2.9 DATIVE
The dative case marks a person (more rarely a thing) indirectly involved in an action or situation. A dative may indicate a recipient, a beneficiary, an advantage, a proximity, a friendly inclination, or the opposite of these. In most uses, the dative case is an adverbial modifier; the dative does have a core function as the object of certain special intransitive verbs.
| Memorandum |
| For nouns whose dative and ablative forms are the same, it may be difficult in reading to tell which case a specific word is. In the absence of other confirming information, such as a verb patterning with a dative object or a preposition which takes the ablative, a non-animate noun is more likely to be ablative; an animate noun is more likely to be dative. |
2.10 DATIVE OF REFERENCE (ItL CH3)
A dative that occurs without any special signal in the environment generally designates the person (less often the thing) to whom the sentence refers or is of interest. The name commonly used to describe it is dative of reference or dative of interest. A dative of reference is an adverbial modifier.
Examples:
Omnibus hora fugit. Time flies for everybody.
Pueris donum habet. He has a gift for the boys.
2.11 DATIVE AS INDIRECT OBJECT (ItL CH3)
The indirect object, an adverbial use of the dative, can be recognized by:
- a noun in the dative, usually with the semantic feature animate
- a verb in the semantic categories of give, tell, show
In this case use, the dative signals the indirect object, i.e., the person to whom someone gives, tells, shows or offers something.
Examples:
Viro fabulas narramus. We tell stories to the man.
Timidi fortibus auxilium non offerunt. The timid ones do not offer help to the brave.
Inopi beneficium bis dat qui dat celeriter. Whoever confers a benefit quickly on a poor person confers it twice. (Publilius Syrus)
2.12 DATIVE OF POSSESSION (ItL CH6)
The dative is used with est and similar words to show possession. This adverbial case use can be recognized by:
- an animate noun in the dative
- an intransitive or “existential” est
There are various ways of translating the dative of possession into English. The preposition for may be used, e.g., Romulo duo filii sunt For Romulus there are two sons. Alternatively, using the translation [dative] has [subject], e.g., Romulus has two sons, may result in more idiomatic and elegant English. Study the examples below.
Examples:
Est puellae pecunia. The money belongs to the girl. or The girl has money.
Viro liber est, non puero. The book belongs to the man, not to the boy. or The man has a book, but the boy does not.
Romanis cum finitimis conubia non erant. The Romans did not have rights of intermarriage with their neighbors.
2.13 DATIVE WITH ADJECTIVES (ItL CH12)
The following adjectives regularly pattern with a dative noun which modifies them:
amicus a um friendly (to)
aptus a um suitable (for)
carus a um dear (to)
dissimilis e different (from), unlike
fidelis e faithful (to), loyal (to)
gratus a um pleasing (to)
inimicus a um hostile (to)
par (paris) equal (to)
proximus a um near (to)
sacer sacra sacrum sacred (to)
similis e similar (to), like
tutus a um safe (for)
| Memorandum |
| When translating datives that pattern with adjectives, be sure to keep the adjective and the dative together as a chunk. Put the translation of the dative (usually a prepositional phrase) right after the translation of the adjective. |
Examples:
Romani finitimis inimici erant. The Romans were hostile to their neighbors.
Res Romana erat omnibus nationibus bello par. The Roman state was equal to all nations in war.
Romani dissimiles Graecis erant. The Romans were unlike the Greeks.
2.14 DATIVE WITH COMPOUND VERBS (ItL CH31)
The dative serves as an adverbial expansion item with many verbs that are compounded with prefixes. This case use can be recognized by:
- a noun in the dative
- a compound verb (i.e., a verb with a prefix)
These prefixes include ad-, ante-, con-, in-, inter-, ob-, post-, prae-, pro-, sub-, super-, as in the following compounds of pono:
appono to put [accusative DO] toward, next to [dative noun]
antepono to put [accusative DO] before [dative noun]
oppono to put [accusative DO] against [dative noun]
| Memorandum |
| The compound verbs that pattern with a dative are generally transitive verbs and will have a direct object in addition to the dative. Note that when translating, the dative is preceded in English by a preposition carrying the meaning of the Latin prefix. |
Example:
Imponit finem sapiens et rebus honestis. The wise person puts a limit even on honorable undertakings.
