Editing: Accusative Subject of Infinitive (Indirect Statement) in Latin

Make changes to the article content below. You can preview your changes or see a diff comparing to the original text.

4,605 characters

# 1. Essentials at a Glance
The **Accusative Subject of Infinitive** (ACI) in Latin grammar is the core structure for **indirect statements**, where the reported clause’s subject is in the **accusative** and its verb is an **infinitive**. This allows Latin to embed a statement without a “that” conjunction. Mastering this concept is essential for reading classical texts smoothly and comprehending how Romans conveyed reported speech, thoughts, and perceptions with remarkable succinctness.

---

# 2. Definition & Importance
The **Accusative Subject of Infinitive in Latin grammar** (accūsātīvus cum īnfīnītīvō) is used to express **indirect discourse**—a way of reporting speech or ideas without direct quotations. Instead of saying *Dīcit: “Puer bonus est,”* Latin writes *Dīcit puerum bonum esse* (“He says **that** the boy is good”). It’s vital for **reading comprehension** since much of Latin prose, especially historical and rhetorical works, relies on this construction to convey reported information effectively.

---

# 3. Forms & Morphology
**Key Components**:
- **Accusative Subject**: The noun or pronoun functioning as the “subject” of the infinitive (e.g., *puerum*).
- **Infinitive Verb**: Conjugated in **present**, **perfect**, or **future** tense to show time relative to the main verb (e.g., *esse*, *fūgisse*, *ventūrum esse*).

Below is a **sample table** illustrating basic infinitive forms:

| Tense     | Active Form          | Passive Form                 | Usage                               |
|-----------|----------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Present   | amāre, vidēre, fugere | amārī, vidērī, fugī          | Action same time as main verb       |
| Perfect   | amāvisse, vīdisse, fūgisse | amātus/a/um esse, vīsus/a/um esse | Action prior to main verb           |
| Future    | amātūrus/a/um esse, vīsūrus/a/um esse | amātum īrī, victum īrī (periphrastic) | Action subsequent to main verb      |

---

# 4. Usage & Examples
When a **verb of saying, thinking, perceiving, or feeling** introduces a clause, Latin typically employs an accusative subject plus infinitive. Consider these classical **Latin Accusative Subject of Infinitive examples**:

1. **Dīcō puerum bonum esse.**  
   “I say **that** the boy is good.”  
   - *puerum* (accusative) as subject of *esse*.

2. **Putat hostēs fūgisse.**  
   “He thinks **that** the enemy fled.”  
   - *hostēs* (accusative) + *fūgisse* (perfect infinitive).

3. **Spērat sē victūrum esse.**  
   “He hopes **that** he will win.”  
   - Reflexive *sē* and future infinitive *victūrum esse*.

4. **Audiō tē librum legere.**  
   “I hear **that** you are reading a book.”  
   - *tē* (accusative) as subject of *legere*.

5. **Constat Caesarem Galliam vīcisse.**  
   “It is agreed **that** Caesar conquered Gaul.”  
   - Indirect statement as the subject of *constat*.

---

# 5. Common Pitfalls
- **Misidentifying the Subject**: Failing to put the subject of the indirect statement in accusative case.
- **Incorrect Tense Choice**: Overlooking **relative time** (present = same time; perfect = earlier time; future = subsequent).
- **Using Indicative Instead of Infinitive**: Confusing indirect statements with other clauses (e.g., *ut* + subjunctive).
- **Reflexive Pronoun Errors**: Neglecting to use *sē* when the speaker in the main clause refers to themselves.

---

# 6. Additional Notes & Nuances
Advanced Latin texts may include **subordinate clauses** within indirect statements, often in the **subjunctive** to reflect reported or uncertain content. Occasionally, authors use the **indicative** inside indirect discourse to signal factual, narrator-affirmed details. Verbs like *promittō* and *sperō* also take the ACI structure, contrary to English idiom. Passive forms of reporting verbs (e.g. *dīcitur*) can shift the **accusative subject** into a nominative, though the construction still functions as an indirect statement at heart.

---

# 7. Key Takeaways
- Use **accusative + infinitive** to introduce **indirect statements** without a “that” conjunction.  
- Select the **infinitive tense** based on whether the action is simultaneous, prior, or subsequent to the main verb.  
- Keep a close eye on **reflexive pronouns** (*sē*) when the indirect statement’s subject refers back to the speaker.  
- **Subordinate clauses** under indirect discourse typically take the subjunctive but may appear in indicative for factual asides.  
- ACI is central to understanding classical prose, especially in **historical narratives** and **rhetorical works**.

---

Document Structure

H11. Essentials at a Glance
H12. Definition & Importance
H13. Forms & Morphology
H14. Usage & Examples
H15. Common Pitfalls
H16. Additional Notes & Nuances
H17. Key Takeaways

Markdown Help

# Heading 1Main Title

## Heading 2Section Title

**bold text**Bold Text

*italic text*Italic Text

[Link](https://...)Hyperlink

1. ItemNumbered List

- ItemBullet List