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PARTICLES

§§320–322 · 3 sections

Adverbs

The proper function of Adverbs, as petrified case-forms, is to modify Verbs: as,—celeriter īre, to go with speed. It is from this use that they derive their name (adverbium, from ad, to, and verbum, verb; see § 241. b). They also modify adjectives, showing in what manner or degree the quality described is manifested: as, splendidē mendāx, gloriously false. More rarely they modify other adverbs: as, nimis graviter, too severely. Many adverbs, especially relative adverbs, serve as connectives, and are hardly to be distinguished from conjunctions (see § 20. g. N.).

Adverbs are used to modify Verbs, Adjectives, and other Adverbs.

A Demonstrative or Relative adverb is often equivalent to the corresponding Pronoun with a preposition (see § 308. g):—

  1. eō [ = in ea] impōnit vāsa (Iug. 75), upon them (thither, thereon, on the beasts) he puts the camp-utensils.
  2. eō mīlitēs impōnere (B. G. 1.42), to put soldiers upon them (the horses).
  3. apud eōs quō [ = ad quōs] sē contulit (Verr. 4.38), among those to whom (whither) he resorted.
  4. quī eum necāsset unde [ = quō] ipse nātus esset (Rosc. Am. 71), one who should have killed his own father (him whence he had his birth).
  5. ō condiciōnēs miserās administrandārum prōvinciārum ubi [ = in quibus] sevēritās perīculōsa est (Flacc. 87), O! wretched terms of managing the provinces, where strictness is dangerous.

The participles dictum and factum, when used as nouns, are regularly modified by adverbs rather than by adjectives; so occasionally other perfect participles:—

  1. praeclārē facta (Nep. Timoth. 1), glorious deeds (things gloriously done).
  2. multa facētē dicta (Off. 1.104), many witty sayings.

A noun is sometimes used as an adjective, and may then be modified by an adverb:—

  1. victor exercitus, the victorious army.
  2. admodum puer, quite a boy (young).
  3. magis vir, more of a man (more manly).
  4. populum lātē rēgem (Aen. 1.21), a people ruling far and wide.
  1. hinc abitiō; (Plaut. Rud. 503), a going away from here.
  2. quid cōgitem dē obviarr itiōne (Att. 13.50), what I think about going to meet (him). [Perhaps felt as a compound.]

A few adverbs appear to be used like adjectives. Such are obviam, palam, sometimes contrā, and occasionally others:—

  1. fit obviam Clōdiō; (Mil. 29), he falls in with (becomes in the way of) Clodius. [Cf. the adjective obvius: as,sī ille obvius eī futūrus nōn erat (id. 47), if he was not likely to fall in with him.]
  2. haec commemorō quae sunt palam (Pison. 11), I mention these facts, which are well-known.
  3. alia probābilia, contrā alia dīcimus (Off. 2.7), we call some things probable, others the opposite (not probable). [In this use, contrā contradicts a previous adjective, and so in a manner repeats it.]
  4. erī semper lēnitās (Ter. And. 175), my master's constant (always) gentleness. [An imitation of a Greek construction.]

For propius, prīdiē, palam, and other adverbs used as prepositions, see § 432.

The following adverbs require special notice:—

Etiam (et iam), also, even, is stronger than quoque, also, and usually precedes the emphatic word, while quoque follows it:—

  1. nōn verbīs sōlum sed etiam vī; (Verr. 2.64), not only by words, but also by force.
  2. hōc quoque maleficium (Rosc. Am. 117), this crime too.

Nunc

means definitely now, in the immediate present, and is rarely used of the immediate past.

Iam means now, already, at length, presently, and includes a reference to previous time through which the state of things described has been or will be reached. It may be used of any time. With negatives iam means (no) longer.

Tum, then, is correlative to cum, when, and may be used of any time. Tunc, then, at that time, is a strengthened form of tum (†tum-ce, cf. nunc):—

  1. ut iam anteā dīxī, as I have already said before.
  2. sī iam satis aetātis atque rōboris habēret (Rosc. Am. 149), if he had attained a suitable age and strength (lit. if he now had, as he will have by and by).
  3. nōn est iam lēnitātī locus, there is no longer room for mercy.
  4. quod iam erat īnstitūtum, which had come to be a practice (had now been established).
  5. nunc quidem dēlēta est, tunc flōrēbat (Lael. 13), now ('t is true) she [Greece] is ruined, then she was in her glory.
  6. tum cum rēgnābat, at the time when he reigned.

Certō means certainly, certē (usually) at least, at any rate:—

  1. certō sciō, I know for a certainty; ego certē, I at least.

Prīmum means first (first in order, or for the first time), and implies a series of events or acts. Prīmō means at first, as opposed to afterwards, giving prominence merely to the difference of time:—

  1. hōc prīmum sentiō, this I hold in the first place.
  2. aedīs prīmō ruere rēbāmur, at first we thought the house was falling.

Quidem, indeed, gives emphasis, and often has a concessive meaning, especially when followed by sed, autem, etc.:—

  1. hōc quidem vidēre licet (Lael. 54), THIS surely one may see. [Emphatic.]
  2. [sēcūritās] speciē quidem blanda, sed reāpse multīs locīs repudianda (id. 47), (tranquillity) in appearance, it is true, attractive, but in reality to be rejected for many reasons. [Concessive.]

Nē ... quidem means not even or not ... either. The emphatic word or words must stand between nē and quidem:—

  1. sed nē Iugurtha quidem quiētus erat (Iug. 51), but Jugurtha was not quiet either.
  2. ego autem nē īrāscī possum quidem iīs quōs valdē amō; (Att. 2.19.1), but I cannot even get angry with those whom I love very much.