Numbers...

Dingbats · Post by **Dingbats** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:46 am

I'm getting so confused about the distributive numbers. I understand all the others, but I can't understand how to use the distributives.
How are they used?

ingrid70 · Post by **ingrid70** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:40 am

You can use them where you would 'each' in English:

Ariovistus et Caesar denos equites adduxerant:
Ariovustus and Caesar each brought 10 horsemen. (that's 20 in total).

And they are used for multiplication:
Bis bina sunt quattuor: 2 * 2 = 4
Ter centena sunt trecenta: 3 * 100 = 300

Hope this helps,
Ingrid

benissimus · Post by **benissimus** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:54 am

The numeric system has quite a few uses that are not very obvious, distributives and numeral adverbs in particular:

bina castra means "two camps" and duo castra means "two forts". terni and trini, both distributives of tres, can be used quite differently as well.

I recommend you study sections 136 and 137 of the almost omniscient Allen & Greenough if you want a really good explanation (perhaps shorter than we would like...):
http://www.textkit.com/files/AG_New_Lat ... df#page=72

Dingbats · Post by **Dingbats** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 5:33 pm

Thanks. I'll have to practice a bit to understand it fully, I guess. But thanks anyway!