1. Essentials at a Glance

The ablative of price in Latin grammar expresses the specific cost or value at which something is bought, sold, traded, or penalized. Typically, nouns or adjectives appear in the ablative case without a preposition to mark this transaction. Mastery of this construction is vital for reading classical texts involving commerce, fines, and figurative “exchanges,” and it enriches one’s comprehension of Roman economic and cultural nuances.

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2. Definition & Importance

The ablative of price is used to show the exact sum or commodity given or received in an exchange. In Latin ablative of price examples, the price appears in the ablative, often with verbs of buying, selling, or penalizing. Understanding this case usage is crucial for accurate translation and for distinguishing true monetary transactions from more abstract or subjective “value” expressions (which often use the genitive).

Why it matters:

• It clarifies how Romans handled concrete economic values and transactions.
• It avoids confusion with other case usages (e.g., genitive of value, ablative of cause).
• It underpins a range of historical, legal, and rhetorical contexts, ensuring precise interpretation.

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3. Forms & Morphology

Below are key forms for expressing price in the ablative:

• Numeric Expressions: Use the ablative plural for exact sums (e.g. tribus talentīs, “for three talents”).
• Adjectives as Price: māgnō, parvō, vīlī can stand alone to mean “(sold/bought) at a high, low, or cheap price.”

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4. Usage & Examples

When is it used?

• Verbs of buying and selling: emere, vēndere, vēnīre (passive “to be sold”).
• Verbs of exchange/barter: mūtāre, commūtāre (swapping one thing for another).
• Penalties or fines: multāre, damnāre (penalizing someone “at the cost of” something).

Latin Ablative of Price Examples

1. Quantī eam ēmit? – Vīlī… Quadrāgintā mīnīs.
   “For how much did he buy her? – For cheap… For forty minae.”

   • vīlī (abl.) = at a low price; quadrāgintā mīnīs (abl. pl.) = for 40 minae.

2. Domum emit decem talentīs.
   “He bought the house for ten talents.”

   • decem talentīs in the ablative of price.

3. Māgnō illī ea cūnctātiō stetit.
   “That hesitation cost him dearly.”

   • māgnō (abl.) signals a high ‘cost’ metaphorically.

4. Eriphylē aurō virī vītam vēndidit.
   “Eriphyle sold her husband’s life for gold.”

   • aurō (abl.) = the price (gold).

5. Mercede conductī sunt.
   “They were hired for pay.”

   • mercede (abl.) shows the wages given.

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5. Common Pitfalls

• Confusing with Genitive of Value: Words like tantī, quantī, plūris, minōris are usually genitive, not ablative.
• Mixing Ablative of Cause: sanguine can be price (“bought with blood”) or cause (“by means of bloodshed”) depending on context.
• Incorrect Case: Using genitive or accusative for a concrete sum is a typical error. True price goes in the ablative.
• Neglecting Numeric Forms: decem dēnāriīs, tribus talentīs must be plural ablatives to show an actual price.

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6. Additional Notes & Nuances

• Metaphorical Exchange: Latin extends “price” to abstract ideas like vita, sanguis, honor (“life, blood, honor”), treating them as currency in figurative contexts.
• Penalties and Condemnations: “Ablative of penalty” is often seen as a subtype of price (e.g. capite damnātus, “condemned at the cost of his life”).
• Genitive vs. Ablative: The genitive typically expresses subjective or indefinite value, whereas the ablative of price indicates an actual, concrete amount.
• Historical Consistency: From Plautus through Late Latin, the ablative of price remains standard in commercial and legal texts.

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7. Key Takeaways

• Always use the ablative case (often no preposition) for exact or concrete prices.
• Keep genitive expressions (quantī, tantī, plūris, minōris) for general or comparative value.
• Watch context carefully to distinguish price from cause or means.
• Classical authors consistently follow this rule; any deviations are usually stylistic or poetic.
• Short adjectives like māgnō, vīlī, plūrimō can stand alone to mean a high or low price.