Level 3: indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [8]; practice [i]

Complete the Latin sentences with the words listed below. For each sentence there are three parts shown in sentence [1] below as an example: [i] the verb which introduced the indirect statement, [ii] the subject of the indirect statement which is in the accusative case, and [iii] the verb of the indirect statement which is either a present active or present passive infinitive.

[A]

[1] [i] I rejoice ¦ that [ii] you [iii] arrive safely │[i] _____ [ii] _____ salvum [iii] _____

[2] I wonder that you write me nothing │ _____ _____ ad mē nihil _____

[3] Thales said that water was the first principle of the universe│ Thalēs _____ _____ _____ initium rērum

[4] He told me you were in Italy and he was sending some men to you │ _____ enim mihi _____ _____ in Ītaliā _____que ad tē puerōs _____

[5] This slave says that his master is being handed over to the soldiers │ Hic  servus  _____  _____  suum mīlitibus  _____

[6] The Gauls saw that Caesar was approaching with a big army │ Gallī  _____  _____  cum  exercitū  magnō  _____

[7] The boys were shouting that a huge dog was entering the garden. │ Puerī  _____  _____ ingentem  in  hortum _____

[8] The general hopes that the army is fighting well │ Dux  _____ _____  bene  _____

[9] Cicero felt that the republic was being destroyed │ Cicerō _____ _____ _____.

[10] He says that the mountain is (being) held by the enemy │ _____ _____ ab hostibus _____.

[i] clāmābant; dīcit; dīcit; dīxit; dīxit; gaudeō; mīror; sensit; spērat; vīdērunt

[ii] aquam; Caesarem; canem; dominum; exercitum; montem; rem publicam; sēsē; tē; tē; tē

[iii] advenīre; appropinquāre; dēlēri; esse; esse; intrāre; mittere; pugnāre; scrībere; tenērī; trādī

[A]

[1] Gaudeō tē salvum advenīre

[2] Mīror tē ad mē nihil scrībere

[3] Thalēs dīxit aquam esse initium rērum 

[4] Dīxit enim mihi tē esse in Ītaliā sēsēque ad tē puerōs mittere

[5] Hic  servus  dīcit  dominum  suum  mīlitibus  trādī.

[6] Gallī  vīdērunt  Caesarem  cum  exercitū  magnō  appropinquāre.

[7] Puerī  clāmābant  canem  ingentem  in  hortum  intrāre.

[8] Dux  spērat  exercitum  bene  pugnāre.

[9] Cicerō sensit rem publicam dēlēri.

[10] Dīcit montem ab hostibus tenerī.

[B]

[1] We read the we live on the Earth │ _____ _____ in tellūre _____

[2] I have read …│_____ …

[a] … that the sun does not seem flat │… _____ nōn plānum _____

[b] … that it seems spherical │ … _____ _____ _____

[c] … that it is also called a sphere │… _____ quoque globum _____

He has read … │ _____ …

[a] … that the Earth and the moon are large │ … terram et lūnam _____ _____

[b] … that they are large spheres │ … _____ globōs _____ _____

[c] … that that light is called the Moon │ … id lūmen lūnam _____

[d] … that it seems spherical │ … _____ _____ _____

dīcī; eam; eās; esse; esse; eum; eum; globōsam; globōsum; habitāre; lēgī; legimus; lēgit; magnās; magnōs; nōs; sōlem; vidērī; vidērī; vidērī; vocārī

[B]

[1] Legimus nōs in tellūre habitāre

[2] Lēgī …

[a] … sōlem nōn plānum vidērī

[b] … eum globōsum vidērī 

[c] … eum quoque globum vocārī

[3] Lēgit …

[a] … terram et lūnam magnās esse

[b] … eās globōs esse magnōs

[c] … id lūmen lūnam dīcī

[d] … eam globōsam vidērī

Level 3: language review; Labours of Hercules [6] The Stymphalian birds; [7] The Cretan Bull

 [6] The Stymphalian Birds

Vīvēbant ōlim in lacū ad Stymphālum in Arcadiā avēs pedibus et rōstrīs et pennīs aēneīs: ūtēbantur autem pennīs suīs prō sagittīs, et carne hominum vescēbantur. Avēs adortus Herculēs, sīstrō aēneō exterruit, tum fūgēre cōnantēs sagittīs interfēcit.

sīstrum, -ī [2/n]: sistrum; a kind of rattle used by the ancient Egyptians in the mystical worship of Isis (see image)

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:entry=sistrum-harpers

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=sistrum-cn

[7] The Cretan bull

Bovem mīrae magnitūdinis et eximiae fōrmae ē marī ēmīsit Poseidōn. Hunc sacrificāre Mīnōs, Crētae rēx, iussus erat; captus autem bovis speciē, alium eius vice sacrificāvit. Poseidōn vērō īrātus, bovem in furōrem ēgit. Tum bōs per tōtam īnsulam magnam hominum strāgem ēdēbat, et opera agrestia corrumpēbat. Hunc tandem captum Herculēs ad Eurysthēum portāvit.

