ex 447 question 3

Are you learning Latin with D'Ooge's Beginners Latin Book? Here's where you can meet other learners using this textbook. Use this board to ask questions and post your work for feedback and comments from others.
Post Reply
potatohog
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:28 pm

ex 447 question 3

Post by potatohog »

3. Eorum amicitiam confirmare voluit quo facilius Romanis bellum inferret.

My translation is:
He wished to strengthen their friendship with which (or so that) he made war with the Romans more easily.

The meaning of the sentence is clear. But I wonder why here quo instead of qua is used. After all, amicitia is feminine.
Ik hou van aardappelen.

timeodanaos
Textkit Fan
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:36 pm
Location: Hafnia, Denmark

Post by timeodanaos »

'quo' might be referring to the sentence, i.e. the statement as a whole, whereby the relative naturally becomes a neuter.

potatohog
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:28 pm

Post by potatohog »

Thanks timeodanaos!

This is also what I suspect. But on the other hand, would it also be correct to use qua?
Ik hou van aardappelen.

Twpsyn
Textkit Member
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:30 am
Location: Head: in the clouds

Post by Twpsyn »

Quo is regularly used to introduce clauses of purpose that contain a comparative (in this case facilius). You can think of it as 'he strengthened the friendship the faster to make war.'

Post Reply