HENLE LATIN 2

Lesson 22. The Present Participle Active; Ablative Absolute (continued)

New and review vocabulary:

gredior, gredi, gressus sum, 3, intr. ...........................................................go out

potior, 4, intr.; w/abl. or gen.. .............................................................................get possession of;
become master of
veto, vetare, vetui, vetitus, 1, tr.; acc. w/present infin.........................................forbid
conjuro, 1, intr.. ...............................................................................................conspire; form a conspiracy
commoveo, commovre, commovi, commotus, 2, tr.;. ...................................alarm; arouse; provoke

Nb: potior, a 4th conjugation intransitive verb takes an object in the Ablative Case:
Provinci potiti sunt. They gained possession of the province.
Occasionally it will take a Genitive object. It always does so in the phrase:
rerum potiri: to get control of affairs
Recall aggredior (advance) and compare its composition and meaning with gredior.
Juro means to take an oath; con adds the idea of together. When men form a conspiracy or plot
together, they bind themselves to secrecy; hence, conjuro, conspire.
The Present Participle
Latin has a present participle in the active voice only. This is its formation and declension:
Masc & Fem
pugnans
pugnantes
pugnantis
pugnantium
pugnanti
pugnantibus
pugnantem pugnantes
pugnante
pugnantibus

Neuter
pugnans
pugnantia
-same
-same-same
-samepugnans
pugnantia
-same
-same-

when paired with milites

4th Conj.
audiens
audientis

Deponents & Irregulars

hortans, hortantis 1st
verens, verentis 2nd
sequens, sequentis 3rd
patiens, patientis 3rd -io
moliens, molientis 4th
ferens, ferentis, bearing
iens, euntis, going

the fighting soldiers

of the fighting soldiers
to/for the fighting soldiers
the fighting soldiers
by/w/fr the fighting soldiers

Note other conjugations

2nd Conj.
monens
monentis

3rd Conj.
mittens
mittentis

-io Verbs
capiens
capientis

Note that it declines like the 3rd declension adjective, diligens, except the Ablative Singular ends in e.

Present Participle, continued

The tense is the same as that of the main clause, i.e., it expresses action as going on at the same time as
that verb.
Keep in mind that as a Verbal Adjective it can take objects and be modified by Adverbs and Adverbial
Phrases. As an Adjective, it may be used to modify any noun or pronoun (or noun equivalents) in any
construction and follows the regular rule for agreement of Adjectives. Present Participle phrases can be
difficult to translate; often a phrase or clause must be used in English to convey the meaning:

Rephrased:

Milites pila in hostes venientes jecerunt.

The soldiers hurled javelins into the enemy coming.
The soldiers hurled javelins into the enemy as they came on.
The soldiers hurled javelins into the enemy as they were coming (on).
The soldiers hurled javelins into the oncoming enemy.
The soldiers hurled javelins into the advancing enemy.

Keep the tense relationship and try to avoid who/which clauses.

The Present Participle in Ablative Absolute Phrases.
Likewise here, these may need rephrasing. Remember to keep the active voice. All other Ablative
Absolute rules apply.

Literally:
Rephrased:

Idiom:
Literally:
Rephrased:

Caesare absente, hostes ad castra advenerunt.

Caesar being absent, the enemy arrived at the camp.
While Caesar was absent, the enemy arrived at the camp.
In Caesars absence, the enemy arrived at the camp.
Nostris progredientibus, hostes in castra fugerunt.
Our men advancing, the enemy fled into the camp.
As our men were advancing, the enemy fled into the camp.
While our men were advancing, the enemy fled into the camp.
At the advance of our men, the enemy fled into the camp.