An analysis of the use of participles in Bellum Gallicum I

Abstract

Participles are one of the Latin nominal forms with most syntactic uses. However, although in the grammars and syntaxes they are mentioned (for example, Kühner-Stegmann 1912, Bassols de Climent 1992, Baños Baños 2009 y Pinkster 2015), the criteria to distinguish them are usually dissimilar. In the present work we set out to examine the participles in the first book of the Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar. Our first aim is to reach useful generalizations that allow us to discern each one of the uses and observe the importance of each one in informative terms. The second objective is to provide Latin students with practical and as precise criteria as possible to understand the uses of the participles.