Than: quam or the ablative

Than: quam or the ablative

Both mean the same. The ablative is shorter and loved by poets; it works when the first thing is nominative or accusative, and quam is never wrong.

• Exegi monumentum aere perennius. - I have built a monument more lasting than bronze. (Horace, Odes 3.30)

The superlative with a genitive picks one out of a group:

• Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae. - Of all these, the bravest are the Belgae. (Caesar, Gallic War 1.1)

Quam with a superlative means as ... as possible:

• quam celerrime - as fast as possible
• quam plurimos milites - as many soldiers as possible

How much more goes in the ablative too, the ablative of degree of difference:

• multo maior - much bigger
• paulo minor - a little smaller

Rather, too and very

A comparative with nothing to compare against does not mean taller. It means rather or too:

• Mons altior est. - The mountain is rather high. (or: too high)
• Verba graviora dixit. - He spoke rather harshly.

A superlative on its own usually means very:

• vir fortissimus - a very brave man

Context decides. Mons altior est means the mountain is higher when another mountain has just been mentioned.

The adverbs

The plain adverb ends in -e (alte, longe) or -iter (fortiter). The comparative adverb is the neuter comparative, in -ius; the superlative adverb ends in -issime:

The Olympic motto is three comparative adverbs:

• Citius, altius, fortius. - Faster, higher, stronger.