Every language has some unique areas of structure seeming to exist only in that language and making no sense, or logic, for that structure. In other words, it is just unique. and while the concept also exists in Ancient Greek, in Latin, it exists in the ablative case and so is called the Ablative Absolute. It is a phrase, usually just two words, one a participle and the other a noun, it is translated with a great deal of judgment from you. You can translate it as: "when, since" or just with the participle of the verb. See page 176 and 177 for examples with a discussion.
As you look over those pages, watch this video for an explanation:
As you look over those pages, watch this video for an explanation:
Let's do a quick review of Participles before we go further, watch this video for that review:
Before we do an exercise to learn this, please review the material regarding perfect passive participles on page 176. Now do these two exercises. The one flows into the other and will make it easier.
Perfect Participles
Ablative Absolute
Perfect Participles
Ablative Absolute
In the next Chapter, we are going to read about Pyramus and Thisbe, two young lovers, who inspired the creation of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliete.' This next exercise concerns ablative absolutes used in that story, so it serves two purposes: learning the ablative absolute and making the translation easier to do.
Pyramus and Thisbe
Getting down the concept of the Ablative Absolute is enough; although, it is not difficult.
Learn the vocabulary on page 175-6 then do these exercises for practice:
vocabulary 1
vocabulary 2
The culture lesson concerns thievery at Roman bath houses common because they would take your clothes! Fabric, in human history, has traditionally been very expensive. We already watched video about its manufacture. Due to machine made fabrics we have become spoiled with inexpensive and well made fabrics that are today disposable. That is a relatively recent luxury. My Mother-in-law, who likes to make handmade quilts, talked about one she made as sewn from 'feed-bag dresses.' Yes, when she was a little girl, animal feed bags were made of better quality cloth since merchants knew women would also make dresses from those bags. The fabric was recycled, bag to dress, dress to quilt. There were no 'rags' to be just thrown away.
So not that long ago, fabric had real worth. For an Ancient, it was always worth stealing. Read about thieves at the baths on page 179 putting us in a good place to understand what is happening in our story on page 175.
Translate page 175 and 176, as before number every sentence and line when translating.
Vocabulary quiz:
Vocabulary Quiz Chapter 44