mea interest, it concerns me.

2.  The thing about which a person is concerned is denoted—­

  a) by a Neuter Pronoun as subject; as,—­

    hoc rei publicae interest, this concerns the state.

  b) by an Infinitive; as,—­

    omnium interest valere, it concerns all to keep well.

  c) by an Indirect Question; as,—­

    mea interest quando venias, I am concerned as to when you are coming.

3.  The degree of concern is denoted—­

  a) by the Genitive (cf.  Sec. 203, 3):  magni, parvi, etc.; as,—­

    mea magni interest, it concerns me greatly.

  b) by the Adverbs, magnopere, magis, maxime, etc.; as,—­

    civium minime interest, it concerns the citizens very little.

  c) by the Neuters, multum, plus, minus, etc.; as,—­

    multum vestra interest, it concerns you much.

4.  Refert follows interest in its construction, except that it rarely takes the Genitive of the person.  Thus:—­

    mea refert, it concerns me;

but rarely illius refert, it concerns him.

Genitive with Other Verbs.

212. 1.  Verbs of Plenty and Want sometimes govern the Genitive; as,—­

    pecuniae indiges, you need money.

  a.  These verbs more commonly take the Ablative (Sec. 214, 1); indigeo is the
  only verb which has a preference for the Genitive.

2.  Potior, though usually followed by the Ablative, sometimes takes the Genitive, almost always so in Sallust; and regularly in the phrase potiri rerum, to get control of affairs.

3.  In poetry some verbs take the Genitive in imitation of the Greek; as,—­

    desine querellarum, cease your complaints;

    operum soluti, freed from their tasks.

* * * * *

THE ABLATIVE.

213.  The Latin Ablative unites in itself three cases which were originally distinct both in form and in meaning; viz.—­

  The Ablative or from-case. 
  The Instrumental or with-case. 
  The Locative or where-case.

The uses of the Latin Ablative accordingly fall into Genuine Ablative uses, Instrumental uses, and Locative uses.

GENUINE ABLATIVE USES.

Ablative of Separation.

214.  The Ablative of Separation is construed sometimes with, sometimes without, a preposition.

1.  The following words regularly take the Ablative without a preposition:—­

  a) The Verbs of freeing:  libero, solvo, levo;

  b) The Verbs of depriving:  privo, spolio, exuo, fraudo, nudo;

  c) The Verbs of lacking:  egeo, careo, vaco;

  d) The corresponding Adjectives, liber, inanis, vacuus, nudus,