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The Accusative of Motion (see J. Heckmann in Indogermanische Forschungen, 18, pp. 296 sqq.), which is in classical Latin confined to names of towns, domus, rus, etc., had a wider range in Plautus' time, e.g. Curc. 206 “parasitum misi nudiusquartus Cariam” (cf. Livius Andronicus Odyss. 14 “partim （‘in groups’） errant, nequinont Graeciam redire”; although we also find in Cariam 1, etc., e.g. (“Exsequias ire” Ter. Phorm. 1026 is Accusative of Object, like Poen. 698 “is, leno, viam.”） Both malam crucem ire and in malam crucem ire are used, e.g. Poen. 496 “A. nisi aut auscultas aut is in malam crucem. B. malam crucem ibo potius”; usually in malam rem, but Truc. 937 “malam rem is et magnam”, Ter. Eun. 536 “malam rem hinc ibis?” (See below, V. 42 on 1 Supine.)

It is sometimes loosely used with Verbs of Rest, e.g. Men. 51 “siquis quid vostrum Epidamnum (-ni alii） curari sibi velit”, just as huc is used for hic in Aul. 640 “ostende huc”, or as in governs the Accusative in Epid. 191 “in amorem (-re, alii) haerere”. (On Old Latin in manum esse, in potestatem esse, see 51）

And it is most in evidence after a Compound Verb, being, in a manner, governed by the Preposition with which the Verb is compounded (see below, 43).

1 It is sometimes said that Plautus regarded Caria and Elis as towns and not countries. Such an explanation is obviously unsuitable to Egypt (cf. Most. 440). The truth is that Plautus does not follow the strict laws of classical Latin with regard to geographical names. He uses in Ephesum ire as well as Ephesum ire, and the like (cf. Ter. Phorm. 66). Egypt, it should be noticed, receives the same treatment from writers of Cicero's time and later as from Plautus, e.g. Cic. Nat. Deor. 3, 56 “Aegyptum profugisse” (but “in Aegyptum” Pis. 49, as in Plaut. Most. 994). Varro has Aegypto ‘in E.’ Ling. Lat. 5.57

Syntax of Plautus. W. M. Lindsay. Anne Mahoney. edited for Perseus. Oxford. J. Parker and Co. 1907.

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