previous next



370. Many verbs compounded with ao, ante , con, in, inter , ob , post, prae , prō , sub , super, and some with circum , admit the Dative of the indirect object:—
  1. neque enim adsentior eīs (Lael. 13) , for I do not agree with them.
  2. quantum nātūra hominis pecudibus antecēdit (Off. 1.105) , so far as man's nature is superior to brutes.
  3. sibi ipse cōnsentit (id. 1.5), if he is in accord with himself.
  4. virtūtēs semper voluptātibus inhaerent (Fin. 1.68) , virtues are always connected with pleasures.
  5. omnibus negōtiīs nōn interfuit sōlum sed praefuit (id. 1.6), he not only had a hand in all matters, but took the lead in them.
  6. tempestātī obsequī artis est (Fam. 1.9.21) , it is a point of skill to yield to the weather.
  7. nec umquam succumbet inimīcīs (Deiot. 36) , and he will never yield to his foes.
  8. cum et Brūtus cuilibet ducum praeferendus vidērētur et Vatīnius nūllī nōn esset postferendus (Vell. 2.69) , since Brutus seemed worthy of being put before any of the generals and Vatinius deserved to be put after all of them.

a. In these cases the dative depends not on the preposition, but on the compound verb in its acquired meaning. Hence, if the acquired meaning is not suited to an indirect object, the original construction of the simple verb remains.

Thus in convocat suōs, he calls his men together, the idea of calling is not so modified as to make an indirect object appropriate. So hominem interficere, to make way with a man (kill him). But in praeficere imperātōrem bellō, to put a man as commander-in-chief in charge of a war, the idea resulting from the composition is suited to an indirect object (see also b, §§ 371, 388. b).

Note 1.--Some of these verbs, being originally transitive, take also a direct object: as, “ offerāmus nōs perīculīs(Off. 1.83) , that we may not expose ourselves to perils.

Note 2.--The construction of § 370 is not different in its nature from that of §§ 362, 366, and 367; but the compound verbs make a convenient group.

b. Some compounds of ad , ante , ob , with a few others, have acquired a transitive meaning, and take the accusative (cf. § 388. b):—1

  1. nōs oppūgnat (Fam. 1.1) , he opposes us.
  2. quis audeat bene comitātum aggredī; (Phil. 12.25), who would dare encounter a man well attended?
  3. mūnus obīre (Lael. 7) , to attend to a duty.

c. The adjective obvius and the adverb obviam with a verb take the dative:—

  1. ille obvius futūrus nōn erat (Mil. 47) , if he was not intending to get in his way.
  2. mihi obviam vēnistī; (Fam. 2.16.3), you came to meet me.

hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: