Summary of Prīdiē of Postrīdiē
Origin of The Expressions
prīdiē is a locative form of the fifth declension prīdiēs (viz. prae + diēs) and appears as independent expression of time
Postrīdiē is a locative form of the fifth declension postrīdiē (viz. postrēmus + diēs)
prīdiē should be translated the day before or yesterday
postrīdiē should be translated the day after or tomorrow
Summary of Uses
These expressions may be adverbial or substantive
Where adverbial, each term expresses time relative to spoken sentence itself
Where substantive with a genitive or accusative case, each term expresses time relative to some event, the day before or the day after the genitive counterpart
Finally, as a substantive they may be coupled with quam (prīdiē…quam), where each term expresses time relative to the quam clause
Adverbial Examples
- Clodius arrived yesterday with me: Clōdius mēcum prīdiē venit.
- Tomorrow we will begin the war: bellum postrīdiē incipient.
Accusative and Genitive Examples
- Clodius arrived the day before me: Clōdius meī prīdiē venit.
- She was born the day after this: postrīdiē eius natus erat.
- The jester left the day before the war: balātro prīdiē bellum abiit.
Quam Examples
- Clodius arrived the day before me (i.e. before I arrived): Clōdius prīdie quam mē venit.
- She was born the day after they started the war: natus erat postrīdiē quam bellum incēpiērunt.
The Essential AG: 359b, 432a, 434 (all small sections, I promise)
Famous Phrase : prīdiē caveat ne faciat quod pigeat postrīdiē
[take care today so that you won’t regret what happens tomorrow] (Plautus, Stichus, 1.2.65)