strāgēs, -is [3/f]: overthrow; confusion; slaughter

vice [+ genitive]: in place (of); alium eius vice sacrificāvit │ he sacrificed another in its place │ in place of it; Engl. deriv. Vice President

Notes

[i] ēdēbat [with long /ē/] < ēdō, -ere, ēdidī, ēditus [3]: produce, cause, inflict i.e. not edō, -ere, ēdī, ēsus [3]: eat

[ii] Bovem mīrae magnitūdinis et eximiae fōrmae ē marī ēmīsit Poseidōn │ Poseidon sent out from the sea a bull of wonderful size and (0f) remarkable beauty; genitive of description

17.11.25: Level 3; [i] Anaxagoras [ii] Lysander at Sardis; ablative of respect / specification; genitive / ablative of description

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/08/171125-level-3-i-anaxagoras-ii-lysander.html

The genitive and ablative of description can be interchangeable although, as a rule of thumb, the ablative tends to be used more with specific physical descriptions e.g. from Plautus:

Quā faciē voster Saurea est? │ What does your Saurea look like? [ = of what appearance …]

Macilentīs malīs, rūfulus aliquantum, ventriōsus, truculentīs oculīs, commodā statūrā, trīstī fronte.

Thin jaws — reddish hair — pot-bellied— savage eyes — average height — and a scowl (sad countenance).

[1] From text [6]:

Explain briefly why the ablative is being used in the following phrases; give translations to illustrate your answer

[i]  avēs pedibus et rōstrīs et pennīs aēneīs

[ii]

[a] carne hominum vēscēbantur 

[b]  ūtēbantur autem pennīs suīs …

[iii]  … prō sagittīs

[iv] sīstrō aēneō exterruit, tum fūgēre cōnantēs sagittīs interfēcit 

[2] From either text: find an example of

[i] Present active participle

[ii] Perfect passive participle

[iii] Perfect active participle of a deponent verb

[iv] Pluperfect passive

____________________

[1]

[i]  avēs pedibus et rōstrīs et pennīs aēneīs │ birds with bronze feet, beaks, and feathers; ablative of description

[ii]

[a] carne hominum vēscēbantur  │ they fed on the flesh of humans

[b]  ūtēbantur autem pennīs suīs … │ moreover, they used (made use of) their feathers ...

Certain deponent verbs are regularly followed by the ablative case:

vescor, -ī [3/dep]: to feed (upon)

ūtor, -ī [3/dep]: use (make use of)

17.06.25: Level 3; summary of of the uses of the ablative case [17]: the ablative as object of deponent verbs

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/170625-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of_30.html

[iii]  … prō sagittīs │… as arrows; preposition prō (as; for) + the ablative case

[iv] sīstrō aēneō exterruit, tum fūgēre cōnantēs sagittīs interfēcit  │ He frightened them with (by means of)  a bronze rattle, then killed those trying to flee with arrows; ablative of means / instrument

[2]

[i] Present active participle │ cōnantēs

[ii] Perfect passive participle │ captus; captum

[iii] Perfect active participle of a deponent verb

avēs adortus Herculēs │ Hercules, having attacked the birds; adorior, -īrī, adortus sum [4/dep]: attack

Poseidōn … īrātus │ Poseidon, having grown angry; īrāscor, -ī, īrātus sum [3/dep]: get angry

[iv] Pluperfect passive │ iussus erat

[6] Formerly there lived in a lake near Stymphalus, in Arcadia, birds with feet, beak, and feathers of brass: now, they used their feathers for arrows, and lived on the flesh of human beings. Hercules, having attacked the birds, frightened them thoroughly with a brazen rattle, (and) then slew them with arrows (while) trying to escape.

[7] Poseidon sent out from the sea a bull of wonderful size and remarkable beauty. Minos, king of Crete, had been ordered to sacrifice it; but, being charmed by the beauty of the bull, he sacrificed another in its place. But Poseidon, being angry / having grown angry, drove the bull to madness. Then the bull began to cause  a great slaughter / massacre of men throughout the whole island, and to destroy agricultural works. Hercules at length caught (it and) brought it to Eurystheus.

Flemish tapestry; from the Series The Labours of Hercules; Hercules and the Stymphalian birds; Willem Dermoyen, Brussels; ca 1528

detail of the Mosaic with the Labors of Hercules (Seventh Labour: Cretan Bull), 3rd century AD, found in Llíria (Valencia), National Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid

Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [7]; the present passive infinitive

Apart from the present active infinitive shown in the previous posts, other infinitives come into play when using this construction.

The present passive infinitive was discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/10/110125-level-2-passive-voice-19-present.html

1^st conjugation: laudāre │to praise > laudārī │ to be praised

2nd conjugation: monēre │ to warn > monērī │ to be warned

3rd and 3rd-iō conjugation verbs add -ī directly to the stem of the verb:

dūc¦ere │ to lead > dūc¦ī │ to be led

cap¦ere │ to capture > cap¦ī │ to be captured

4th conjugation: audīre │ to hear > audīrī │ to be heard

Examples:

[i] Again, note that, while English shifts the tense, Latin uses the present passive infinitive for both:

Fīliae ā patre amantur. │ The daughters are loved by the father.

