Compounds of ferō can convey specific forms of physical action. Below are some examples; note the changes in the spelling of the prefix in the principal parts:
ab [away] + ferō > auferō, auferre, abstuli, ablātus: take away; remove
ad [towards] + ferō > afferō (or adferō), afferre, attulī, allātus: bring / carry something to a place
circum [around] + ferō > circumferō, circumferre, circumtulī, circumlātus: bring / carry around
con- [together] (from cum) + ferō > cōnferō, cōnferre, contulī, collātus: bring / collect together; gather
ex [out of] + ferō > efferō, efferre, extulī, ēlātus: bring / carry out
in [into] + ferō > īnferō, īnferre, intulī, illātus: bring / carry in
ob [towards] + ferō > offerō, offerre, obtulī, oblātus: bring before; present
prae [in front] + ferō > praeferō, praeferre, praetulī, praelātus: bring / carry in front
trāns [across] + ferō > trānsferō, trānsferre, trānstulī, trānslātus: bring / carry across
From the authors:
[1]
Et tunicam parvam faciēbat eī māter sua quam adferēbat statūtīs diēbus (Vulgate) │ And his would make him a little robe which she used to bring to him every year [i.e. on the appointed days]
multa palam domum suam auferēbat (Cicero) │ he carried many things openly off to his own house.
noctū ligna contulērunt circā casam eam (Nepos) │ at night they gathered logs together around his house
dextrā laevāque ad circumstantia agmina oculōs manūsque circumferēns (Quintus Curtius) │ and turning his eyes [i.e. he is “carrying” his eyes around] and stretching out his hands right and left to the troops who stood about him
satiātīs vīnō cibōque pōculum idem quod mihi datum fuerit circumferētur (Livy) │ When you have taken your fill of food and wine, the same goblet that is handed to me will be passed round to you.
ibi iterum Scīpiō lectīculā in aciem illātus cōnflīxit (Caesar) │ There Scipio again engaged (in combat), (having been) carried into the battle-line in a litter
Cum mihi sē … obtulit (Virgil) │ When she presented herself to me …
incitātō equō sē hostibus obtulit atque interfectus est (Caesar) │ after he had spurred on his horse, he threw himself upon the enemy, and was killed
sinistrā manū retinēbat arcum, dextrā ārdentem facem praeferēbat (Cicero) │ in her left hand she carried her bow, her right hand held a burning torch; the verb conveys the idea of holding the torch out in front of the body
relictō praetōre signa ad Curium trānsferunt atque ad eum trānseunt (Caesar) │ the praetor having been deserted, they carry (carried) their colours (across) to Curius and go over (went over) to him
[2] Examples with the passive infinitive ferrī:
impedīmenta sarcināsque in ūnum locum cōnferrī … iussit (Caesar) │ he ordered that the baggage should be brought together [ = the baggage to be brought together; passive infintive] into one place
Clāvem mī harunc aedium Lacōnicam iam iubē efferrī intus (Plautus) │ Order the master-key of the house to be brought me at once from within
[3] This example from Virgil shows that compounds of ferō do not necessarily convey something physical, but figurative:
“Ille meōs, prīmus quī mē sibi iūnxit, amōrēs abstulit │ “That man, who first joined himself to me, he has taken away all my love
Compare:
Abī atque obsōnium adfer (Plautus) │ Go and bring some provisions (here).
Thespriō, exī istāc per hortum, adfer domum auxilium mihi (Plautus) │ Thesprio, come this way through the garden. Come to my rescue at home! [literally: bring help home to me]
The next posts will look at the figurative uses of these, and other compounds of ferō.
