← Latin for Lawyers, Judges and Notaries Public
The preposition ā/ab/abs means "from" or "by" and takes the ablative case. The form ā is used before consonants, ab before vowels or h, and abs is rare (mainly in abs tē).
20.1 ā from servō slave litterās letters accēpī I received
20.2 ab from amīcō friend auxilium help petīvit he sought
20.3 abs from tē you nihil nothing postulō I demand
20.4 pecūniam money ā from patre father petit he seeks
20.5 ab from urbe city profectus having departed est he is
20.6 liber book ā by poētā poet scriptus written est is
20.7 ab from initiō beginning ōrātiōnem speech audīvī I heard
20.8 ā by iūdice judge damnātus condemned est he is
20.9 ab from hostibus enemies urbem city dēfendimus we defend
20.10 epistula letter ā by scrībā scribe composita composed est is
20.11 ab from omnibus all laudātur is praised iūstitia justice
20.12 ā from testibus witnesses vēritātem truth quaerimus we seek
20.13 leges laws ā by senātū senate scrīptae written sunt are
20.14 ab from imperiō command discēdere to depart nōluit he did not wish
20.15 cīvēs citizens ā by cōnsule consul vocātī called sunt are
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20.1 Ā servō litterās accēpī. I received letters from the slave.
20.2 Auxilium ab amīcō petīvit. He sought help from his friend.
20.3 Abs tē nihil postulō. I demand nothing from you.
20.4 Pecūniam ā patre petit. He seeks money from his father.
20.5 Ab urbe profectus est. He departed from the city.
20.6 Liber ā poētā scriptus est. The book was written by the poet.
20.7 Ab initiō ōrātiōnem audīvī. I heard the speech from the beginning.
20.8 Ā iūdice damnātus est. He was condemned by the judge.
20.9 Urbem ab hostibus dēfendimus. We defend the city from the enemies.
20.10 Epistula ā scrībā composita est. The letter was composed by the scribe.
20.11 Iūstitia ab omnibus laudātur. Justice is praised by all.
20.12 Vēritātem ā testibus quaerimus. We seek the truth from the witnesses.
20.13 Leges ā senātū scrīptae sunt. The laws were written by the senate.
20.14 Ab imperiō discēdere nōluit. He did not wish to depart from command.
20.15 Cīvēs ā cōnsule vocātī sunt. The citizens were called by the consul.
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20.1 Ā servō litterās accēpī.
20.2 Auxilium ab amīcō petīvit.
20.3 Abs tē nihil postulō.
20.4 Pecūniam ā patre petit.
20.5 Ab urbe profectus est.
20.6 Liber ā poētā scriptus est.
20.7 Ab initiō ōrātiōnem audīvī.
20.8 Ā iūdice damnātus est.
20.9 Urbem ab hostibus dēfendimus.
20.10 Epistula ā scrībā composita est.
20.11 Iūstitia ab omnibus laudātur.
20.12 Vēritātem ā testibus quaerimus.
20.13 Leges ā senātū scrīptae sunt.
20.14 Ab imperiō discēdere nōluit.
20.15 Cīvēs ā cōnsule vocātī sunt.
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For English speakers, understanding ā/ab/abs requires attention to several key points: -
Forms and Usage: -
ā: Used before consonants (ā patre) -
ab: Used before vowels or h (ab amīcō) -
abs: Rare, mainly in abs tē -
Case Requirements: -
Always takes ablative case -
Noun following must be in ablative form -
Examples: -
ā servō (from the slave) -
ab urbe (from the city) -
Common Uses: a) Separation/Source: -
Physical: ab urbe profectus est -
Abstract: ab imperiō discēdere
b) Agency with Passive Verbs: -
ā poētā scriptus est -
ā iūdice damnātus est -
Word Order: -
Usually precedes its noun -
Can be separated for emphasis -
Examples of variation: -
Standard: ā servō litterās -
Separated: Litterās... ā servō
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used ā/ab/abs requires cultural context: -
Legal Usage: -
Crucial in legal documents -
Indicated authority source -
Specified agent in official acts -
Common in formal declarations -
Social Implications: -
Showed hierarchical relationships -
Indicated official authority -
Marked social distances -
Demonstrated legal standing -
Historical Significance: -
Used in governmental decrees -
Important in military orders -
Present in official correspondence -
Key in legislative language -
Modern Relevance: -
Still used in legal Latin -
Found in academic writing -
Present in official mottos -
Used in formal documentation
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From Cicero's "Pro Roscio Amerino" (6.15):
Quod which ā by Chrysogonō Chrysogonus factum done esse to be dīcitur is said, cūius of whose honōris honor causā for the sake accusāre to accuse sē himself dīxit he said Erucius Erucius.
"Quod ā Chrysogonō factum esse dīcitur, cūius honōris causā accusāre sē dīxit Erucius."