[a] > Crēdit ¦ [1] fīliās [2] amārī ā patre.

[literally: He believes [1] the daughters [2] to be loved by the father.]

> He believes ¦ that [1] the daughters [2] are loved by the father.

[b] > Crēdidit ¦ filiās amāri ā patre. 

> He believed ¦ that the daughters were loved by the father.

[ii] Obscūritās nox appellātur. │ The darkness is called the night.

> Intellegimus ¦ [1] obscūritātem noctem [2] appellārī.

[literally: We understand ¦ [1] the darkness [2] to be called the night.]

> We understand ¦ that [1] the darkness [2] is called the night.

[iii] Id lūmen candidum lūna vocātur. │ That shining white light is called the moon.

> Magister dīcit ¦ id lūmen candidum lūnam vocārī. │ The teacher says ¦ that that shining white light is called the moon.

[iv] Terra lūnaque lūmine aliēnō illūminantur. │ The Earth and the moon are illuminated by another light.

> Legimus ¦ terram lūnamque lūmine aliēnō illūminārī. │ We read ¦ that the Earth and the moon are lit by another light.

[v] Sōl parvus vidētur. │ The sun seems (literally: is seen) small.

> Magister dīcit ¦ sōlem parvum vidērī. │ The teacher says ¦ that the sun seems small.

[vi] Lūx diēs dīcitur. │ The light is called the day.

> Legō ¦ lūcem diem dīcī. │ I read ¦ that the light is called the day.

[vii] and [viii] below well illustrate a point made earlier that translation may convey the ideas in different ways, but you need to put aside that influence:

[vii] celāre [1]: to conceal > celārī: to be concealed; note how English could translate the following indirect statement in two ways using different tenses whereas Latin uses the present passive infinitive since the original statement refers to a situation happening at that time.

Gallī negāvērunt ¦ Druidēs cēlārī. │ [1] The Gauls denied ¦ that the Druids were being concealed; [2] The Gauls have denied ¦ that the Druids are being concealed.

What the Gauls said at the time was: “The Druids are not being concealed.”

[viii] vestīre [4]: to dress > vestīrī: to get dressed

Dīcam ¦ tē vestīrī. │ I shall say ¦ that you are getting dressed.

English could equally express this as “I shall say (if I’m asked later) that you were getting dressed.”

Infinitives of deponent verbs, the forms of which are the same as passive verbs, will also be used in indirect statements although, as explained in previous posts, have an active rather than passive meaning:

Putō  ¦ hunc  senem  mē  sequī. │ I think ¦ that this old man is following me.

Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [4] The Arcadian stag; [5] The stables of Augeas

[4] The Arcadian Stag

In Arcadiā cervus erat aureīs cornibus, pedibus vērō aēneīs. Hunc sequī Herculēs ab Eurystheō iussus erat. Frūstrā per tōtum annum cervum īnsecūtus est; tandem sagittā vulnerātum cēpit.

[5] The stables of Augeas

Augeās, rēx Ēlidis, tria mīllia boum habēbat. Hōrum stabula per trīgintā annōs nōn erant lōta. Herculēs Augeān adiit, eīque dīxit: "Ūnō diē haec stabula lavābō. Vīsne mihi, hōc factō, decimam boum partem dare?" Respondit Augeās: "Dabō lubenter." Tum Herculēs, conversō per stabula amne, opus facillimē intrā ūnum diem perēgit.

amnis, -is [3/m]: (deep flowing / rapid) water; river; torrent

… ruunt dē montibus amnēs (Vergil) │ Torrents rush down the mountains

convertō, -ere, convertī, conversus [3]: (here) divert

[i] Give the nominative and genitive singular, gender and declension of the following nouns from the text:

boum

cornibus

partem

pedibus

[ii] Parse the following verbs from the text (person, number, tense, active / passive / deponent and infinitive / principal parts / conjugation)

adiit

dabō

erant lōta

īnsecūtus est

iussus erat

perēgit

vīs

[iii] Find from either text an example of:

ablative absolute

ablative of agent 

ablative of means / instrument

ablative of time within which

infinitive of a deponent verb

ordinal number

superlative adverb

____________________

[i]

boum < bōs, bovis [3 m/f]

cornibus < cornus, -ūs [4/n]

partem < pars, partis [3/f]

pedibus < pēs, pedis [3/m]

[ii]

adiit: 3^rd singular, perfect tense, active < adeō, adīre, adiī / adīvī; aditus [irregular]

dabō: 1st singular, future tense, active < dō, dare, dedī, datus [1]

erant lōta: 3^rd plural, pluperfect tense, passive < lavō, -āre, lāvī, lōtus (or lāvātus / lautus) [1]

