The Ablative Absolute

Some complements in the ablative can be translated by a full clause. Here are some examples:

me puero (“me child”, meaning when I was a child)

te auctore (“thee instigator”, at your instigation)

These complements are termed ablative absolutes. Such constructions can express time when, cause, manner, concession and condition. Their construction can be two juxtaposed nouns or a nound and a pronoun, or a noun or pronoun plus an adjective (all agreeing in the ablative).

Cicerone consule (in the time of Cicero’s consulate—time when)

natura duce (according to nature—manner)

uiuo Augusto (in the time of Augustus—time when)

incolumi ciuitate (because the city has been saved—cause)

Cicerone inuito (against Cicero’s wishes—manner)

This construction really takes off when a participle is involved in which case it consists of a noun or prounoun (in the ablative case) and a present or perfect participle agreeing with the first component. Sometimes this participle, as a verb, comes with its own host of complements.

Cenante eo, bos irrupit. (While he was dining, a bull crashed in.)

Fugatis ministris, bos procidit. (Once the servants had been frightened away, the bull slipped.)

Decusso iugo (Having shaken off his yoke...)

Vita non iucunda est, sablata amicitia. (Life is no longer pleasant once friendship has been taken away.)

Partibus factis, uerba fecit leo. (Once things he finished meting out pieces, the lion spoke.)

Note that in the present, the particple denotes simultaneity, but a perfect particle expresses an act completed in the past.

This sort of construction in Latin is extremely common.