Which is said to have been done by Chrysogonus, for the sake of whose honor Erucius said he was making the accusation.
This passage demonstrates the legal use of ā/ab to indicate agency in formal accusations. Cicero employs it to highlight the relationship between the accused and accuser.
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ā Chrysogonō: Ablative of agent with passive verb -
factum esse: Perfect passive infinitive -
Complex sentence structure showing legal precision -
Use of relative pronouns for connection
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20.16 ā from prīmō first testātōre testator hērēditās inheritance relicta left est is
20.17 ab by arbitrō arbitrator līs dispute composita settled est is
20.18 pecūnia money ā from dēbitōre debtor solūta paid est is
20.19 ab by advocātō advocate causam case dēfēnsam defended esse to be constat it is established
20.20 testament**um will ā by notāriō notary signātum signed est is
20.21 ā from lēge law poenā penalty cōnstitūta established est is
20.22 ab by iūdice judge sententia sentence prōnūntiāta pronounced est is
20.23 bonī goods ā from possessōre possessor trādita handed over sunt are
20.24 ab from initiō beginning contractūs contract validus valid fuit was
20.25 testimōnium testimony ā by teste witness datum given est is
20.26 ā by senātū senate lēx law comprobāta approved est is
20.27 ab from epistulā letter officiālī official respōnsum response exspectāmus we await
20.28 docūmentum document ā by scrībā scribe authenticum authentic dēclārātum declared est is
20.29 ā from clientibus clients mandātum mandate accēpimus we received
20.30 ab by auctōritāte authority pūblicā public dēcrētum decree confirmātum confirmed est is
20.16 Hērēditās ā prīmō testātōre relicta est. The inheritance was left by the first testator.
20.17 Līs ab arbitrō composita est. The dispute was settled by the arbitrator.
20.18 Pecūnia ā dēbitōre solūta est. The money was paid by the debtor.
20.19 Causam ab advocātō dēfēnsam esse constat. It is established that the case was defended by the advocate.
20.20 Testamentum ā notāriō signātum est. The will was signed by the notary.
20.21 Poenā ā lēge cōnstitūta est. The penalty was established by law.
20.22 Sententia ab iūdice prōnūntiāta est. The sentence was pronounced by the judge.
20.23 Bonī ā possessōre trādita sunt. The goods were handed over by the possessor.
20.24 Contractūs ab initiō validus fuit. The contract was valid from the beginning.
20.25 Testimōnium ā teste datum est. The testimony was given by the witness.
20.26 Lēx ā senātū comprobāta est. The law was approved by the senate.
20.27 Ab epistulā officiālī respōnsum exspectāmus. We await a response from the official letter.
20.28 Docūmentum ā scrībā authenticum dēclārātum est. The document was declared authentic by the scribe.
20.29 Mandātum ā clientibus accēpimus. We received the mandate from the clients.
20.30 Dēcrētum ab auctōritāte pūblicā confirmātum est. The decree was confirmed by public authority.
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20.16 Hērēditās ā prīmō testātōre relicta est.
20.17 Līs ab arbitrō composita est.
20.18 Pecūnia ā dēbitōre solūta est.
20.19 Causam ab advocātō dēfēnsam esse constat.
20.20 Testamentum ā notāriō signātum est.
20.21 Poenā ā lēge cōnstitūta est.
20.22 Sententia ab iūdice prōnūntiāta est.
20.23 Bonī ā possessōre trādita sunt.
20.24 Contractūs ab initiō validus fuit.
20.25 Testimōnium ā teste datum est.
20.26 Lēx ā senātū comprobāta est.
20.27 Ab epistulā officiālī respōnsum exspectāmus.
20.28 Docūmentum ā scrībā authenticum dēclārātum est.
20.29 Mandātum ā clientibus accēpimus.
20.30 Dēcrētum ab auctōritāte pūblicā confirmātum est.
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Agency in Legal Documents: -
ā/ab with ablative indicates official authority -
Common in passive constructions showing legal actions -
Examples: -
ā notāriō signātum (signed by the notary) -
ab arbitrō composita (settled by the arbitrator) -
Legal Terminology Patterns: a) Official Actions: -
With perfect passive participles: -
datum est (was given) -
signātum est (was signed) -
With present passive: -
cōnstitūta est (is established) -
comprobāta est (is approved) -
Document Types: -
testamentum (will) -
contractūs (contract) -
docūmentum (document) -
mandātum (mandate) -
dēcrētum (decree) -
Legal Roles: -
notārius (notary) -
testis (witness) -
arbiter (arbitrator) -
iūdex (judge) -
advocātus (advocate) -
Special Legal Phrases: -
ab initiō (from the beginning) -
ā lēge (by law) -
ab auctōritāte (by authority)
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