īnsecūtus est: 3^rd singular, perfect tense, active < īnsequor, īnsequī, īnsecūtus sum [3/deponent]

iussus erat: 3^rd singular, pluperfect tense, passive < iubeō, -ēre, iussī, iussus [2]

perēgit: 3^rd singular, perfect tense, active < peragō, -ere, perēgī, perāctus [3]

vīs: 2^nd singular, present tense, active < volō, velle, voluī (no passive participle; fut.act. participle: volitūrus) [irregular]

[iii]

ablative absolute │ conversō (per stabula) amne; hōc factō

ablative of agent  │ ab Eurystheō

ablative of means / instrument │ sagittā

ablative of time within which │ ūnō diē

infinitive of a deponent verb │ sequī

ordinal number │ decimam

superlative adverb │ facillimē

[4] There was in Arcadia a stag with golden antlers, but with feet made of brass. Hercules had been ordered by Eurystheus to follow it. He followed the stag in vain throughout a whole year; at length he wounded (it) with an arrow (and) took it.

[5] Augeas, king of Elis, had three thousand oxen. Their stalls had not been washed for thirty years. Hercules approached Augeas and said to him: ‘Within one day I will wash these stalls. Are you willing to give me the tenth part of the oxen when this is done?’ Augeas replied, ‘I will give them willingly.’ Then Hercules, having diverted the river through the stables, accomplished the work very easily in one day.

Aeripedis quarto tulit aurea cornua cervi; Gerard van der Gucht; 1725-1732 (c.); © The Trustees of the British Museum. Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.

Hercules cleaning the Augean stables. Illustration from "The Twelve Labours of Hercules, Son of Jupiter & Alcmena", 1808

Level 3: indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [6]; practice

[1] Read this simple text and note the use of the accusative-infinitive in indirect statements.

Dīcō ¦ ducem nostrum fidēlem esse. Quod cibum nōn habēmus, in silvam iit, ubi crēdō ¦ eum cibum petere. Ferīs interfectīs carnem nōbīs dabit. Putō ¦ vōs ignāvōs esse et nihil scīre. Mare timētis et omnia timētis. Quod ēsurītis, ducem bonum nostrum culpātis et dīcitis ¦ eum vōs fallere.

I say ¦ that our leader is faithful. Because we do not have food, he has gone into the forest, where I believe ¦ that he is looking for food. Once the wild beasts have been killed, he will give the meat to us. I think ¦ that you are lazy and know nothing. You fear the sea, and you fear everything. Because you are hungry you blame our good leader and you say ¦ that he is deceiving you.

Etiam nunc aliquem videō ¦ [i] quem ¦ [iii] esse ducem nostrum [ii] crēdō. Rēctā ad nōs venit, et aliquid grave umerīs portat. Habitus eius ostendit ¦ eum esse ducem nostrum. Cervum portat, quem in silvā interfēcit. Mox cervus in igne pōnētur, et vōs cibum habēbitis.

Even now I see somebody [i] whom [ii] I believe ¦ [iii] is our leader. He is coming directly to us, and is carrying something heavy on his shoulders. His clothes show ¦ that he is our leader. He is carrying a stag which he has killed in the forest. Soon the stag will be placed in the fire, and you will have food.

[2] Match the Latin sentences with the correct translation listed below. The sentences are deliberately similar to one another to practise precise reading.

In English, the general rule is as follows:

He says ¦ that he is brave.

He said ¦ that he was brave.

i.e. the tense of the verb which introduces the indirect statement (says / said) usually determines the tense of the verb in the indirect statement. In Latin, however, the present active infinitive is used regardless of the tense which introduces the statement because it refers to what he is saying / said at the time, and what he is saying or said is / was “I am brave”, referring to a present / ongoing situation.

Dīcit ¦ sē fortem esse. │ He says that he is brave.

Dīxit ¦ sē fortem esse. │ He said that he was brave.

The indirect statement in Latin is the same for both, even though English differentiates them.

[a]

[i] Dīcunt eum errāre.

[ii] Dīcit eōs errāre.

[iii] Dīcebat eam errāre.

[iv] Dīcēbant eum errāre.

[v] Dīcis mē errāre.

[vi] Dīcēbat tē errāre.

He said that she was wrong.

He said that you were wrong.

He says that they are wrong.

They said that he was wrong.

They say that he is wrong.

You say that I am wrong.

[a]

[i] Dīcunt eum errāre. │ They say that he is wrong.

[ii] Dīcit eōs errāre. │ He says that they are wrong.

[iii] Dīcebat eam errāre. │ He said that she was wrong.

[iv] Dīcēbant eum errāre. │ They said that he was wrong.

[v] Dīcis mē errāre. │ You say that I am wrong.

[vi] Dīcēbat tē errāre. │ He said that you were wrong.

[b] In this exercise, carefully distinguish not only translation of tenses but the use of sē (referring to himself etc. themselves etc.) as opposed to eum, eam etc. (referring to somebody else)

[i] Crēdit sē fortem esse.

[ii] Crēdit eum fortem esse.

[iii] Crēdunt sē fortēs esse.

[iv] Crēdunt eōs fortēs esse.

