THE CASES

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: - us and –ūs (neuter nouns: u and –ua) 5th decl: - ēs and –ēs

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!

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 Rōmae 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

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 As subject in an accusative and infinitive clause used in reported statements. The accusative here is simultaneously both the object of the main verb and subject of the infinitive. Caesar dīxit Gallōs superātōs esse Putāsne mē stultum fuisse?

GENITIVE Showing possession Showing a relationship of part to whole 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 Marīa 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

GENITIVE (contd.) With verbs of remembering (meminī) or forgetting (oblīvīscor) when the meaning is to think (or not think) of someone with special attention of interest. For simple retention or non-retention in the mind, the accusative is used . The genitive construction is therefore commoner with a personal object . Carissima, tuī nunquam oblīvīviscar! Semper amīcōrum nostrōrum meminisse dēbēmus.

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 4th decl: -uī and –ibus 5th decl: -eī and -ēbus

DATIVE (contd.) Used with certain adjectives such as cārus (dear), grātus (pleasing), benignus (kind) Haec terra grāta est deīs Baucis et Philēmōn advenīs erant benignī 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

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 in silvā 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

USES OF ABLATIVE Place where (with in, sub etc.) in Britanniā in 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

USES OF ABLATIVE Manner (indicating how something is done, usually, but not always, with cum) magnā (cum) difficultāte with 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 dolēbat He was in pain from his wound

USES OF ABLATIVE Time when Time within which Means (= by, with) mēnse Septembrī ad scholam redībit In September 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

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

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), fungor (perform) ) 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

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

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 Rūrī habitāre iūcundum est Multī philosophī Athēnīs discipulōs docent Singular and plural endings 1st decl: -ae and -īs 2nd decl: -ī and -īs 3rd decl: -e or –ī and –ibus