Final answer:
An ablative absolute is a construction in Latin where a noun or pronoun in the ablative case is paired with a participle. It provides additional information about the main action of the sentence.
Step-by-step explanation:
An ablative absolute is a grammatical construction in Latin where a noun or pronoun in the ablative case is paired with a participle. These two parts of speech work together to form a separate phrase that functions independently from the rest of the sentence. The ablative absolute provides additional information about the main action of the sentence.
For example, in the sentence 'Caesar, rege occiso, ad urbem redit,' the ablative absolute 'rege occiso' consists of the noun 'rege' (king) in the ablative case and the participle 'occiso' (having been killed). This construction adds the information that the king had been killed, and it functions independently of the main action of Caesar returning to the city.