Chapter 284Allen and Greenough's Latin GrammarDickinson CollegeChristopher Francese
Publication information
Information about the source
A Predicate Noun or Adjective after the
copula
sum
or a copulative verb is in the same case as the Subject:—
pācis semper
auctor
fuī
;
(
Lig. 28
),
I have always been an adviser of peace.
quae
pertinācia
quibusdam, eadem aliīs
cōnstantia
vidērī potest
(Marc. 31)
,
what may seem obstinacy to some, may seem to others consistency.
êius mortis sedētis
ultōrēs(Mil. 79)
,
you sit as avengers of his death.
habeātur
vir
ēgregius Paulus
(Cat. 4.21)
,
let Paulus be regarded as an extraordinary man.
ego
patrōnus
exstitī
;
(
Rosc. Am. 5
),
I have come forward as an advocate.dīcit nōn omnīs bonōs esse beātōs
,
he says that not all good men are happy.
A predicate noun referring to two or more singular nouns is in the plural:—
cōnsulēs
creantur Caesar et Servīlius
(B. C. 3.1)
,
Cæsar and Servilius are elected consuls.
Sum
in the sense of
exist
makes a complete predicate without a predicate noun or adjective. It is then called the
substantive verb:
—
sunt
virī fortēs
,
there are
(exist)
brave men.
[Cf.
vīxēre
fortēs
ante
Agamemnona (
Hor. Od. 4.9.25
),
brave men lived before Agamemnon.
]
For Predicate Accusative and Predicate Ablative, see §§
392
, 415. N.