Town Names

[Pelayo]

In LLPSI’s companion, Colloquia Personarum, the fifth story uses a construct I don’t understand.

In oppido Tusculo magnum forum est.

Which seems clear as "In the town of Tusculum is a large forum."

But later, the adjective Tusculanus, -a, -um is introduced.

So, in the former, why is Tusculum in the ablative here? My understanding of the locative is weak, but it seems this would be a situation where it would be used, so ought to be In oppido Tusculi .... Or instead use the adjective, such as In oppido Tusculano ....

 

[Clemens]

It is puzzling because there are other examples where a locative is in apposition to an ablative, just as you propose. Let's hear from wiser heads than mine.

 

[Pacifica]

If the name of the town were alone, the locative would usually be used rather than in + ablative.

But if you have in oppido first (or in urbe), it's perfectly standard for the name of the town (or city) to come in the ablative as an apposition to the ablative noun.

there are other examples where a locative is in apposition to an ablative

Where?

I think that would mostly happen in phrases that involve an adjective, like Romae in urbe pulchra... though even that isn't very common.

 

[Pacifica]

I'm not sure a locative can possibly come after the prepositional phrase (though you can find the genitive there in late Latin and occasionally earlier, and the genitive often looks the same as the locative).

 

[Clemens]

Where?

I think that would mostly happen in phrases that involve an adjective, like Romae in urbe pulchra... though even that isn't very common.

That is exactly the sort of example I was thinking of:

Albae cōnstitērunt in urbe opportūnā

Antiochīae, celebrī quondam urbe

All the examples I see of this have the noun in the locative first, so that maybe doesn't apply here, given what you say about the prepositional phrase. This doesn't also match my wording, because here it's the ablative nouns that are in apposition, not the locative noun, which is the head.

 

[Pelayo]

Ah! Apposition. Thank you. That makes much more sense. Perhaps a more literal translation:

"In the town, Tusculum, is a large forum."