[v] Crēdebat sē fortem esse.

[vi] Crēdebat eam fortem esse.

[vii] Crēdēbant eās fortēs esse.

[viii] Crēdō tē fortem esse.

[ix] Crēdo vōs fortēs esse.

[x] Crēdēbant nōs fortēs esse.

He believed that he (himself) was brave.

He believed that she was brave.

He believes that he (himself) is brave.

He believes that he (somebody else) is brave.

I believe that you (pl.) are brave.

I believe that you (sg.) are brave.

They believe that they (other people) are brave.

They believe that they (themselves) are brave.

They believed that they (other people) were brave.

They believed that we were brave.

[b]

[i] Crēdit sē fortem esse. │ He believes that he (himself) is brave.

[ii] Crēdit eum fortem esse. │ He believes that he (somebody else) is brave.

[iii] Crēdunt sē fortēs esse. │ They believe that they (themselves) are brave.

[iv] Crēdunt eōs fortēs esse. │ They believe that they (other people) are brave.

[v] Crēdebat sē fortem esse. │ He believed that he (himself) was brave.

[vi] Crēdebat eam fortem esse. │ He believed that she was brave.

[vii] Crēdēbant eās fortēs esse. │ They believed that they (other people) were brave.

[viii] Crēdō tē fortem esse. │ I believe that you (sg.) are brave.

[ix] Crēdo vōs fortēs esse. │ I believe that you (pl.) are brave.

[x] Crēdēbant nōs fortēs esse. │ They believed that we were brave.

Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [3] The Erymanthian boar

 Exstitit in monte Erymanthō aper mīrā magnitūdine. Hunc capere iussus Herculēs statim profectus est. Per nivēs diū īnsecūtus aprum, tandem laqueīs implicātum capere potuit, et ad Eurysthēum rettulit.

laqueus, -ī [2/m]: snare; trap

(1) Translate the phrases from the text, and (2) briefly explain the grammatical constructions being used:

[i] aper mīrā magnitūdine

[ii] Hunc capere iussus Herculēs

[iii] diū īnsecūtus aprum

[iv] … (aprum), tandem laqueīs implicātum capere potuit

[v] ad Eurysthēum rettulit

____________________

[i] aper mīrā magnitūdine │ a boar of wondrous size; ablative of description

17.11.25: Level 3; [i] Anaxagoras [ii] Lysander at Sardis; ablative of respect / specification; genitive / ablative of description

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/08/171125-level-3-i-anaxagoras-ii-lysander.html

11.06.25: Level 3; summary of of the uses of the ablative case [13]: the ablative of description / quality

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/110625-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of.html

[ii] Hunc capere iussus Herculēs │ Hercules, having been ordered to capture it …; iussus, -a, -um: perfect passive participle < iubeō, -ēre [2]: order; command

[iii] diū īnsecūtus aprum │ Having followed the boar for a long time …; īnsecūtus, -a, -um < īnsequor, -ī, īnsecutus sum [3/deponent]: follow; pursue; deponent verb i.e. passive in form but active in meaning = having followed (not *having been followed*)

[iv] … (aprum), tandem laqueīs implicātum capere potuit │ he was finally able to catch it [when / when (after) it had been] entangled in a snare; the perfect passive participle agrees with aprum in the preceding clause; implicātus, -a, -um: perfect passive participle < implicō, -āre, -āvī [1]

[v] ad Eurysthēum rettulit │ brought it back to Eurystheus; rettulit: perfect < referō, referre, rettulī, relātus (bring back)

There appeared on Mount Erymanthus a boar of wondrous size. Having been ordered to catch it, Hercules at once set out. Having for a long time followed the boar through the snows, he was at length able to catch it (when) entangled in a snare, and brought it back to Eurystheus.

Hercules catching the boar of Erymanthus by Simon Frisius, after Antonio Tempesta (ca. 1610–64); Rijksmuseum

Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [5]; the present active infinitive

At this point, what you know about indirect statement in English, and in many other languages, you need to put aside.

“I’m going home.”

John says that he is going home. │ John said that he was going home.

English can shift the tense of the indirect statement depending on the tense of the verb which introduces it.

John says that he will go home at 5. │ John said that he would go home at 5.

Latin does not operate in that way. Regardless of whether the person said it, or is saying it, or will say it, the question is whether the statement refers to an ongoing situation or a general state of affairs at the point at which that statement is made.

[i] Dīcunt ¦ vōs hostēs vincere. │ They say ¦ that you are conquering the enemy.

[ii] Dīxērunt ¦ vōs hostēs vincere. │ They said ¦ that you were conquering the enemy.

At the point at which the statement is originally made, it is referring to a situation that is ongoing i.e. conquering the enemy.

Latin uses an infinitive and, to be precise, a present active infinitive because it will use other infinitives (which we will look at in later posts) to convey other relations of time.

[i] Crēdit ¦ patrem amāre filiās. │ He believes ¦ that the father loves the daughters.

