Summary of Relations of Place
The basic relations of place are: (a) place from which, (b) place to which and (c) place where
- Place from which : ablative + ab, dē, or ex
- Place to which : accusative + ad or in
- Place at which : ablative + in
Originally, these were implied by the cases themselves. “The accusative…denoted the end of motion. The ablative… denoted the place from which, and… the place where” (AG, 426). Prepositions exist to add precision.
Forthcoming posts will explore exceptions, variations and precise rules associated with particular nouns. For now, let’s get the basics settled:
Place From Which (ab, dē, ex +abl.)
They came from the north: ā septentriōne vēnērunt.
The sheep descend from the mountain: pecus dē prōvinciā dēscendit.
The send hostages from Britain: ex Britanniā obsidēs mittunt.
Place To Which (ad, in + acc.)
They came by night to the river: nocte ad flūmen vēnērunt.
He sails to Africa today: hodiē in Āfricam nāvigat.
She will send her brother to Italy: fratrem in Ītaliam mittet.
Place At Which (in + abl.)
She passed her entire life in this city: in hāc urbe tōtam vītam dēgit.
They had remained in Gual: in Galliā remanerant.
The Essential AG: 426
Famous Phrase: creātiō ex nihiliō [creation from nothing]
Three word summary of the First Cause position in the philosophy of religion, which places this or that divine creator at the head of all creation. For those of you disinterested in the precise tenets of the argument, here’s a brief ‘history‘ of its traces in the ancient world.