2.19 ACCUSATIVE
Most uses of the accusative case are core functions: direct object, object complement, subject of an infinitive. The accusative is also used adverbially as the object of many prepositions, and adverbially without prepositions to show place to which, duration of time, extent of space and degree.
2.20 ACCUSATIVE AS DIRECT OBJECT (ItL CH2)
The accusative is used to mark the direct object of transitive verbs in the active voice and transitive deponent verbs. A direct object occurs in transitive and factitive sentence patterns.
Examples:
Troiani urbem condiderunt. The Trojans founded a city.
Troiani novam urbem condere poterant. The Trojans were able to found a new city.
Erat urbs Troia quam Graeci deleverunt. There was a city Troy which the Greeks destroyed.
Troiani suum ducem sequebantur. The Trojans followed their leader.
Non-finite transitive active verbs (participles and infinitives) can also take direct objects. It may help to think of these as DOOPs (Direct Object Of a Participle) and DOINFs (Direct Object of an Infinitive).
Examples:
Caesar, exercitum ducens, Romam venit. Caesar, leading his army, came to Rome. (DOOP)
Caesare exercitum ducente, periculum vincitur. With Caesar leading the army, danger is overcome. (DOOP)
Caesar dixit milites pontem facere. Caesar said that the soldiers were building a bridge. (DOINF)
Caesar milites pontem facere iussit. Caesar ordered the soldiers to build a bridge. (DOINF)
Difficile est novam urbem condere. It is difficult to found a new city. (DOINF)
Some verbs, particularly those of asking and teaching, take two accusatives, one of the person (primary direct object) and one of the thing (secondary object). These are transitive sentence patterns.
Examples:
Litteras pueros doces. You teach the boy literature.
Donum virum orant. They ask the man for a gift.
2.21 ACCUSATIVE AS OBJECT COMPLEMENT (ItL CH8)
The factitive sentence pattern has a subject, verb, direct object and a second accusative which is called the object complement. Another name for this case use is predicate accusative. It is a core element which is linked to the direct object. An object complement occurs only with factitive verbs (see §1.6 above) and may be either a noun or an adjective.
Examples:
Troiani urbem Troiam appellaverunt. The Trojans named their city Troy.
Romani Romulum deum habebant. The Romans considered Romulus a god.
Illum hominem ducem creamus. We elect that man the leader.
Necessitudo etiam timidos fortes facit. Necessity makes even timid individuals brave.
| Memorandum |
| When there are two accusative nouns in a factitive sentence, read the first as the direct object and the second as the object complement. When the second accusative is an adjective, be sure that the verb is factitive before assuming it is an object complement. |
2.22 ACCUSATIVE AS SUBJECT OF AN INFINITIVE (ItL CH19, 20)
The accusative is used as the subject of an infinitive in indirect statements and objective infinitive (non-finite indirect command) clauses. The Latin term for such clauses is Accusativus cum Infinitivo accusative with infinitive and we will refer to them as AcI constructions.
Examples:
Caesar dixit milites pontem facere. Caesar said that the soldiers were building a bridge.
Caesar milites pontem facere iussit. Caesar ordered the soldiers to build a bridge.
Dux urbem victam esse credidit. The leader believed that the city had been conquered.
| Memorandum |
| When there are two core accusative nouns in an AcI construction, read the first as the subject and the second as the direct object. |
2.23 ACCUSATIVE AS SUBJECT COMPLEMENT IN A LINKING ACI CONSTRUCTION
In a linking sentence pattern, the subject complement must always be the same case as the subject. When the sentence pattern of an AcI is linking, the subject complement will be accusative to agree with the subject.
Examples:
Illi responderunt se esse Troianos. They responded that they were Trojans.
Romani putabant Romulum deum factum esse. The Romans believed that Romulus had become a god.
2.24 ACCUSATIVE AS OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION (ItL CH4)
The accusative is used as an adverbial modifier when it is the object of a preposition. The following prepositions take the accusative case: ad, ante, apud, circa, circum, contra, inter, ob, per, post, prope, propter, super, trans. The prepositions in and sub take objects in both the ablative and accusative; with the accusative they imply motion. in + acc = into, onto; sub + acc = to the foot/base of, along under.
Example:
Post septem annos Aeneas venit in eam partem Italiae. After seven years Aeneas came into that part of Italy.
2.25 ACCUSATIVE EXPRESSING PLACE TO WHICH (ItL CH4)
Generally, the adverbial notion of place to which is expressed with a prepositional phrase such as ad + accusative object. But with proper names of cities, towns and small islands, place to which is expressed by the accusative without a preposition. This is also true of two common nouns, domum home and rus to the country.
Examples:
Caesar Romam venit. Caesar came to Rome.
Curius Romam quattuor elephantos duxit. Curius brought four elephants to Rome.
Milites omnes domum missi sunt. All the soldiers were sent home.
| Memorandum |
| Adverbial accusatives without prepositions may seem a problem for the reader, because they could potentially be a direct object or other core element. But because those expressing place to which are a very restricted group of words (proper names of places, etc.) and often occur with intransitive or passive verbs, or are not a logical direct object for a transitive active verb, the reader usually encounters very little difficulty. |
2.26 ACCUSATIVE EXPRESSING DURATION/LENGTH OF TIME (TIME HOW LONG) (ItL CH11)
Another adverbial use of the accusative without a preposition is to express duration or length of time. The words which are used in these expressions are usually time words, e.g., annus year, dies day, hora hour, mensis month, nox night, etc. As with other expressions of time, such as temporal clauses or the ablative of time when, the accusative of duration of time is frequently found at the beginning of sentences or clauses.
Examples:
Tres annos manebamus. We stayed for three years.
Multos dies milites pontem faciebat. For many days the soldiers were building a bridge.
Hoc partem aetatis faciebat. He was doing this for part of his life.
Regnum Romae annos ducentos quadraginta duraverat. The regal period of Rome had lasted two hundred forty years.
| Memorandum |
| The appropriate preposition to use when translating the accusative of duration of time into English is usually for. Because this accusative is so clearly indicated by time words and its frequent sentence-initial position, it is usually easy to spot, and not often confused with core uses of the accusative. |
2.27 ACCUSATIVE EXPRESSING DEGREE (ItL CH12)
The notion of degree is expressed with the accusative without a preposition. The words occurring in this case use are a small group, all answering the questions quantum? how much?. They are often learned as adverbs, since they function in the same way.
The most common are listed below:
multum much, a great deal, to a great extent
nihil not at all
plurimum very much, greatly
plus more
tantum so much
Examples:
Te tantum amo. I love you so much.
Helenus multum doluit. Helenus grieved a great deal.
2.28 ACCUSATIVE EXPRESSING EXTENT OF SPACE (ItL CH12)
Extent of space is expressed by space/distance words in the accusative without a preposition. This is an adverbial use of the accusative. Two words which are frquently used in these expressions are pedes feet and milia passuum miles.
Examples:
fossas quindecim pedes latas trenches fifteen feet wide
progressus milia passuum circiter duodecim having advanced about twelve miles
| Memorandum |
| The accusative of extent of space often modifies verbs of motion (showing the distance travelled) and adjectives of height, depth and width (e.g., altus high, deep, latus wide, broad). Expressions of space and distance are usually accompanied by numbers or some other expression of quantity or size. |