[ii] Credidit ¦ patrem amāre filiās. │ He believed ¦ that the father loved the daughters.

His original belief was “the father loves the daughters” i.e. an ongoing situation at the time he had that thought. Therefore, Latin uses the present active infinitive. The main verb of the sentence changes tense, but the infinitive of the indirect statement remains the same.

Magister puerōs discere dīcit. │ The teacher says ¦ that the boys are studying.

Magister puerōs discere dīxit. │ The teacher said ¦ that the boys were studying.

Magister puerōs discere dīcet. │ The teacher will say ¦ that the boys are studying.

It doesn’t matter when he says, said or will say it; the present active infinitive shows that the action is ongoing.

Nūntiātum est ¦ adesse Scīpiōnem (Caesar) │ It was reported ¦ that Scipio was nearby.

What was actually reported at the time was “Scipio is nearby” and so Latin uses the present infinitive.

Further examples:

Frāter scit ¦ mē epistulam scrībere. │ My brother knows ¦ that I am writing a letter.

Nautae subitō sēnsērunt ¦ sē in maximō perīculō esse. │ The sailors suddenly sensed ¦ that they were in very great danger.

Nōn crēdēbam ¦ tē tam stultum esse, Sexte. │ I didn’t believe ¦ that you were so stupid, Sextus.

Brevī tempore cognōscēs ¦ uxōrem istum dē pecūniā fallere. │ In a short time you’ll learn ¦ that that wife of yours is deceiving you about the money.

Adsimulābō ¦ mē esse ēbrium (Plautus) │ I’ll pretend ¦ that I’m drunk.

Uxor eius dīxit ¦ sē in balneīs virīlibus lavārī velle (Gellius) │ His wife said ¦ that she wanted to bathe in the men’s baths.

Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [2] The Lernean Hydra

Ōlim in palūde versābātur hȳdra. Haec novem capita habēbat. Capita vērō octo abscīdit Herculēs, nōnum autem vulnerāre nōn poterat; immortāle enim erat. Abscissō quōque capite, bīna statim ēnāscēbantur. Hīs tandem igne cōnsūmptīs, caput immortāle sub saxō ingentī condidit Herculēs. Bēluā ita dēvictā, sagittās venēnātō sanguine tīnxit.

(1) Translate the phrases from the text, and (2) briefly explain the grammatical constructions being used:

[i] Abscissō quōque capite

[ii] Hīs tandem igne cōnsūmptīs

[iii] sub saxō ingentī

[iv] sagittās venēnātō sanguine tīnxit

____________________

[i] Abscissō quōque capite │ With each head having been cut off

quōque: ablative neuter singular of quisque (each) i.e. not ‘quoque’ (also)

The phrase could also be translated with ‘although’:

Abscissō quōque capite, bīna statim ēnāscēbantur. │ Although / even though each head was cut off, two (others) immediately grew (in its place)

[ii] Hīs tandem igne cōnsūmptīs │ With these having been finally consumed by fire

Ablative absolute; igne: ablative of means / instrument

[iii] sub saxō ingentī │ under a huge stone; ingentī: ablative singular of ingēns, -entis

[iv] sagittās venēnātō sanguine tīnxit │ He dipped / stained (his) arrows in / with the poisoned blood

sanguis, sanguinis [3/m]: blood

tingō, -ere, tinxī, tinctus (3): moisten; smear; dip; impregnate (with);

venēnātus, -a, -um: perfect passive participle < venēnō, -āre, -āvī [1]: poison

Once there lived in a swamp a water snake. It had nine heads. Hercules, indeed, cut off eight heads, but he was unable to wound the ninth, for it was immortal. Each head having been cut off, two (others) at once grew up (in its stead). These at length having been destroyed by fire, Hercules buried the immortal head under a huge stone. The beast having been thus utterly conquered, he dipped his arrows in its poisoned blood.

Seven-headed (septiceps) hydra; from Historia Naturalis; Jan Jonston (1665)

Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [4]

Julia says that she is a good student.

Out of context, we cannot be sure whether Julia is referring [i] to herself or [ii] to somebody else. Latin, however, makes this clear even though English would translate them both in the same way.

[i] Latin uses the reflexive pronoun sē to refer back to the person introducing the statement.

Iūlia dīcit ¦ sē bonam discipulam esse. │ Julia says ¦ that she (referring to herself) is a good student.

Dīcit ¦ sē morī cupere. (Seneca) │ He says ¦ that he desires to die.

Tȳdeus autem dīcit ¦ sē Oenēī fīlium esse (Hyginus) │ Tydeus says ¦ that he is the son of Oeneus

Dīcit ¦ sē cum rēge colloquī velle sēcrētō (Hyginus) │ He says ¦ that he wants to speak with the king in secret

Dīcit ¦ sē velle dūcere uxōrem (Pliny the Younger) │ He says ¦ that he wants to marry

Remember that sē can also be used in the plural:

Troiānī dīcunt ¦ sē bellum nōn nunc timēre. │ The Trojans say ¦ that they (referring to themselves) now do not fear war.

