melle dulcior, sweeter than honey;

    patria mihi vita carior est, my country is dearer to me than life.

2.  This construction, as a rule, occurs only as a substitute for quam (than) with the Nominative or Accusative.  In other cases quam must be used; as,—­

    tui studiosior sum quam illius, I am fonder of you than of him.

    —­Studiosior illo would have meant, I am fonder of you than he is.

Plus, minus, amplius, longius are often employed as the equivalents of plus quam, minus quam, etc.  Thus:—­

    amplius viginti urbes incenduntur, more than twenty cities are fired;

    minus quinque milia processit, he advanced less than five miles.

3.  Note the use of opinione with Comparatives; as,—­

    opinione celerius venit, he comes more quickly than expected (lit.
    than opinion).

INSTRUMENTAL USES OF THE ABLATIVE.

Ablative of Means.

218.  The Ablative is used to denote means or instrument; as,—­

    Alexander sagitta vulneratus est, Alexander was wounded by an arrow.

There are the following special varieties of this Ablative:—­

1.  Utor, fruor, fungor, potior, vescor, and their compounds take the Ablative; as,—­

    divitiis utitur, he uses his wealth (lit. he benefits himself by his
    wealth);

    vita fruitur, he enjoys life (lit. he enjoys himself by life);

    munere fungor, I perform my duty (lit. I busy myself with duty);

    carne vescuntur, they eat flesh (lit. feed themselves by means of);

    castris potitus est, he got possession of the camp (lit. made
    himself powerful by the camp).

  a..  Potior sometimes governs the Genitive.  See Sec. 212, 2.

2.  With opus est (rarely usus est), there is need; as,—­

    duce nobis opus est, we need a leader.

  a.  A Neuter Pronoun or Adjective often stands as subject with opus as
  predicate.  Thus:—­

    hoc mihi opus est, this is necessary for me.

  b.  An ordinary substantive rarely stands as subject.  Thus dux nobis opus
  est is a rare form of expression.

  c.  Note the occasional use of a perfect passive participle with opus est;
  as,—­

    opus est properato, there is need of haste.

3.  With nitor, innixus, and fretus; as,—­

    nititur hasta, he rests on a spear (lit. supports himself by a
    spear);

    fretus virtute, relying on virtue (lit. supported by virtue).

4.  With contineri, consistere, constare, consist of; as,—­

    nervis et ossibus continentur, they consist of sinews and bones (lit.
    they are held together by sinews and bones);