Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges
J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, A. A. Howard, Benj. L. D'Ooge, Ed.

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[*] 403. The Ablative (usually with a preposition) is used to denote the Source from which anything is derived, or the Material of which it consists:—

Source:—
1. “Rhēnus oritur ex Lepontiīs” (B. G. 4.10) , the Rhine rises in (from) the country of the Lepontii.
2. “ab hīs sermō oritur ” (Lael. 5) , the conversation is begun by (arises from) them.
3. “cûius ratiōnis vim atque ūtilitātemex illō caelestī Epicūrīvolūmineaccēpimus ” (N. D. 1.43) , of this reasoning we have learned the power and advantage from that divine book of Epicurus.
4. “suāvitātem odōrum quī afflārentur ē flōribus” (Cat. M. 59) , the sweetness of the odors which breathed from the flowers.
Material:—

1. “erat tōtus ex fraude etmendāciō factus ” (Clu. 72) , he was entirely made up of fraud and falsehood.
2. “valvās māgnificentiōrēs,ex aurō atqueeboreperfectiōrēs ” (Verr. 4.124) , more splendid doors, more finely wrought of gold and ivory.
3. “factum dē cautibus antrum ” (Ov. M. 1.575) , a cave formed of rocks.
4. “templum dē marmore pōnam ” (Georg. 3.13) , I'll build a temple of marble.

[*] Note 1.--In poetry the preposition is often omitted.

[*] Note 2.--The Ablative of Material is a development of the Ablative of Source. For the Genitive of Material, see § 344.

[*] a. Participles denoting birth or origin are followed by the Abla tive of Source, generally without a preposition:—¹

1. “ Iove nātus et Mâiā ” (N. D. 3.56) , son of Jupiter and Maia.
2. “ēdite rēgibus ” (Hor. Od. 1.1.1) , descendant of kings.
3. “quō sanguine crētus ” (Aen. 2.74) , born of what blood.
4. “genitae Pandīone ” (Ov. M. 6.666) , daughters of Pandion.

[*] Note 1.--A preposition (ab, dē, ex) is usually expressed with pronouns, with the name of the mother, and often with that of other ancestors:—

ex mē hīc nātus nōn est sed ex frātre meō; (Ter. Ad. 40), this is not my son, but my brother's (not born from me, etc.).
1. “cum ex utrāque [uxōre] fīlius nātus esset ” (De Or. 1.183) , each wife having had a son (when a son had been born of each wife).
2. “Bēlus et omnēs ā Bēlō ” (Aen. 1.730) , Belus and all his descendants.

[*] Note 2.--Rarely, the place of birth is expressed by the ablative of source: as,— dēsīderāvit C. Flegīnātem Placentiā , A. “Grānium Puteolīs” (B. C. 3.71) , he lost Caius Fleginas of Placentia, Aulus Granius of Puteoli.

[*] Note 3.--The Roman tribe is regularly expressed by the ablative alone: as,— Q. “Verrem Rōmiliā” (Verr. 1.23) , Quintus Verres of the Romilian tribe.

[*] b. Some verbs may take the Ablative of Material without a preposition. Such are cōnstāre , cōnsistere , and continērī .² But with cōnstāre , ex is more common:—

1. “domūs amoenitās nōn aedificiō sed silvā cōnstābat ” (Nep. Att. 13) , the charm of the house consisted not in the buildings but in the woods.
2. “ ex animō cōnstāmus et corpore ” (Fin. 4.19) , we consist of soul and body.
3. “vīta corpore et spīritū continētur ” (Marc. 28) , life consists of body and spirit.

[*] c. The Ablative of Material without a preposition is used with facere , fierī , and similar words, in the sense of do with, become of:—

1. “quid hōc homine faciātis ” (Verr. 2.1.42) , what are you going to do with this man?
2. “quid Tulliolā meā fīet ” (Fam. 14.4.3) , what will become of my dear Tullia ?
3. “quid tē futūrum est ” (Verr. 2.155) , what will become of you?

[*] d. The Ablative of Material with ex , and in poetry without a preposition, sometimes depends directly on a noun:—

1. “nōn pauca pōcula ex aurō ” (Verr. 4.62) , not a few cups of gold.
2. “ scopulīs pendentibus antrum ” (Aen. 1.166) , a cave of hanging rocks.

For Ablative of Source instead of Partitive Genitive, see § 346. c.

Ablative of Cause