Chapter 367 Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar Dickinson College Christopher Francese

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Many verbs signifying to favor , help , please , trust , and their contraries; also to believe , persuade , command , obey , serve , resist , envy , threaten , pardon , and spare , These include, among others, the following: adversor , cēdō , crēdō , faveō , fīdō , ignōscō , imperō , indulgeō , invideō , īrāscor , minitor , noceō , parcō , pāreō , placeō , resistō , serviō , studeō , suādeō ( persuādeō ), suscēnseō , temperō ( obtemperō ). 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.

In these verbs the Latin retains an original intransitive meaning. Thus: invidēre , to envy , is literally to look askance at; servīre is to be a slave to; suādēre is to make a thing pleasant (sweet) to.

Some verbs apparently of the same meanings take the Accusative.

Such are iuvō , adiuvō , help; laedō , injure; iubeō , order; dēficiō , fail; dēlectō , please: — hīc pulvis oculum meum laedit , this dust hurts my eye. [Cf. multa oculīs nocent , many things are injurious to the eyes. ] 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. 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.

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.

Some verbs are used transitively with the Accusative or intransitively with the Dative with a difference of meaning:— See the Lexicon under caveō , conveniō , cupiō , īnsistō , maneō , praevertō , recipiō , renūntiō , solvō , succēdō 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 .]

A few verbal nouns (as īnsidiae , ambush; obtemperātiō , obedience ) rarely take the dative like the corresponding verbs:— 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 ). In these cases the dative depends immediately upon the verbal force of the noun and not on any complex idea (cf. § 366 . a , b ).

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