2.15 DATIVE OF PURPOSE (ItL CH31)
In some situations, the dative case can be used to show the purpose or end goal of an action; this is called the dative of purpose. It is found in the following constructions:
- dative of abstract nouns of denoting helping or hindering
The following are common nouns of helping or hindering:
auxilio help, aid
curae care, concern
honori honor, distinction
exitio death, destruction
praesidio protection
impedimento hindrance, impediment
saluti safety
periculo danger
subsidio aid, relief
usui use
These datives of purpose are usually found with esse or another linking verb and are frequently translated into English as a subject complement—either as a noun or an adjective.
Examples:
Hoc usui est. This is useful/of use.
Pecunia saluti non est. Money is not safety.
Bonus animus in mala re magno auxilio est. A good mind is (of) great help in a bad situation.
- dative of concrete nouns, gerunds and gerundives to expand the meaning of nouns such as locus, signum, and dies
Examples:
castris locum deligere to choose a place for a camp
receptui signum a signal for a retreat
Diem praestitit operi faciendo. He appointed a day for doing the work.
Quaerebant condendae urbi locum. They were looking for a place for founding a city.
- in dative gerund and gerundive constructions after nouns meaning officers, offices, elections, etc., to indicate the function or scope of the office
Examples:
comitia consulibus rogandis elections for nominating consuls
Gracchus triumviros agris dividendis creavit. Gracchus formed a triumvirate (board of three men) for dividing the land.
2.16 THE DOUBLE DATIVE CONSTRUCTION (ItL CH31)
The dative of purpose is frequently used in combination with a dative of reference to form a construction called the double dative. In such a combination the dative of purpose regularly tells for what a thing is or is done and the dative of reference tells for whom. This construction normally occurs with some form of esse.
Examples:
Fortunae tuae mihi curae sunt. Your fortunes are a care (lit., for a care) to me.
Id magno usui nostris fuit. It was of great service to our men.
Altera victoria huic similis mihi exitio erit. Another victory like this one will be the ruin of me (lit., as a ruin/destruction for me).
Hoc tempore nulla civitas Atheniensibus auxilio fuit praeter Plataeēnses. At this time no state was of help to the Athenians except the people of Plataea.
The double dative sometimes occurs with verbs other than esse.
Examples:
Hoc tibi dono dedit. He has given this to you as a present.
Tertiam aciem nostris subsidio misit. He sent the third line as a relief to our men.
2.17 DATIVE OF AGENT (ItL CH29)
The dative is used with passive periphrastic verbs to express agent. This adverbial case use can be recognized by:
- a passive periphrastic verb (future passive participle + sum, esse)
- an animate dative noun or pronoun
| Memorandum |
| The passive periphrastic construction often sounds better in English with an active translation. Translate the dative of agent in a prepositional phrase with by if the passive periphrastic verb is translated passively, or as the subject if the passive periphrastic is translated actively. |
Examples:
Caesari omnia agenda erant. Everything had to be done by Caesar. (passive) or Caesar had to do everything. (active)
Hoc mihi faciendum est. This must be done by me. (passive) or I must do this. (active)
Di omnibus colendi sunt. The gods must be worshipped by everyone. (passive) or Everyone must worship the gods. (active)
2.18 DATIVE OBJECT OF SPECIAL INTRANSITIVE VERBS (ItL CH7)
The dative in the environment of certain intransitive verbs is the equivalent of the accusative direct object of transitive verbs and is called a dative object; the sentence pattern is called special intransitive. The dative is a core element in this pattern. A dative object can be recognized by:
- a noun in the dative, usually with the semantic feature animate
- the presence of verb which raises the expectation of a dative object
Special intransitive verbs which raise the expectation of a dative object:
credo, credere, credidi, creditus trust, rely on (not entrust)
faveo, favere, favi favor, offer a favor to
noceo, nocere, nocui harm, do harm to, injure
nubo, nubere, nupsi, nuptus marry (for a woman as subject)
parco, parcere, peperci spare, be lenient to
pareo, parere, parui obey, be obedient to
persuadeo, persuadere, persuasi, persuasurus persuade
placeo, placere, placui, placitus please, be pleasing to
resisto, resistere, restiti resist, oppose, offer resistance to
servio, servire, servivi serve, help, offer service to
studeo, studere, studui be eager for, favor, strive after
suadeo, suadere, suasi convince, persuade
Example:
Solitudo placet Musis, urbs est inimica poetis. Solitude pleases the Muses; the city is unfriendly to poets. (Plutarch)
In this sentence, Solitudo is the subject, placet the verb, and Musis the dative object.