INDIRECT QUESTIONS.

118. Quis Clodium interfecit? Who slew Clodius? is a direct question.

Rogo quis Clodium interfecerit, I ask who slew Clodius, is an indirect question.

The verb in the Subordinate clause is always in the Subjunctive, and the law of sequence of tenses is observed; thusQuaero quid agas, I ask what you are doing.

Quaeram quid egeris, I shall ask what you have done.
But-

Quaerebam quid ageres, I was asking what you were doing.
Quaesivi quid egisses, I asked what you had done.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

119. Most adjectives are capable of two degrees of comparison, the Comparative and the Superlative. They are formed from the Positive in most cases by the following rules :—

I. In many adjectives

the Comparative is formed by adding -or,

the Superlative is formed by adding -ssimus,

to the first case of the positive ending in -i: thus

II. Adjectives ending in -er usually form the Superlative by adding -rimus to the positive; as

těner, tender.

pulcher, fair.

tenĕrior.

pulchrior.

tenerrimus.
pulcherrimus.

III. Făcilis, easy, makes facilior, facillimus; and similarly are compared difficilis, difficult, similis, like, dissimilis, unlike, gracilis, slender, and humilis, lowly.

IV. Participles, Present and Past, admit of comparison: thus

POSITIVE.

indulgens, humouring.

părătus, prepared.

COMPARATIVE.

indulgentior.
paratior.

SUPERLATIVE.

indulgentissimus. paratissimus.

NOTE 1.-The Comparative often expresses too high a degree of a quality, as tristior, too sad, unusually sad.

NOTE 2.-The Superlative often expresses a very high degree of a quality, as doctissimus, extremely learned.

NOTE 3.-A Comparative, like Durior, is declined thus:

IRREGULAR FORMS OF COMPARISON.

120. 1. Adjectives derived from the verbs dico, I say, facio, I make, volo, I wish, ending in -dicus, -ficus, -võlus, have Comparatives and Superlatives formed from the participles of the verbs; thus

NOTE.-Plus in the Sing. has only Nom., Gen., and Acc. Neuter, plus, plūris, plus; in the plur. we find Plūres, plura, plurium, pluribus.

Nequam, frugi, and potis (neut. potě) are indeclinable.

3. Other instances of irregular Comparison are---

NOTE.-The Superlative is often written -umus instead of

-imus, as optimus.

121. Many adjectives have no degrees of comparison; as1. Those denoting a material, as aureus, ferreus; those

denoting nationality, as Graecus, Romanus; and
those which, from their meaning, do not admit of
comparison, as vivus, living, pedester, on foot.

2. Some denoting colour, as albus, white, flavus, yellow.
3. Some denoting time, as aeternus, everlasting, diurnus,
daily, nocturnus, nightly.

4. Many ending in -us preceded by e, i, or u, as idōneus,
fit, dubius, doubtful, arduus, lofty. But some ending
in uus have a superlative, as strenuissimus, most
energetic, assiduissimus, most persevering; rarely a
comparative also, as antiquior, more ancient, antiquis-
simus; aequior, more just, aequissimus; iniquior, more
unjust, iniquissimus.

5. Compounds of the verbs fero, I bear, and gero, I carry; as ignifer, fire-bearing; armiger, carrying arms.

6. Compounds in which the last part is a noun, as inops,

helpless, magnanimus, high-spirited. But compounds of ars, mens, and cor are often compared, as iners, inactive, sollers, skilful, demens, distracted, concors, harmonious, discors, discordant.

7. Many which cannot be referred to any general rule; as— fĕrus, wild, mirus, amazing, rudis, uncultivated, trux, savage, měmor, mindful, hostilis, hostile, naturālis, natural, and finitimus, neighbouring.

NOTE. The adverbs magis, more, and maxime, most, are used to express comparison, as magis arduus, maxime idoneus.

F

COMPARISON OF ADVERBS.

122. Adverbs derived from adjectives or participles admit of comparison; the general rule being that or of the comparative of the adjective is changed into us, and us of the superlative of the adjective is changed into è: thus

123. When the Comparison of Adjectives is irregular or incomplete, so also is that of the adverbs derived from them.