of Copy link Outline I. Denoting the relation of one subs. to another1. expr. by gen.2. sometimes instead of gen. a prep. may be used, to define more exactly the relation between the two subss.II. In partitive sense1. expr. by gen. (after all words which denote a part of a number; including comparatives and superlatives, Zumpt § 429)2. expr. by preps. de, ex, and less freq. interIII. To denote the material of which a thing is made1. ex2. de (mostly poet.3. expr. by adjj. in -eus, -nusIV. Denoting quality or description1. expr. by gen. or abl., but only when the latter subs. has an adj. joined with it (L. G. §§ 274, 318)2. when the second subs. has no adj., represent the Eng. subs. by an adj.V. To denote causeVI. = About, with reference toVII. Inseparable from certain verbs; as to smell of, taste of, consist of • of: I. Denoting the relation of one subs. to another: 1. expr. by gen.: pass. N.B.--This constr. cannot be used (a) when the latter subs. denotes the same thing as the former (apposition: as, urbs Roma, insula Tenedos, where the gen. can never stand): nor (b) when the latter subs. denotes a quality of the former, except when an adj. is attached to the latter (hence, a man of genius, vir ingeniosus or vir magni ingenii: never vir ingenii): nor (c) when the latter subs. denotes the material of which the former is made (a statue of marble, statua marmorea, never statua marmoris): nor (d) in indicating the place of any one's birth (a man of Athens, Atheniensis; never vir Athenarum). 2. sometimes instead of gen. a prep. may be used, to define more exactly the relation between the two subss.: e. g. the news of (= concerning) the death of Titurius had not yet reached him, nondum ad eum fama de Titurii morte perlata, Caes. B. G. 5, 39: much flattery of (= addressed to) Augusta on the part of the Senate, multa patrum in Augustam adulatio, Tac. A. 1 14: fear of (arising from, caused by) the Emperor, metus ex Imperatore, ib. 11, 20 (a constr. not to be imitated). II. In partitive sense: 1. expr. by gen. (after all words which denote a part of a number; including comparatives and superlatives, Zumpt § 429): that at least one of the consuls should be appointed from the commons, ut consulum utique alter ex plebe crearetur, Liv. 6, 35, med.: so also with uterque: you will greatly oblige both of us, utrique nostrum gratum admodum feceris, Cic. Am. 4, 16 (but in pl., hi utrique, both of these; not horum utrique): thou mightiest of princes, maxime principum! Hor. Od. 4, 14, 6: the elder of (two) young men, major juvenum, id. A. P. 366: Cic. (to do anything) best of all, optime omnium, Cic. Fam. 4, 13, extr. (N.B.--This constr. is not used with words signifying a part of a single whole; in which case an adj. usu. occurs in agr. with subs.: e. g. the top, bottom of a tree, summa, ima arbor, etc.: L. G. § 341.) 2. expr. by preps. de, ex, and less freq. inter: a few of our men are slain, pauci de nostris cadunt, Caes. B. G. 1, 15: one of them, unus de illis, Cic. Mil. 24, 65: one of the many (the common herd), unus de multis, id. Off. 1, 30, 109 (also, unus e multis, id. Fin. 2, 20, fin.): the keenest of all the senses, acerrimus ex omnibus sensibus, id. de Or. 2, 87, 357: one of the soldiers, quidam ex militibus, Caes. B. G. 1, 42: Croesus richest of kings, ille Croesus opulentissimus inter reges, Sen. Contr.: Mela. N.B.--(1). Instead of either the gen. or a prep., must be used an adj. in agreement with its subs., when the whole are included: e. g., but a few of us survive, nos pauci supersumus: cf. Cic. Ph. 2, 6, 13, veniamus ad vivos, qui duo e consularium numero reliqui sunt, i. e. two of whom: so, how many are there of you? quot estis? the prep. of denoting a kind of apposition, not separation. (2). After the dualizing words alter, uter, neuter, uterque, the gen. is preferred: after a superlative, the gen. denotes absolute, unqualified superiority, as a thing beyond doubt: when de or ex is used, the objects compared are placed more on a level. (3). After words not included in the preced. two cases, the use of a prep. is usual in prose, not of a genitive. III. To denote the material of which a thing is made: 1. ex: esp. after the verb facio: a statue of bronze, statua ex aere facta, Cic. Verr. 2, 21, 50: Varr.: also without facio: cups of gold, pocula ex auro, ib. 4, 27, 62 (but this constr. is less fit for common prose). 2. de (mostly poet.: constr. like preced.): a statue (made) of marble, factum de marmore signum, Ov. M. 14, 313: I will build a temple of marble, templum de marmore ponam, Virg. G. 3, 13: Tib. So of transformations: to make a captive of a king, captivum de rege facere, Just. 7, 2. 3. expr. by adjj. in -eus, -nus: e. g. made of wood, marble, fir, oak, ligneus, marmoreus, abiegnus, ilignus, etc.: v. wooden, etc. IV. Denoting quality or description: 1. expr. by gen. or abl., but only when the latter subs. has an adj. joined with it (L. G. §§ 274, 318): a man of the highest talents, vir summae indolis or summa indole; summi ingenii or summo ingenio: pass. 2. when the second subs. has no adj., represent the Eng. subs. by an adj.: thus, a thing of beauty, res pulchra; id quod pulchrum est: see corresponding adjj. V. To denote cause: expr. by abl.: e. g. to die of a disease, of hunger, of cold, morbo, inedia, frigore perire: L. G. § 311. VI. = About, with reference to: de: v. concerning. VII. Inseparable from certain verbs; as to smell of, taste of, consist of: v. to smell, etc.