, –iō): to flee, run away.
And Jesus, having uttered a loud cry, expired.
Alt. : And with a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
More literally: And Jesus, with a great cry having been sent out, expired.
Iēsūs, Iēsū (irreg. , m): Jesus. Autem (particle): on the other hand, but; and, moreover. is the singular form of the participle of ēmittō, ēmittere, ēmīsī, ēmissum (3): to send out; emit; utter. is the singular form of vōx, vōcis (3f): voice; utterance; cry; word. is the singular form of magnus/magna/magnum (1/2): great. Exspīrāvit is the third person singular perfect form of exspīrō, exspīrāre, exspīrāvī, exspīrātum (1—also expīrō): to exhale; expire, die.
Be sure to take care of yourself and to cherish and defend me in my absence.
More literally: Take care that you be well and (that) you cherish and defend me absent.
Cūrā is the singular imperative form of cūrō, cūrāre, cūrāvī, cūrātum (1): to take care of; care (for or about); (with ut + subjunctive) take care (that), be sure (to). Ut (conj. , with subjunctive): that, so that. Valeās is the second person singular subjunctive form of valeō, valēre, valuī, valitum (2): to be well, healthy or strong; be strong enough (to), be able; be worth; be of effect. Et (conj.): and. is the form of ego: I (me). is the singular form of the participle of absum, abesse, āfuī, āfutūrus (irreg.): to be away, be absent, be distant. Dīligās is the second person singular subjunctive form of dīligō, dīligere, dīlēxī, dīlēctum (2): to love, cherish, hold dear, have special affection or regard for. Atque /ac (conj.): and, and also, and then. Dēfendās is the second person singular subjunctive form of dēfendō, dēfendere, dēfendī, dēfēnsum (3): to ward off; defend.
No outrage shall occur while I look on.
More literally: . . . with me (being) witness.
Nūllus/nūlla/ nūllum (1/2, irreg.): not any, no, none. is the singular form of testis, testis (3m/f): witness. is the form of ego: I (me). Fīet is the third person singular future form of fīō, fierī, —, — (irreg.): to be done; be made; happen; become. Nefās (n, indeclinable, occurs only as nom. or acc. sg. ; here it’s nom.): sacrilege; outrage, wrong or wicked act.
. . . even though poverty stand in the way, and even though lowliness and disgrace block the path.
More literally: . . . even with poverty placed in front (of it), even with lowliness and disgrace lying in the way.
Blanks that can’t be ablative and why:
Sīc fāta cruōrem nectare odōrātō sparsit. Fāta is nominative because it refers to the subject of the sentence (“she”).
Multī praetereā armīs exūtī fūgērunt. Exūtī is nominative because it refers to the subject of the sentence (multī).
Cūrā ut valeās et mē absentem dīligās atque dēfendās. Mē is accusative because it’s the direct object of the verbs dīligās and dēfendās; absentem refers to, and therefore agrees with, mē.
(To someone with accurate vision, virtue will be visible even under the conditions described.) Etiam (particle): still; also; even. is the singular form of paupertās, paupertātis (3f): poverty. is the singular form of the participle of oppōnō, oppōnere, opposuī, oppositum (3): to place in front or against, station opposite, set against, oppose. is the singular form of humilitās, humilitātis (3f): lowness; lowliness, insignificance; submissiveness, subservience. Et (conj.): and. is the singular form of īnfāmia, īnfāmiae (1f): infamy, disgrace. is the plural form of the participle of obiaceō, obiacēre, obiacuī, — (2): to lie before one, lie in the way, block the way. Note why that last participle is plural: the nouns with which it agrees are singular, but there are two of them. It could also have been singular, technically agreeing with the closest noun but logically applying to both.