Latin for Beginners · Lesson LIV · Part 11: Comparing adjectives and adverbs
54. Adjectives in -lis; the ablative after comparatives
Goal: Your child compares the six adjectives in -lis (facilis, facillimus) and translates a comparative followed by an ablative instead of quam.
You'll need
- The book: the lesson pages, plus the special vocabulary at the back of the book
- A notebook and pencil
- Index cards for new words
What's in the book
Six adjectives in -lis that take -limus in the superlative (§ 307), the ablative with comparatives (§§ 308 and 309), and twelve Latin and eight English sentences (§ 310). Vocabulary on page 296.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Your child compares clārus, ācer and fortis aloud.
Six special adjectives
facilis, difficilis, similis, dissimilis, gracilis and humilis form the comparative normally but add -limus for the superlative:
facilis, -e, easy
facilior, facillimus. Say all six in a row, positive, comparative, superlative.
No quam
Instead of quam, Latin can put the second thing in the ablative:
Nihil est clārius quam sōl
Nihil est clārius sōle
Both mean 'Nothing is brighter than the sun.' The rule:
The comparative degree, if quam is omitted, is followed by the separative ablative.
Vocabulary
Page 296. Some of the words:
celeritās, -ātis, f., speed (celerity)
clāmor, clāmōris, m., shout, clamor
statim, adv., immediately, at once
subitō, adv., suddenly
tardus, -a, -um, slow (tardy)
Latin to English
Translate the twelve sentences. Two of them:
Multa flūmina sunt lēniōra Rhēnō.
Nihil pulchrius urbe Rōmā vīdī.
English to Latin
Write the eight sentences. Try one of them both ways, with quam and with the ablative.
Wrap-up
Your child gives the superlative of all six -lis adjectives. Memorize them and the new words.
Answers to the book's problems
1. No one has seen soldiers more eager than the Romans. 2. Immediately the general ordered the swiftest possible messengers to carry a letter to Rome. 3. Many rivers are gentler than the Rhine. 4. Among the Romans who was more famous than Caesar? 5. I have seen nothing more beautiful than the city of Rome. 6. Suddenly the very bold multitude with a great shout joined battle more fiercely. 7. Your horse is not slow, is it? Not slow indeed, but swifter than an eagle. 8. When I was at Rome, no one was more friendly to me than Sextus. 9. Certain women wished to give food to the soldiers. 10. The king forbade the citizens to leave the city by night. 11. That boy is more slender than this woman. 12. The scout pointed out two roads, the one easy, the other more difficult.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.