“of” in Latin

As a sign of the genitive, or denoting possession, is usually expressed by the genitive case in Latin. ☞ Ab, with an ablative instead of the genitive, is poetical; e.g., dulces a fontibus undae (Verg.).

Denoting origin, beginning, or cause; we sometimes find e or ex; de: but the preposition is used only for the sake of emphasis or perspicuity; for the most part, “of” is expressed by the simple genitive; e.g., rex Macedoniae or Macedonum, King of Macedon. Sometimes “of” is expressed by the use of an adjective; e.g., a citizen of Athens, civig Atheniensis. In the titles of nobility a is better than de; but it is generally best to employ an adjective; e, g: dux Guisius, the Duke of Guise. To die of a disease, perire a morbo (Vid: Bremi, Nep., De Regg., 3, 3): to die of wounds, ex vulneribus perire. When “of” refers to the material of which a thing is made, it is usual not to employ the preposition alone, but to make it dependent on a participle, as factus, expressus, or the like; e.g., poculum ex auro, better poculum ex auro factum; or by the use of an adjective, poculum aureum. ☞ The preposition must not be used when speaking of things as consisting of a certain material: in this case the material must be denoted by an adjective, or by a substantive in the genitive case; e.g., mountains of gold, montes aurei, or montes auri.

Denoting the quality or property of a thing. When a property is considered as manifest or apparent, and so as existing according to the mind or judgement of a spectator, the ablative must be employed; e.g., puella pulchra forma, of a beautiful figure: but when the property is characteristic, and considered as inherent in the subject, then we find the genitive. Hence all descriptions of a thing with reference to its size, weight, age, etc., have the genitive; e.g., pedum quindecim fossa; homo fervidi ingenii; vir magni judicii et summae facultatis.

In denoting the part of a whole, usually ex, more rarely ab; e.g., nonnulli ab novissimis, some of (Caes.).

Concerning, respecting, de. What must be thought of those who...? quid de iis existimandum, qui? etc.

Out of, de; ex; inter (among).

Before the name of a town as the native place of a person, “of” is usually expressed by an adjective, of the name of the place instead of a preposition; e.g., Lycurgus of Sparta, Lycurgus Spartanus; Pericles of Athens, Pericles Atheniensis. The preposition with the place is sometimes, but rarely, used; as Liv., 1, 50, Turnus ab Aricia for Turnus Aricinus. (☞ This mode of writing is almost peculiar to Livy.)

Sometimes “of” is expressed in Latin by the form of construction; e.g., to smell of a thing, sapere rem: of high birth, natus summo loco: of one’s own accord, sponte mea, tua, etc. ☞ The city of Rome, urbs Roma (in apposition, not Romae).

The following instances show how to translate “of” before the participial substantive. (1) By infinitive: let no one repent of having preferred, ne quem poeniteat sequi maluisse, etc.: I don’t despair of there being some one, non despero fore aliquem: (2) quod with subjunctive: I think he should repent of having given up his opinion, ego illi, quod de sua sententia decessisset, poenitendum censeo: they accused Socrates of corrupting, Socratem accusarunt, quod corrumperet. (3) Instead of reading, he does so and so, cum possit or cum debeat legere (according as the thing not done was a possibility or a duty): why do you cry instead of laughing? cur rides ac non potius lacrimaris?

Miscellaneous. To ask or inquire of anybody, quaerere aliquid ex [ab, de] aliquo: to consist of anything, ex aliqua re constare, consistere; also, of numbers, esse with genitive. To be made of anything, ex aliqua re factum, constitutum esse: one of, unus ex, less commonly de.