William Watson Goodwin, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb

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[*] 795. In some constructions in which the simple infinitive appears to preserve most distinct traces of its origin as a dative, especially after adjectives or nouns (758; 763; 766), the articular infinitive takes τό as an accusative. E.g. Τὸ δὲ βίᾳ πολιτῶν δρᾶν ἔφυν ἀμήχανος, “but I am helpless to act in defiance of the citizens.” SOPH. Ant. 79. Μακρὸς τὸ κρῖναι ταῦτα χὠ λοιπὸς χρόνος, “a long time to settle this.” Id. El. 1030 (cf. χρόνος βραχὺς διηγήσασθαι, a time short for narrating, under 763). Τὸ μὴ βλέπειν ἑτοίμα, “ready to cease beholding the light.” Ib. 1079 (see 758). Τὸ προσταλαιπωρεῖν οὐδεὶς πρόθυμος ἦν. THUC. ii. 53. Τὸ μὲν ἐς τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἐσβάλλειν, κἂν μὴ ἐκπλεύσωμεν, THUC. i ῾κανοί εἰσι. Id. vi. 17. Ἐς δέον πάρεσθ᾽ ὅδε Κρέων τὸ πράσσειν καὶ τὸ βουλεύειν, “he is here at the right moment to act and advise.” SOPH. O.T. 1416. Αἴτιος τὸ σὲ ἀποκρίνεσθαι μὴ τοῦτο. PLAT. Lach. 190 E. (This is rare, but see DEM. viii. 56, DEM. ix. 63. Αἴτιος generally has the infinitive with τοῦ, DEM. 798, or the simple infinitive, DEM. 749.）

Ἡ ναυμαχία οὐχὶ δικαίαν ἔχει τέκμαρσιν τὸ ἐκφοβῆσαι, “the seafight offers no just ground for alarm.” THUC. ii. 87. “Οὐδὲ τοὐξανιστάναι ἐστὶ θάρσος,” “nor have I courage to remove you.” SOPH. O.C. 47.

The exact force given to these accusatives by those who used them is not always clear; but they come nearest to the accusative of respect or limitation (as εἶδος κάλλιστος, most beautiful in form). Sometimes the infinitive with τό has this force, where the simple infinitive could not be used; as in LYCURG. 91, ἐπεί γε τὸ ἐλθεῖν τοῦτον, οἶμαι θεόν τινα αὐτὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν ἀγαγεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν, for, as to his departure, I think that some God led him directly to punishment.