Sentiunt ¦ sē nūllam ūllius partis voluntātem tenēre (Cicero) │ They feel ¦ that they hold no good-will of either party [=  they feel that they have lost the good-will of all parties]

[ii] When the person introducing the statement is referring to somebody /something else, then the accusative pronouns are used to indicate the subject i.e. eum [masculine singular], eam [feminine singular], id [neuter singular], eōs [masculine plural], eās [feminine plural], ea [neuter plural]

Iūlia dīcit ¦ eam bonam discipulam esse. │ Julia says ¦ that she (somebody else) is a good student.

Crēdit ¦ eum scīre (Quintilian) │ He believes ¦ that he (somebody else) knows

Magister dīcit ¦ eum hoc scīre│ The teacher says ¦ that he (e.g. the pupil) knows this

Fateor ¦ eam esse importūnam atque incommodam (Plautus) │ I confess ¦ that she is high-handed and hard to get along with.

Dīcit ¦ id esse perfacile. │ He says that it is very easy.

Graecī Troiānōs vident et dīcunt ¦ eōs bellum nōn nunc timēre. │ The Greeks see the Trojans and say that they (referring to somebody else i.e. the Trojans) now do not fear war.

Dīdō dīcit ¦ eās in arcem īre. │ Dido says that they are going onto the citadel.

Dīcit ¦ ea esse falsa. │ He says that these things are false.

Level 3; language review; Labours of Hercules [1] The Nemean lion

The Labours of Hercules have appeared in earlier posts but the level of language in these versions is higher. The focus of this series of posts is to review language that has mainly been covered at levels 2 and 3 although some other points are discussed. The questions also check your knowledge of grammatical terms regularly found in textbooks. Translations are given at the end of each post.

In valle Nemeae leō ingēns vīvēbat, et pecora hominēsque quotīdiē interficiēbat. Eurysthēus, rēx Tirynthis, Herculem ad sē advocāvit, eīque dīxit: "Cūrae tibi sit hunc leōnem quam celerrimē interficere." Statim proficīscitur Herculēs. Clāvā sagittīsque frūstrā ūsus, impetū factō, leōnem manibus interfēcit. Tum ad Eurysthēum reversus est, mortuum leōnem humerīs impositum ferēns.

Cūrae [dative] tibi sit … │ literally: May it be of care to you … = make it your concern

03.05.25: Level 3; Verbs with the dative case [9]: [1] the predicative dative / the dative of purpose and result; [2] the double dative; the dative of reference

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/030525-level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-9.html

(1) Translate the phrases from the text, and (2) briefly explain the grammatical constructions being used:

[i] Eurysthēus… Herculem ad sē advocāvit

[ii] quam celerrimē

[iii] clāvā sagittīsque … ūsus

[iv] impetū factō

[v] leōnem manibus interfēcit

[vi] reversus est

[vii] mortuum leōnem … ferēns

[viii] mortuum leōnem ¦ humerīs impositum ¦ … ferēns

____________________

[i] Eurysthēus… Herculem ad sē advocāvit │ (1) Eurystheus … summoned Hercules to him; (2) sē: reflexive pronoun i.e. Eurystheus summoned Hercules to himself, sē referring to the subject of the sentence

[ii] quam celerrimē │ (1) as quickly as possible; (2) quam + superlative adverb = as X as possible

[iii] clāvā sagittīsque … ūsus │ (1) having used a club and arrows; (2) ūtor, ūtī, ūsus sum [3/dep]: deponent verb; passive in form but active in meaning; utor + ablative case

[iv] impetū factō │ (1) literally: with an attack having been made [= after / when the attack had been made]; (2) ablative absolute

[v] leōnem manibus interfēcit │ (1) he killed the lion with (his) hands; (2) ablative of means / instrument

[vi] reversus est │ (1) he returned; (2) revertor, revertī, reversus sum [3/deponent]

[vii] mortuum leōnem … ferēns │ (1) bearing / carrying the dead lion; (2) present active participle

[viii] mortuum leōnem ¦ humerīs impositum ¦ ferēns │ carrying the dead lion (1) that had been put on / over (his) shoulders; (2) Perfect passive participle:  impositus < impōnō, -ere, -posuī, impositus [3], agreeing with leōnem

In the Valley of Nemea there lived a huge lion, and it used to kill cattle and human beings daily. Eurystheus, king of Tiryus, called Hercules to him and said to him, ‘Make it your concern to kill this lion as quickly as possible.’ Hercules at once sets out. After using his club and arrows in vain, having made an attack, he killed the lion with his hands. Then he returned to Eurystheus, carrying the dead lion placed on his shoulders.

Hercules fighting the Nemean lion, detail of a sarcophagus

Level 3: indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [3]; predicative nominative > accusative

Look at this example:

Tū es sapiēns. │ You are wise.

The adjective sapiēns is in the nominative case after the verb ‘to be’; this is called the predicative nominative.

When the sentence becomes indirect, the predicative nominative will also go into the accusative case:

Tū es ¦ sapiēns [nominative]. │ You are ¦ wise.

