| lóng-ē | (far; longus, -a, -um) |
l ber-ē |
(freely; līber, lībera, līberum) |
| púlchr-ē | (beautifully; pulcher, -chra, -chrum) |
You are by now familiar with a wide range of Latin adverbs, words employed (as in English) to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Many have their own peculiar forms and endings and must simply be memorized when first introduced in the vocabularies (often without benefit of English derivatives to aid in the memorization): among these are cūr, etiam, ita, tam, etc.
A great many adverbs, however, are formed directly from adjectives and are easily recognized. Many first/second declension adjectives form positive degree adverbs by adding -ē to the base:
| lóng-ē | (far; longus, -a, -um) |
| lber-ē |
(freely; līber, lībera, līberum) |
| púlchr-ē | (beautifully; pulcher, -chra, -chrum) |
From adjectives of the third declension, adverbs are often formed by adding -iter to the base; if the base ends in -nt- only -er is added:
| fórt-iter | (bravely; fortis, -e) |
| celér-iter | (quickly, celer, celeris, celere) |
 cr-iter |
(keenly; ācer, ācris, ācre) |
| fēlc-iter |
(happily; fēlīx, gen. fēlīcis) |
| sapiént-er | (wisely; sapiēns, gen. sapientis) |
Many Latin adverbs have comparative and superlative forms, just as they do in English, and their English translations correspond to those of comparative and superlative adjectives; e.g., positive degree “quickly”; comparative “more (rather, too) quickly”; superlative “most (very) quickly,” etc.
The comparative degree of adverbs is with few exceptions the -ius form which you have already learned as the neuter of the comparative degree of the adjective.
The superlative degree of adverbs, being normally derived from the superlative degree of adjectives, regularly ends in -ē according to the rule given above for converting adjectives of the first and the second declensions into adverbs.
Quam is used with adverbs in essentially the same ways as with adjectives: hic puer celerius cucurrit quam ille, this boy ran more quickly than that one; illa puella quam celerrimē cucurrit, that girl ran as quickly as possible. The ablative of comparison is not ordinarily employed after comparative adverbs (except in poetry).
When the comparison of an adjective is irregular (see Ch. 27), the comparison of the adverb derived from it normally follows the basic irregularities of the adjective but, of course, has adverbial endings. Study carefully the following list of representative adverbs; those that do not follow the standard rules stated above for forming adverbs from adjectives are highlighted in bold (be prepared to point out how they do not conform). Note the alternate superlatives prīmō, which usually means first (in time) vs. prīmum, usually first (in a series); quam prīmum, however, has the idiomatic translation as soon as possible.
Like ferō, introduced in the last chapter, volō is another extremely common third conjugation verb which, though regular for the most part, does have several irregular forms, including the present infinitive velle. Remember these points:
—volō has no passive forms at all, no future active infinitive or participle, and no imperatives;
—the perfect system is entirely regular;
—the only irregular forms are in the present indicative (which must be memorized) and the present subjunctive (which is comparable to sim, sīs, sit);
—the imperfect subjunctive resembles that of ferō; while formed from the irregular infinitive velle, it nevertheless follows the usual pattern of present infinitive + personal endings;
—vol- is the base in the present system indicatives, vel- in the subjunctives.
The following third person singular synopsis, with irregular forms in bold, should provide a useful overview of the conjugation of volō; for the complete conjugation, see the Appendix (p. 458-59).
The compounds nōlō, nōlle, nōluī (nē + volō), not to wish, to be unwilling, and mālō, mālle, māluī (magis + volō), to want (something) more or instead, prefer, follow volō closely, but have long vowels in their stems (nō-, mā-) and some other striking peculiarities, especially in the present indicative.
Sg. n
lō, nōn vīs, nōn vult Pl. nlumus, nōn vúltis, nlunt
Sg. mlō, mvīs, mvult Pl. mlumus, māvúltis, mlunt
The following synopses provide representative forms, again with irregular forms in bold, but you should see the Appendix (p. 458-59) for the full conjugation of these verbs.
While volō and mālō lack imperatives, nōlō has both singular and plural imperatives that were very commonly employed along with complementary infinitives to express negative commands:
Nōlī manēre, Catilīna, do not remain, Catiline!
Nōlīte discēdere, amīcī meī, do not leave, my friends!
The subjunctive is used in a subordinate clause introduced by dummodo, provided that, so long as, and certain other words that express a provisional circumstance or “proviso”; nē is used as the negative in such clauses.
Nōn timēbō, dummodo hīc remaneās, I shall not be afraid, provided that you remain here.
Erimus fēlīcēs, dummodo nē discēdās, we shall be happy, so long as (provided that) you do not leave.
