66                  THE  WRITING  OF  NARRATIVE  LATIN

differ greatly from each other in their knowledge of military
affairs. 14. Caesar surpassed all men in achievement. 15. You
and I differ from each other in looks and size. 16. You raise
horses differently from the Gauls, and yours exceed theirs ^ in
size.

I. * boundaries.' 2. Ace. in -im. 3. Note how different in
meaning from ' at once ' in the sense of immediately: seek the real
meaning and translate accordingly. 4. As ^ theirs ' is not reflexive
and as there is no 3d pers. possessive pronoun, it will be translated by
eorum. But there will then be no direct object of ^exceed': hence
^ horses' must be supplied, or eorum must be omitted and the verb
used absolutely.
 

LESSON  XIV

COMPARISON AND  ITS IDIOMS.   DEGREE OF DIFFER¬
ENCE.   DISTANCE

69.   The comparative and superlative degrees, in addition to
their regular meanings, may express in Latin certain idioms, as
follows:

a.   Rather, somewhat, too, as adverbs, are expressed by the
comparative of the adjective or adverb which they modify.

When too many were present, pluribus praesentibus.

b.   The adverb very is expressed by the superlative degree.
A very deep river, fiumen altissimum.

c.   The greatest possible degree of a quality is expressed by the
superlative strengthened by the adverb quam.

To buy the greatest possible number of carts, carrorum quam maxi¬
mum numerum coemere.

70.   a. Than after a comparative is regularly expressed in
Latin by the comparative conjunction quam.