The Allen and Greenough is still under construction;
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346. Words denoting a Part are followed by the
Genitive of the Whole to which the part belongs.
a. Partitive words, followed by the
genitive, are -
1. Nouns or Pronouns (cf. also 3 below): -
- pars mílitum, part of
- quis nostmm, which of us?
- nihil erat reliquí, there
was nothing left.
- nemo eorum (B. G. vii. 66), not a
man of them.
- magnam partem eorum
interfécérunt (id. ii. 23), they killed a large
part of them.
2. Numerals, Comparatives, Superlatives, and Pronominal words like
alius, alter, nullus, etc.: -
- tribúnorum, one of the
tribunes (see c. below)
- sapientum octavus,
(Hor. S. ii. 3. 296), the eighth of the wise men.
- milia passuum sescenta
(B. G. iv. 3),six hundred miles (thousands of paces).
- maior frátrum, the elder
of the brothers.
- animalium fortióra, the
stronger [of] animals.
- Suébórum géns est
longé maxima et bellicósíssima Germánorum
omnium (B. G. iv. 1), the tribe of the Suevi is far the largest
and most warlike of a11 the Germans.
- alter consulum, one of the [two]
- nulla eárum
(B. G. iv. 28),not one of them (the ships).
- 3. Neuter Adjectives and Pronouns, used as nouns: -
- tantum spatí, so much
- aliquid nummorum, a few pence
(something of coins).
- id locí (or locorum), that spot of ground;
- id temporis, at that time
(§ 897. a)
- plána urbis, the level
parts of the town.
- quid novi, what news? (what of new ?)
- paulum framentí
(B. C. i. 78), a little grain.
- plús doloris (B. G. i. 20),
- suí aliquid timoris
(B. C. ii. 29) some fear of his own (something of his own fear).
NOTE 1: In classic prose neuter adjectives (not pronominal)
seldom take a partitive genitive, except multum,
tantum, quantum, and similar words.
NOTE 2: The genitive of adjectives of the third
declension is rarely used partitively: nihil
novi (genitive) , nothing new; but, nihil memorabile (nominative) , nothing worth
nuntion (not nihil memorábilis).
4. Adverbs, especially those of Quantity and of Place: -
- parum oti, not much ease
(too little of ease).
- satis pecúniae, money
enough (enough of money).
- plurimum totius Galliae
equitátú valet (B. G. v. 3), is strongest of all
Gaul in cavalry.
- ubinam gentium sumus (Cat. i. 9),
where in the world are we (where of nations) ?
- ubicumque terrárum et gentium
(Verr. v. 143),wherever in the whole world.
- res erat eó iam loci ut
(Sest. 68), the business had now reached such a point that, etc.
- eó miseriárum
(Iug. 14. 3),to that [pitch] of misery.
- inde locí, next in
order (thence of place). [Poetical.]
b. The poets and later writers often use
the partitive genitive after adjectives, instead of a noun in its proper
- sequimur té, sancte
deorum (Aen. iv. 676),we follow thee, O holy deity. [For
sancte deus (§ 49. g. N.)]
- nigrae linirum
(Plin. H. N. viii. 193), back wool. [For nigrae linae.]
mílitum (Liv. xxx. 9), light-armed soldiers. [For
- hominum cúnctós
(Ov. M. iv. 631), all men. [For cunctos
homines; cf. e.]
c. Cardinal numerals (except mília) regularly take the Ablative with
e (ex) or de instead of the Partitive Genitive. So also
quidam, a certain one commonly, and
other words occasionally: -
- únus ex tribanis, one
of the tribunes. [But also, unus
tribanorum (cf. a. 2).]
- minumus ex illis (Iug. 1l), the
youngest of them.
- medius ex tribus (ib.), the
middle one of the three.
- quídam ex militibus,
certain of the soldiers.
- únus de multís
(Fin. ii. 66),one of the many.
- pauci de nostrís cadunt
(B. G. i. 15), a few of our men fall.
- hominem de comitibus meis, a man
of my companions.
both (properly each) and quisque, each, with Nouns are regularly
used as adjectives in agreement, but with Pronouns take a partitive
- uterque consul, both the
consuls; but, uterque nostrum both of us
- únus quisque vestrum, each
one of you.
- utraque castra, both
e. Numbers and words of quantity including
the whole of any thing take a case in agreement, and not the
partitive genitive. So also words denoting a part when only that part
is thought of: -
- nos omnes, all of us (we all). [Not omnes nostrum.]
- quot sunt hostes, how many of the
enemy are there ?
- cavé inimlcós, quí
multl sunt, beware of your enemies, who are many.
- multí mllites, many of the
- némo Romanus, not one