Ablative Absolute

More fun with participles!

Using Participles in Different Cases

Up until this point, we have mainly seen perfect passive participles in the nominative case:

E.g., Coquus vocātus ab omnibus laudātus est. The cook having been called was praised by all. They can also be used in other cases: E.g., Coquum vocātum omnēs laudāvērunt. Everyone praised the cook having been called. E.g., Coquo vocātō omnēs gratiās ēgērunt. All gave thanks to the cook having been called.

Ablative Absolute

An ablative absolute is a type of subordinate clause in which the participle and the noun it describes are both in the ablative case.

The ablative absolute forms a phrase that is separate from the rest of the sentence.

The ablative absolute is usually set off by commas.

An example, with three translations

Coquō vocātō, omnēs cēnam laudāvērunt.

With the cook having been summoned, everyone praised the dinner.

When the cook had been summoned, everyone praised the dinner.

After the cook had been summoned, everyone praised the dinner.

Present Participles in Abl. Abs.

Present active participles can also be used in ablatives absolute.

E.g., Fūre vestīmenta surripiente, Sextus in apodytērium ingreditur.

With the thief stealing clothes, Sextus enters into the apodyterium.

While the thief is stealing the clothes, Sextus enters into the apodyterium.

When do you use which tense?

The present participle is used when the action in the ablative absolute is happening at the same time as that of the main clause.

The perfect participle is used when the action in the ablative absolute was completed before that of the main clause.

Tense examples

Fūre vestīmenta surripiente, Sextus in apodytērium ingreditur.

While the thief is stealing the clothes, Sextus enters into the changing room.

Fūre vestīmenta surripiente, Sextus in apodytērium ingrediēbātur.

While the thief was stealing the clothes, Sextus was entering into the changing room.

Vestīmentīs ā fūre surreptīs, Sextus in apodytērium ingressus est.

After the clothes had been stolen by the thief, Sextus entered into the changing room.

One last thing

The verb esse has no present active participle, so sometimes an ablative absolute contains just two nouns or a noun and an adjective, with “being” inserted into the translation.

E.g., mē custōde (with me being a guard)

E.g., Sextō aegrō (with Sextus being sick)

Examples for you to try:

Puerīs in lūdō clāmantibus, magister īrātus fit. Since the boys are shouting in school, the

teacher becomes angry. Magistrō īrātō, puerī ē lūdō missī sunt. Since the teacher was angry, the boys were

sent out of school. Lūdō relictō, puerī ad thermās iērunt. After school had been left behind, the boys

went to the baths.

In summary

An ablative absolute is a subordinate clause that contains a participle

An ablative absolute is usually set off by commas

An ablative absolute can be translated with: with, while, since, after, or when

The tense of the participle and the main verb may change the translation