previous next
375. The Dative of the Agent is common with perfect participles (especially when used in an adjective sense), but rare with other parts of the verb:—
  1. “ mihi dēlīberātum et cōnstitūtum est ” (Leg. Agr. 1.25) , I have deliberated and resolved (it has been deliberated by me).
  2. “ mihi rēs prōvīsa est ” (Verr. 4.91) , the matter has been provided for by me.
  3. “sīc dissimillimīs bēstiolīs commūniter cibus quaeritur ” (N. D. 2.123) , so by very different creatures food is sought in common.

a. The Dative of the Agent is used by the poets and later writers with almost any passive verb:—

  1. “neque cernitur ūllī ” (Aen. 1.440) , nor is seen by any.
  2. fēlīx est dicta sorōrī (Ov. Fast. 3.1.597), she was called happy by her sister.
  3. “Aelia Paetina Narcissō fovēbātur ” (Tac. Ann. 12.1) , Ælia Pœtina was favored by Narcissus.

b. The dative of the person who sees or thinks is regularly used after videor, seem:—

  1. vidētur mihi, it seems (or seems good) to me.
  2. “ dīs aliter vīsum [est] ” (Aen. 2.428) , it seemed otherwise to the gods.
  3. “videor mihi perspicere ipsīus animum ” (Fam. 4.13.5) , I seem (to myself) to see the soul of the man himself.

Note.--The verb probāre, approve (originally a mercantile word), takes a Dative of Reference (§ 376), which has become so firmly attached that it is often retained with the passive, seemingly as Dative of Agent:—

  1. “haec sententia et illī et nōbīs probābātur ” (Fam. 1.7.5) , this view met both his approval and mine (was made acceptable both to him and to me).
  2. “hōc cōnsilium plērīsque nōn probābātur ” (B. C. 1.72) , this plan was not approved by the majority. [But also, cōnsilium ā cūnctīs probābātur (id. 1.74).]

Dative of Reference

Ginn and Company, 1903.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Purchase a copy of this text (not necessarily the same edition) from Amazon.com

hide References (5 total)
  • Commentary references to this page (5):
    • J. B. Greenough, Benjamin L. D'Ooge, M. Grant Daniell, Commentary on Caesar's Gallic War, FIRST INVASION of BRITAIN.
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 22
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 2.6
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 71
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 1.16
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: