[*] 346. Words denoting a Part are followed by the Genitive of the Whole to which the part belongs. [*] a. Partitive words, followed by the genitive, are—
- Nouns or Pronouns (cf. also 3 below):—
- Numerals, Comparatives, Superlatives, and Pronominal
words like
alius
,
alter
,
nūllus
, etc.:—
- ūnus tribūnōrum, one of the tribunes (see c below).
- “sapientum octāvus ” (Hor. S. 2.3.296) , the eighth of the wise men.
- “mīliapassuum sescenta ” (B. G. 4.3) , six hundred miles (thousands of paces).
- mâior frātrum, the elder of the brothers.
- animāliumfortiōra, the stronger [of] animals.
- “Suēbōrum gēns est longē maxima et bellicōsissimaGermānōrum omnium” (B. G. 4.1) , the tribe of the Suevi is far the largest and most warlike of all the Germans.
- alter cōnsulum, one of the [two] consuls.
- “nūlla eārum” (B.G. 4.28) , not one of them (the ships).
- Neuter Adjectives and Pronouns, used as
nouns:—
- tantum spatī, so much [of] space.
- aliquid nummōrum, a few pence (something of coins).
- id locī (or locōrum ), that spot of ground; id temporis, at that time (§ 397. a).
- plāna urbis, the level parts of the town.
- quid novī, what news? (what of new?)
- “paulum frūmentī” (B. C. 1.78) , a little grain.
- “plūs dolōris” (B. G. 1.20) , more grief.
- “suī aliquid timōris” (B. C. 2.29) , some fear of his own (something of his own fear).
[*] Note 1.--In classic prose neuter adjectives (not pronominal) seldom take a partitive genitive, except multum , tantum , quantum, and similar words.
[*] Note 2.--The genitive of adjectives of the third declensionis rarely used partitively:nihil novī (genitive), nothing new; but,nihil memorābile (nominative), nothing worth mention (not nihil memorābilis ).
- Adverbs, especially those of Quantity and of
Place:—
- parum ōtī, not much ease (too little of ease).
- satis pecūniae, money enough (enough of money).
- “plūrimumtōtīus Galliae equitātū valet ” (B. G. 5.3) , is strongest of all Gaul in cavalry.
- “ubinam gentium sumus ” (Cat. 1.9) , where in the world are we (where of nations)?
- “ubicumqueterrārum et gentium” (Verr. 5.143) , wherever in the whole world.
- “rēs erat eō iamlocī ut ” (Sest. 68) , the business had now reached such a point that, etc.
- “eō miseriārum” (Iug. 14.3) , to that [pitch] of misery.
- inde locī, next in order (thence of place). [Poetical.]
- “sequimur tē, sāncte deōrum ” (Aen. 4.576) , we follow thee, O holy deity. [For sāncte deus (§ 49. g. N.)]
- “nigrae lānārum ” (Plin. H. N. 8.193) , black wools. [For nigrae lānae .]
- “expedītī mīlitum ” (Liv. 30.9) , light-armed soldiers. [For expedītī mīlitēs .]
- “ hominum cūnctōs ” (Ov. M. 4.631) , all men. [For cūnctōs hominēs; cf. e.]
- ūnus ex tribūnīs, one of the tribunes. [But also, ūnus tribūnōrum (cf. a. 2).]
- “minumus ex illīs ” (Iug. 11) , the youngest of them.
- medius ex tribus (ib.), the middle one of the three.
- quīdam ex mīlitibus, certain of the soldiers.
- “ūnus dē multīs ” (Fin. 2.66) , one of the many.
- “paucī dē nostrīs cadunt ” (B. G. 1.15) , a few of our men fall.
- hominem dē comitibus meīs, a man of my companions.
- uterque cōnsul, both the consuls; but, uterque nostrum, both of us.
- ūnus quisque vestrum, each one of you.
- utraque castra, both camps.
- nōs omnēs, all of us (we all). [Not omnēs nostrum .]
- quot sunt hostēs, how many of the enemy are there?
- cavē inimīcōs, quī multī sunt, beware of your enemies, who are many.
- multī mīlitēs, many of the soldiers.
- nēmō Rōmānus, not one Roman.