Ablative of Cause.

219. The Ablative is used to denote cause; as,—

multa glōriae cupiditāte fēcit, he did many things on account of his love of glory.

1. So especially with verbs denoting mental states; as, dēlector, gāudeō, laetor, glōrior, fīdō, cōnfīdō. Also with contentus; as,—

fortūnā amīcī gaudeō, I rejoice at the fortune of my friend (i.e. on account of it);

victōriā suā glōriantur, they exult over their victory;

nātūrā locī cōnfīdēbant, they trusted in the character of their country (lit. were confident on account of the character).

a. fīdō and cōnfīdō always take the Dative of the person (§ 187, II, a); sometimes the Dative of the thing.

2. As Ablatives of Cause are to be reckoned also such Ablatives as jussū, by order of, injussū, without the order, rogātū, etc.

Ablative of Manner.

220. The Ablative with cum is used to denote manner; as,—

cum gravitāte loquitur, he speaks with dignity.

1. The preposition may be absent when the Ablative is modified by an adjective; as,—

magnā gravitāte loquitur, he speaks with great dignity.

2. The preposition is regularly absent in the expressions jūre, injūriā, jocō, vī, fraude, voluntāte, fūrtō, silentiō.

3. A special variety of the Ablative of Manner denotes that in accordance with which or in pursuance of which anything is or is done. It is generally used without a preposition. Thus:—

meā sententiā, according to my opinion;

suīs mōribus, in accordance with their custom;

suā sponte, voluntarily, of his (their) own accord;

eā condiciōne, on these terms.

Ablative of Attendant Circumstance.

221. The Ablative is often used to denote an attendant circumstance of an action or an event; as,—

bonīs auspiciīs, under good auspices;

nūlla est altercātiō clāmōribus umquam habita majōribus, no debate was ever held under circumstances of greater applause;

exstinguitur ingentī lūctū prōvinciae, he dies under circumstances of great grief on the part of the province;

longō intervāllō sequitur, he follows at a great distance.

Ablative of Accompaniment.

222. The Ablative with cum is used with verbs of motion to denote accompaniment; as,—

cum comitibus profectus est, he set out with his attendants;

cum febrī domum rediit, he returned home with a fever.

1. In military expressions the Ablative may stand without cum when modified by any adjective except a numeral; as,—

omnibus cōpiīs, ingentī exercitū, magnā manū; but usually cum exercitū, cum duābus legiōnibus.

Ablative of Association.

222A. The Ablative is often used with verbs of joining, mixing, clinging, exchanging; also with assuēscō, cōnsuēscō, assuēfaciō, and some others to denote association; as,—

improbitās scelere jūncta, badness joined with crime;

āēr calōre admixtus, air mixed with heat;

assuētus labōre, accustomed to (lit. familiarized with) toil;

pācem bellō permūtant, they change peace for (lit. with) war.

Ablative of Degree of Difference.

223. The Ablative is used with comparatives and words involving comparison (as post, ante, īnfrā, suprā) to denote the degree of difference; as,—

dimidiō minor, smaller by a half;

tribus pedibus altior, three feet higher;

paulō post, a little afterwards;

quō plurā habēmus, eō cupimus ampliōra, the more we have, the more we want.