Ablative of Comparison

The ablative without a preposition can be used to express a noun that is being compared with something else. The ablative of comparison is a replacement for comparative clauses with quam. The ablative of comparison patterns with (and modifies) a comparative adjective (or adverb). Here are some examples:

	puella prudentior est puero, "the girl is wiser than the boy". Following the comparative "prudentior", "puella prudentior est quam puer" would be the equivalent using a quam comparative clause rather than the ablative of comparison
	Quintus diutius Athenis mansit Marco, "Quintus waited longer in Athens than Marcus."
	Melior est canis vivus leone mortuo, "a living dog is better than a dead lion".

The ablative of comparison can be looked at in conjunction with the ablative of degree of difference because both pattern with comparative adjectives and adverbs. The ablative of degree of difference expresses how much more or less the subject is than the ablative of comparison:

puella multo prudentior est puero, "the girl is much more prudent than the boy"; "multo": ablative of degree of difference; "puero": ablative of comparison

Other Ablative Uses

Ablatives with Prepositions
Ablative of Comparison
Degree of Difference
Ablative of Manner
Ablative of Means
Ablative Object
Ablative of Origin
Ablative of Place from Which
Ablative of Price
Ablative of Quality
Ablative of Separation
Ablative with Adjectives
Ablative of Time When
Ablative of Time Within Which

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Related Topics

Ablatives with Prepositions

Last Updated March 18, 2003

Questions, comments and corrections should be sent to Brian K. Harvey, Kent State University