ANN VIII M II...

puer brasilianus

Civis

  • Civis

Location:
Alicubi ex America
D. M.
C. Porcio Dionysio
Vixit Annis VIII Mensibus II Diebus XII..

My question is: are the numbers declined? If so, are they Cardinal or Ordinal ones?

Annis Octo, Mensibus Duo, Diebus Duodecimus?
Annis Octavo? Mensibus Duobus? Diebus Duodecimo?
Annis Octavis? Mensibus Duobus? Diebus Duodecimis?
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
The numbers here are cardinal ones. We're saying that he lived eight years, two months, and twelve days. The numbers would be ordinal if we were saying that he had lived on the eighth year, second month and twelfth day. In that case you would also have anno, mense and die in the singular.

The cardinal numbers octo (eight) and duodecim (twelve) are indeclinable. Duo does decline, and duobus is the correct form to agree with mensibus.
 

puer brasilianus

Civis

  • Civis

Location:
Alicubi ex America
Could one use the accusative? Annos octo?

Bye the way, it'd be.. Annis octo, Mensibus Duobus, Diebus Duodecim..?
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Could one use the accusative? Annos octo?
Yes. Annos octo, menses duo(s), dies duodecim would actually be better classical Latin. Most classically, the accusative is used to convey how long something lasted (it's called the accusative of duration or extent of time), whereas the ablative denotes the time at which something happened (ablative of time at which) or how much time it took to be completed (ablative of time within which).

But it isn't uncommon to find the ablative instead of the accusative of duration in inscriptions, later Latin, and even occasionally some classical-ish authors (I've seen it in Pliny the Younger, for instance, and probably others).
Bye the way, it'd be.. Annis octo, Mensibus Duobus, Diebus Duodecim..?
Yes.
 
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