Note that the verb in such clauses is simply translated as an indicative.
custdia, -ae, f., protection, custody; pl., guards (custodian, custodial) exércitus, -ūs, m., army (exercise)
paupértās, pauperts, f., poverty, humble circumstances (cp. pauper below)
dves, gen. dvitis or ds, rich, (Dives)
pār, gen. páris + dat. (cp. Ch. 35), equal, like (par, pair, parity, peer, peerless, disparage, disparity, umpire, nonpareil)
paúper, gen. paúperis, of small means, poor (poverty, impoverished; cp. paupertās)
dúmmodo, conj. + subj., provided that, so long as All adverbs given in the list above, p. 220-21.
mlō, mlle, mluī, to want (something) more, instead; prefer nlō, nlle, nluī, to not … wish, be unwilling (nolo contendere, nol. pros.)
páteō, pat
re, pátuī, to be open, lie open; be accessible; be evident (patent, pātent, patency)
praébeō, -bre, -buī, -bitum, to offer, provide
prōmíttō, -míttere, -msī, -míssum, to send forth; promise (promissory)
vólō, vélle, vóluī, to wish, want, be willing, will (volition, voluntary, involuntary, volunteer, volitive, voluptuous, benevolent, malevolent, nolens volens)
Prīmō illī trēs rīdiculī nē mediocria quidem perīcula fortiter ferre poterant et ūllum auxilium offerre nōlēbant.
Maximē rogāvimus quantum auxilium septem fēminae adferrent et utrum dubitārent an nōs mox adiūtūrae essent.
Dēnique armīs collātīs, imperātor prōmīsit decem mīlia mīlitum celerrimē discessūra esse, dummodo satis cōpiārum reciperent.
Paria beneficia, igitur, in omnēs dignōs cōnferre māvultis.
Haec mala melius expōnant nē dīvitiās minuant aut honōrēs suōs āmittant.
At volumus cognōscere cūr sīc invīderit et cūr verba eius tam dūra fuerint.
Cum cēterī hās īnsidiās cognōverint, vult in exsilium fūrtim ac quam celerrimē sē cōnferre ut rūmōrēs et invidiam vītet.
Multīne discipulī tantum studium ūsque praestant ut hās sententiās facillimē ūnō annō legere possint?
Cum dīvitiās āmīsisset et ūnum assem nōn habēret, tamen omnēs cīvēs ingenium mōrēsque eius maximē laudābant.
Plūra meliōraque lēgibus aequīs quam ferrō certē faciēmus.
Oculī tuī sunt pulchriōrēs sīderibus caelī, mea puella; es gracilis et bella, ac ōscula sunt dulciōra vīnō: amēmus sub lūce lūnae!
Iste hostis, in Italiam cum multīs elephantīs veniēns, prīmō pugnāre nōluit et plūrimōs diēs in montibus cōnsūmpsit.
Sī nepōs tē ad cēnam invītābit, mēnsam explēbit et tibi tantum vīnī offeret quantum vīs; nōlī, autem, nimium bibere.
Do you wish to live longer and better?
He wishes to speak as wisely as possible so that they may yield to him very quickly.
When these plans had been learned, we asked why he had been unwilling to prepare the army with the greatest possible care.
That man, who used to be very humble, now so keenly wishes to have wealth that he is willing to lose his two best friends.
Occāsiō nōn facile praebētur sed facile ac repente āmittitur. (Publilius Syrus.)
Nōbīscum vīvere iam diūtius nōn potes; nōlī remanēre; id nōn ferēmus. (Cicero.)
Vīs rēctē vīvere? Quis nōn? (*Horace.—rēctus, -a, -um, straight, right.)
Plūs nōvistī quid faciendum sit. (Terence.)
Mihi vērē dīxit quid vellet. (Terence.)
Parēs cum paribus facillimē congregantur. (*Cicero.—congregāre, to gather into a flock.)
Tē magis quam oculōs meōs amō. (Terence.)
Hominēs libenter id crēdunt quod volunt. (Caesar.—libēns, -entis, willing.)
Multa ēveniunt hominibus quae volunt et quae nōlunt. (Plautus.— ēvenīre, to happen.)
Cōnsiliō melius contendere atque vincere possumus quam īrā. (Publilius Syrus.)
Optimus quisque facere māvult quam dīcere. (Sallust.—māvult quam = magis vult quam.)
Omnēs sapientēs fēlīciter, perfectē, fortūnātē vīvunt. (Cicero.—perfectus, -a, -um, complete.)
Maximē eum laudant quī pecūniā nōn movētur. (Cicero.)
Sī vīs scīre quam nihil malī in paupertāte sit, cōnfer pauperem et dīvitem: pauper saepius et fidēlius rīdet. (Seneca.)
Magistrī puerīs crūstula dant ut prīma elementa discere velint. (Horace.—crūstulum, -ī, cookie.—elementum, -ī.)
Sī vīs mē flēre, dolendum est prīmum ipsī tibi. (*Horace.—flēre, to weep.)
Cimōn celeriter ad summōs honōrēs pervenit. Habēbat enim satis ēloquentiae, summam līberālitātem, magnam scientiam lēgum et reī mīlitāris, quod cum patre ā puerō in exercitibus fuerat. Itaque hic populum urbānum in suā potestāte facillimē tenuit et apud exercitum valuit plūrimum auctōritāte.
Cum ille occidisset, Athēniēnsēs dē eō diū doluērunt; nōn sōlum in bellō, autem, sed etiam in pāce eum graviter dēsīderāvērunt. Fuit enim vir tantae līberālitātis ut, cum multōs hortōs habēret, numquam in hīs custōdiās pōneret; nam hortōs līberrimē patēre voluit nē populus ab hīs frūctibus prohibērētur. Saepe autem, cum aliquem minus bene vestītum vidēret, eī suum amiculum dedit. Multōs locuplētāvit; multōs pauperēs vīvōs iūvit atque mortuōs suō sūmptū extulit. Sīc minimē mīrum est sī, propter mōrēs Cimōnis, vīta eius fuit sēcūra et mors euis fuit omnibus tam acerba quam mors cuiusdam ex familiā.
(Nepos, Cimōn; adapted excerpts.—per-venīre.—ēloquentia, -ae.—līberālitās, -tātis.—mīlitāris, -e.—ā puerō, from his boyhood.—potestās, -tātis, power.—auctōritās, -tātis, authority; the abl. tells in what respect.—Athēniēnsēs, Athenians.—hortus, -ī, garden,—vestītus, -a, -um, clothed.—amiculum, -ī, cloak.—locuplētāre, to enrich.—sūmptus, -ūs, expense.—extulit: ef-ferō, bury.—mīrus, -a, -um, surprising.—sē-cūrus, -a, -um: sē- means without.)
Quid mihi reddat ager quaeris, Line, Nōmentānus?
Hoc mihi reddit ager: tē, Line, nōn videō!
(*Martial 2.38; meter: elegiac couplet.—reddō, -ere, to give back, return (in profit).—Linus, -ī, another of Martial’s addressees.—Nōmentānus, -a, -um, in Nomentum, a town of Latium known for its wine industry.)
Nīl recitās et vīs, Māmerce, poēta vidērī.
Quidquid vīs estō, dummodo nīl recitēs!
(*Martial 2.88; meter: elegiac couplet.—nīl = nihil.—Māmercus, -ī.—estō, fut. imper. of esse, “Be…!”)
3. rectitude, rectify, direct, erect, correct; cp. right. 6. congregate, segregate, gregarious, aggregate. 9. event (=out-come), eventual. 12. perfect (= made or done thoroughly). “Cimon”: vest, vestment, invest, divest.—sumptuous, sumptuary.—miraculous, admire. “Vacation”: render, rendering, rendition.
Salvēte! The modern Olympic games have as their motto three comparative adverbs, citius, altius (from altus, -a, -um, high), fortius. The new irregular verbs in this chapter, especially volō and nōlō are extremely common in Lat. and you’ll find them, willy-nilly, all through English. You know very well, for example, the legal plea of nōlō, short for nōlō contendere, I am unwilling to contest (the accusation); there’s also nol. pros. = nōlle prōsequī, to be unwilling to pursue (the matter), meaning to drop a lawsuit; nōlēns, volēns, unwilling (or) willing, i.e., whether or not one wishes, like “willy-nilly” (a contraction of “will ye, nill ye”); the abbreviation “d.v.,” for deō volente; also volō, nōn valeō, I am willing but not able; nōlī mē tangere, a warning against tampering as well as Lat. for the jewel-weed flower or “touch-me-not”; quantum vīs, as much as you wish (which may be more than just quantum satis, Ch. 30!); Deus vult, the call to arms of the First Crusade; and mālō morī quam foedārī, freely “death before dishonor” (lit., I wish to die rather than to be dishonored: for the deponent verb morior, see Ch. 34). Years ago some pundit wrote (demonstrating the importance of macrons), mālō malō malō mālō, I’d rather be in an apple tree than a bad man in adversity; the first mālō is from mālum, -ī, apple, fruit-tree, which calls to mind Horace’s characterization of a Roman cēna, from the hors d’oeuvres to the dessert, as ab ovō (ovum, -ī, egg) ūsque ad māla, a phrase, very like the expression “from soup to nuts,” that became proverbial for “from start to finish.”
Et cētera ex vocābulāriō novō: cēterīs pāribus, all else being equal; custōdia is related to custōs, custōdis, guard, and custōdīre, to guard, hence Juvenal’s satiric query, sed quis custōdiet ipsōs custōdēs; exercitus is connected with exerceō, exercēre, to practice, exercise, and the noun exercitātiō, which gives us the proverb, most salutary for Latin students: exercitātiō est optimus magister. And so, valēte, discipulī/ae, et exercēte, exercēte, exercēte!