poena mortis, the penalty of death;

    ars scribendi, the art of writing.

203.  Genitive of Quality.  The Genitive modified by an Adjective is used to denote quality.  This construction presents several varieties.  Thus it is used—­

1.  To denote some internal or permanent characteristic of a person or thing; as,—­

    vir magnae virtutis, a man of great virtue;

    rationes ejus modi, considerations of that sort.

  a.  Only a limited number of Adjectives occur in this construction,
  chiefly magnus, maximus, summus, tantus, along with ejus.

2.  To denote measure (breadth, length, etc.); as,—­

    fossa quindecim pedum, a trench fifteen feet wide (or deep);

    exsilium decem annorum, an exile of ten years.

3.  Equivalent to the Genitive of Quality (though probably of different origin) are the Genitives tanti, quanti, parvi, magni, minoris, pluris, minimi, plurimi, maximi.  These are used predicatively to denote indefinite value; as,—­

    nulla studia tanti sunt, no studies are of so much value;

    magni opera ejus existimata est, his assistance was highly esteemed.

4.  By an extension of the notion of value, quanti, tanti, pluris, and minoris are also used with verbs of buying and selling, to denote indefinite price; as,—­

    quanti aedes emisti, at how high a price did you purchase the house?

5.  Any of the above varieties of the Genitive of Quality may be used predicatively; as,—­

    tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem, of so great difficulty was
    it to found the Roman race.

GENITIVE WITH ADJECTIVES.

204.  The Genitive is used with many Adjectives to limit the extent of their application.  Thus:—­

1.  With adjectives signifying desire, knowledge, familiarity, memory, participation, power, fullness, and their opposites; as,—­

    studiosus discendi, desirous of learning;

    peritus belli, skilled in war;

    insuetus laboris, unused to toil;

    immemor mandati tui, unmindful of your commission;

    plena periculorum est vita, life is full of dangers.

  a.  Some participles used adjectively also take the Genitive; as,—­

    diligens veritatis, fond of truth;

    amans patriae, devoted to one’s country.

2.  Sometimes with proprius and communis; as,—­

    viri propria est fortitudo, bravery is characteristic of a man.

    memoria est communis omnium artium, memory is common to all
    professions.

  a. proprius and communis are also construed with the Dative.