1.  The Ablative of Quality may also be used predicatively; as,—­

    est magna prudentia, he is (a man) of great wisdom;

    bono anima sunt, they are of good courage.

2.  In place of the Adjective we sometimes find a limiting Genitive; as,—­

    sunt specie et colore tauri, they are of the appearance and color of a
    bull,

3.  In poetry the Ablative of Quality sometimes denotes material; as,—­

    scopulis pendentibus antrum, a cave of arching rocks.

Ablative of Price.

225.  With verbs of buying and selling, price is designated by the Ablative; as—­

    servum quinque minis emit, he bought the slave for five minae.

1.  The Ablatives magno, plurimo, parvo, minimo (by omission of pretio) are used to denote indefinite price; as,—­

    aedes magno vendidit, he sold the house for a high price.

2.  For the Genitive of Indefinite Price, see Sec. 203, 4.

Ablative of Specification.

226.  The Ablative of Specification is used to denote that in respect to which something is or is done; as,—­

    Helvetii omnibus Gallis virtute praestabant, the Helvetians surpassed
    all the Gauls in valor;

    pede claudus, lame in his foot.

1.  Note the phrases:—­

    major natu, older (lit. greater as to age);

    minor natu, younger.

2.  Here belongs the use of the Ablative with dignus, worthy, indignus, unworthy, and dignor, deem worthy of; as,—­

    digni honore, worthy of honor (i.e. in point of honor);

    fide indigni, unworthy of confidence;

    me dignor honore, I deem myself worthy of honor.

Ablative Absolute.

227.  The Ablative Absolute is grammatically independent of the rest of the sentence.  In its commonest form it consists of a noun or pronoun limited by a participle; as,—­

    urbe capta, Aeneas fugit, when the city had been captured, Aeneas
    fled (lit. the city having been captured).

1.  Instead of a participle we often find an adjective or noun; as,—­

    vivo Caesare res publica salva erat, while Caesar was alive the state
    was safe (lit. Caesar being alive);

    Tarquinio rege, Pythagoras in Italiam venit, in the reign of Tarquin
    Pythagoras came into Italy (lit. Tarquin being king);

    Cn.  Pompejo, M. Crasso consulibus, in the consulship of Gnaeus Pompey
    and Marcus Crassus (lit. P. and C. being consuls).

2.  The Ablative Absolute is generally used in Latin where in English we employ subordinate clauses.  Thus the Ablative Absolute may correspond to a clause denoting—­