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453. Rarely the Infinitive is used exactly like the Accusative of a noun:—
  1. “beātē vīvere aliī in aliō, vōs in voluptāte pōnitis ” (Fin. 2.86) , a happy life different [philosophers] base on different things, you on pleasure.
  2. “quam multa ... facimus causā amīcōrum, precārī ab indīgnō, supplicāre, etc. ” (Lael. 57) , how many things we do for our friends' sake, ask favors from an unworthy person, resort to entreaty, etc.
  3. nihil explōrātum habeās, nē amāre quidem aut amārī (id. 97), you have nothing assured, not even loving and being loved.

Note.--Many complementary and other constructions approach a proper accusative use of the infinitive, but their development has been different from that of the examples above. Thus,avāritia ... superbiam, crūdēlitātem, deōs neglegere, omnia vēnālia habēre ēdocuit (Sall. Cat. 10), avarice taught pride, cruelty, to neglect the gods, and to hold everything at a price.

Infinitive as Apparent Subject of Impersonals

Ginn and Company, 1903.

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