[*] 367. Many verbs signifying to favor, help, please, trust, and their contraries; also to believe, persuade, command, obey, serve, resist, envy, threaten, pardon, and spare,1 take the Dative:—
- cūr mihi invidēs, why do you envy me?
- mihi parcit atque īgnōscit, he spares and pardons me.
- “īgnōsce patriō dolōrī ” (Liv. 3.48) , excuse a father's grief.
- “subvenī patriae, opitulāre conlēgae ” (Fam. 10.10.2) , come to the aid of your country, help your colleague.
- “ mihi nōn displicet ” (Clu. 144) , it does not displease me.
- nōn omnibus serviō; (Att. 13.49), I am not a servant to every man.
- “nōn parcam operae ” (Fam. 13.27) , I will spare no pains.
- sīc mihi persuāsī; (Cat. M. 78), so I have persuaded myself.
- mihi Fabius dēbēbit īgnōscere sī minus êius fāmae parcere vidēbor quam anteā cōnsuluī; (Tull. 3), Fabius will have to pardon me if I seem to spare his reputation less than I have heretofore regarded it.
- huic legiōnī Caesar cōnfīdēbat maximē; (B. G. 1.40.15), in this legion Cæsar trusted most.
- hīc pulvis oculum meum laedit, this dust hurts my eye. [Cf. multa oculīs nocent, many things are injurious to the eyes.]
[*] Note 1.-- Fīdō and cōnfīdō take also the Ablative (§ 431): as,multum nātūrā locī “cōnfīdēbant” (B. G. 3.9) , they had great confidence in the strength of their position.
[*] Note 2.--Some common phrases regularly take the dative precisely like verbs of similar meaning. Such are—praestō esse, be on hand (cf. adesse ); mōrem gerere, humor (cf. mōrigerārī ); grātum facere, do a favor (cf. grātificārī ); dictō audiēns esse, be obedient (cf. oboedīre ); “cui fidem habēbat” (B. G. 1.19) , in whom he had confidence (cf. cōnfīdēbat ).
So also many phrases where no corresponding verb exists. Such are—bene (male, pulchrē, aegrē, etc.) esse, be well (ill, etc.) off; iniūriam facere, do injustice to; diem dīcere, bring to trial (name a day for, etc.); agere grātiās, express one's thanks; habēre grātiam, feel thankful; referre grātiam, repay a favor; opus esse, be necessary; damnum dare, inflict an injury; acceptum (expēnsum) ferre (esse), credit (charge); honōrem habēre, to pay honor to. [*] b. Some verbs are used transitively with the Accusative or intransitively with the Dative without perceptible difference of meaning. Such are adūlor , aemulor , dēspērō , praestōlor , medeor :—- “adūlātus est Antōniō ” (Nep. Att. 8) , he flattered Antony.
- “adūlārī Nerōnem ” (Tac. Ann. 16.19) , to flatter Nero.
- “ pācem nōn dēspērās ” (Att. 8.15.3) , you do not despair of peace.
- “ salūtī dēspērāre vetuit ” (Clu. 68) , he forbade him to despair of safety.
- “ partī cīvium cōnsulunt ” (Off. 1.85) , they consult for a part of the citizens.
- “cum tē cōnsuluissem ” (Fam. 11.29) , when I had consulted you.
- metuēns puerīs (Plaut. Am. 1113), anxious for the children.
- “nec metuunt deōs ” (Ter. Hec. 772) , they fear not even the gods. [So also timeō .]
- “prōspicite patriae ” (Cat. 4.3) , have regard for the state.
- prōspicere sēdem senectūtī; (Liv. 4.49.14), to provide a habitation for old age. [So also prōvideō .]
- īnsidiae cōnsulī (Sall. Cat. 32), the plot against the consul (cf. īnsidior ).
- “obtemperātiō lēgibus ” (Legg. 1.42) , obedience to the laws (cf. obtemperō ).
- sibi ipsī respōnsiō; (De Or. 3.207), an answer to himself (cf. respondeō ).
[*] Note.--In these cases the dative depends immediately upon the verbal force of the noun and not on any complex idea (cf. § 366. a, b).