On the Pelican |
An ablative absolute construction consists of a noun or pronoun in the ablative case and a second word - usually, but not always, a participle - also in the ablative. This phrase stands grammatically independent of the rest of the sentence, hence the term "absolute." An ablative absolute is usually translated either as a relative clause or using the "having been" verb phrase, as a passive participle would suggest: e.g., from the third line of the passage above: receptis viribus can be rendered as
Either is correct; both say the same thing. Translate the ablative absolutes below, using either of the two styles of rendering. 1. signo dato 2. litteris acceptis 3. interfecto imperatore 4. ianua aperta 5. his factis 6. fabula narrata 7. navibus deductis |