1.  Fossa duodecim pedum, a ditch of twelve feet.

  2.  Homo magnis pedibus et parvo capite,
     a man with big feet and a small head.

  3. Rex erat vir summa audacia\ or rex erat vir summae audaciae\,
    the king was a man of the greatest boldness.

443. RULE.  Genitive of Description. Numerical descriptions of measure are expressed by the genitive with a modifying adjective.

444. RULE.  Ablative of Description. Descriptions of physical characteristics are expressed by the ablative with a modifying adjective.

445. RULE.  Genitive or Ablative of Description. Descriptions involving neither numerical statements nor physical characteristics may be expressed by either the genitive or the ablative with a modifying adjective.

446. IDIOMS

  Helvetiis in animo est, the Helvetii intend,
    (lit. it is in mind to the Helvetians)
  in matrimonium dare, to give in marriage
  nihil posse, to have no power
  fossam perducere, to construct a ditch
    (lit. to lead a ditch through)

447. EXERCISES

I. 1.  Milites fossam decem pedum per eorum finis perduxerunt. 2.  Princeps Helvetiorum, vir summae audaciae, principibus gentium finitimarum sorores in matrimonium dedit. 3.  Eorum amicitiam confirmare voluit quo facilius Romanis bellum inferret. 4.  Germani et Galli non erant eiusdem gentis. 5.  Omnes fere Germani erant magnis corporum viribus.[1] 6.  Galli qui oppidum fortiter defendebant saxa ingentis magnitudinis de muro iaciebant. 7.  Cum Caesar ab exploratoribus quaereret qui illud oppidum incolerent, exploratores responderunt eos esse homines summa virtute et magno consilio. 8.  Moenia viginti pedum a sinistra parte, et a dextra parte flumen magnae altitudinis oppidum defendebant. 9.  Cum Caesar in Galliam pervenisset, erat rumor Helvetiis in animo esse iter per provinciam Romanam facere. 10.  Caesar, ut eos ab finibus Romanis prohiberet, munitionem [2]multa milia passuum longam fecit.

II. 1.  Caesar was a general of much wisdom and great boldness, and very skillful in the art of war. 2.  The Germans were of great size, and thought that the Romans had no power. 3.  Men of the highest courage were left in the camp as (for) a guard to the baggage. 4.  The king’s daughter, who was given in marriage to the chief of a neighboring state, was a woman of very beautiful appearance. 5.  The soldiers will construct a ditch of nine feet around the camp. 6.  A river of great width was between us and the enemy.

    [Footnote 1:  From vis\. (Cf.  Sec. 468.)]