> Credō ¦ tē ¦ sapientem [accusative] ¦ esse. │ I believe ¦ that you are ¦ wise.

Further examples:

Magister meus ¦ homō doctus [nominative] ¦ est. │ My teacher is ¦ an educated man.

> Crēdō ¦ magistrum meum ¦ hominem doctum [accusative] ¦ esse. │ I believe ¦ that my teacher is ¦ an educated man.

Iūlia est bona discipula [nominative]. │ Julia is ¦ a good student.

> Magister dīcit ¦ Iūliam ¦ bonam discipulam [accusative] ¦ esse. │ The teacher says ¦ that Julia is ¦ a good student.

Tellūs ¦ magna ¦ est. │ The Earth is ¦ large.

> Legimus ¦ tellūrem magnam esse. │ We read ¦ that the Earth is ¦ large.

Level 3; Zeuxis and Parrhasius

Zeuxis et Parrhasius pictōrēs celeberrimī fuērunt. Hī ōlim inter sē dē arte contendēbant. Zeuxīs prīmō ūvās pīnxit. Avēs in tabulam advolābant, ūvās comedere cupientēs. Tum Parrhasius pannum pīnxit. Zeuxis autem artificiī huius modī ignārus, Parrhasiō dīxit: "Aufer pannum; tabulam vidēre volō." Mox intellēctō errōre dīxit: "Ā tē victus sum: ego enim avēs dēcēpī, tū autem ipsum Zeuxin."

artificium, -ī [2/n]: various meanings [i] skill; knowledge; talent [ii] (negative) cunning; trick

auferō, auferre, abstulī, ablātus: take away; ferō, ferre and its compounds has an irregular imperative: aufer(te)!

ignārus, -a, -um: ignorant, unaware; artificiī [genitive] ¦ huius modī ignārus│ unaware of a trick ¦ of this kind

intellēctō errōre │ literally: with the mistake having been understood; an ablative absolute (with X having been Y-ed), but how would it more neatly translate into English? There are several possibilities.

Avēs in tabulam advolābant │ Literally: the birds were flying towards the painting; a reasonable enough translation of the imperfect tense, but in what other ways can the imperfect be rendered?

pannus, -ī [2/m]: cloth

____________________

Zeuxis and Parrhasius were very famous painters. These (men) / they once competed with each other in their art. Zeuxis first painted grapes. Birds flew / started flying / kept on flying towards the painting, wanting to eat the grapes. Then Parrhasius painted a cloth. But Zeuxis, unaware of this kind of trick, said to Parrhasius: "Take away the cloth; I want to see the painting." Soon, having realised his mistake / realising his mistake / after he’d realised the mistake, he said: "I have been defeated by you: for I deceived birds, but you (have deceived) Zeuxis himself."

Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [2]

The accusative-infinitive is like a ‘formula’ i.e. certain consistent changes are made to create an indirect statement from a direct one.

Direct statement: Caesar urbī appropinquat. │ Caesar is approaching the city.

To turn it into an indirect statement, two changes are made:

Nūntiī clāmant ¦ [1] Caesarem urbī [2] appropinquāre.

The messengers shout ¦ that [1] Caesar [2] is approaching the city.

[1] The subject of the indirect statement is in the accusative case; in grammar this is known as the subject accusative

[2] The verb of the indirect statement becomes an infinitive.

That’s why the construction is referred to as an accusative-infinitive.

There is no word for a ‘that’ conjunction introducing the indirect statement.

Examples:

[i] Duo fūrēs in apodyteriō sunt. │ Two thieves are in the changing room.

> Mārcus dīcit ¦ [1] duōs fūrēs [direct object: accusative] [2] esse [infinitive] in apodytēriō.

[literally: Marcus says ¦ [1] two thieves [2] to be in the changing room.]

> Marcus says ¦ that two thieves are in the changing room.

[ii] Is venit. │ He is coming.

> Sciō ¦ [1] eum [accusative] [2] venīre [infinitive]

[literally: I know ¦ [1] him [2] to be coming]

> I know ¦ that he is coming.

[iii] Discipulī student. │ The pupils are studying.

Magister dīcit ¦ [1] discipulōs [accusative] [2] studēre [infinitive]

[literally: The teacher says ¦ [1] the pupils [2] to be studying]

> The teacher says ¦ that the pupils are studying.

At first sight, the accusative-infinitive seems completely alien but, when you take a second look, there are some limited examples in English, restricted largely to expression of opinion, which give you an idea as to how it is put together.

I knew that [1] he [2] was an honest man.

= I knew [1] him [direct object] [2] to be [infinitive] an honest man

I believe that [1] the story [2] is true.

= I believe [1] the story [direct object] [2] to be true [infinitive].

We believe that [1] these truths [2] are self-evident.

= We hold [1] these truths [direct object] ¦ [2] to be [infinitive] self-evident.

Whereas in English, its use is limited and, at times, can sound rather stilted, it is that construction which is the way in which an indirect statement is always expressed in Latin.