Dative with Compound Verbs: Latin Grammar

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GrammarDative with Compound Verbs

Dative with Compound Verbs

A&G §370–372|7 rules|0 practice questions

Stick a preposition on the front of a Latin verb and the verb often starts taking a dative — because the prefix is, in effect, doing prepositional work that wants a complement.

Verbs prefixed with ad-, ante-, con-, in-, inter-, ob-, prae-, sub-, super- (and a few with circum- and post-) show this pattern.

Caesar singulīs legiōnibus singulōs lēgātōs praefēcit — "Caesar put one legate over each legion." Lēgātōs is the accusative direct object, and legiōnibus is the dative governed by prae- in praeficiō.

That double pattern is the one to memorize: when the compound stays transitive, you get accusative DO + dative on top.

Not every compound joins the club. Some (aggredior, oppugnō, ineō, obeō) shifted into plain transitive territory and just take an accusative. The lexicon decides word by word.

Pattern

verb prefixed with ad-, ante-, con-, in-, inter-, ob-, prae-, sub-, super- + DATIVE

(if also transitive) + ACCUSATIVE direct object

Compound Verb + Dative

The prefix's prepositional force makes the compound govern a dative — and a transitive compound can stack a dative on top of its accusative.

Some compounds (aggredior, oppugnō, ineō, obeō) lost the prepositional sense and take only the accusative — the lexicon decides each one.

Prefix-by-Prefix Survey of Compound Verbs that Govern the Dative

ad- — adsentior, adsum, adveniō (figurative "come to")

neque adsentior eīs — "I do not agree with them" (Cic. Lael. 13)

critical

ante- — antecēdō, antecellō, antesum, anteeō

nātūra hominis pecudibus antecēdit — man's nature surpasses the brutes (Cic. Off. i. 105)

important

con- — cōnsentiō, cōnfīdō, congredior

sī sibi ipse cōnsentit — if he is in accord with himself (Cic. Off. i. 5)

important

in- — inhaereō, incumbō, indulgeō, īnstō

virtūtēs voluptātibus inhaerent — virtues are bound up with pleasures (Cic. Fin. i. 68)

important

inter- — intersum, intercēdō

omnibus negōtiīs interfuit — he had a hand in every affair (Cic. Fin. i. 6)

common

ob- — obsequor, obstō, occurrō, obveniō, obsum

pugnantibus occurrit — he ran up to the men fighting (Caes. B. G. ii. 21. 4)

critical

ob- idiom — obviam / obvius + dat. with motion verb

obviam Caesarī proficīscitur — sets out to meet Caesar (Caes. B. G. vii. 12. 1)

important

prae- — praesum, praeficiō, praepōnō, praeferō, praestō

omnibus negōtiīs praefuit — he took the lead in every affair (Cic. Fin. i. 6)

critical

prae- (transitive) — adds dat. to acc. DO

Brūtus cuilibet ducum praeferendus — Brutus was to be put before any of the generals (Vell. ii. 69)

critical

sub- — subveniō, subsum, subiciō, suborior, succēdō, succumbō

labōrantī subvenit — he helps the man in trouble (Caes. B. G. v. 44. 9)

critical

sub- — succumbō + dat.

nec umquam succumbet inimīcīs — he will never yield to his foes (Cic. Deiot. 36)

common

super- — supersum, superveniō

tempestātī obsequī — to yield to the storm (Cic. Fam. i. 9. 21)

common

Exception — compounds turned plain transitive (acc. only)

nōs oppūgnat — he attacks us (Cic. Fam. i. 1); aggredī, ineō, obeō, praecēdō

important

Impersonal passive of an intransitive compound (dat. retained)

cui parcī potuit? — "who could be spared?" (Liv. xxi. 14)

common

See It In Action

Caesar singulīs legiōnibus singulōs lēgātōs et quaestōrem praefēcit

Caesar put one legate apiece and the quaestor in charge of each legion

— B. G. i. 52. 1

The textbook double pattern: praeficiō is transitive (acc. lēgātōs) AND its prae- prefix wants its own object (dat. legiōnibus). Don't pick — both cases live side by side.

quantum nātūra hominis pecudibus antecēdit

by how much man's nature is superior to the brutes

— Cic. Off. i. 105

English "is superior to brutes" hides the dative behind a preposition. In Latin the ante- of antecēdit does that work, and pecudibus sits in the dative directly — no preposition needed.

laborantī subvenit

he comes to the aid of the man in trouble

— B. G. v. 44. 9

Subveniō is intransitive — there's no accusative object — but the sub- prefix governs a dative. The bare participle laborantī IS the whole "object" of the rescue.

Vercingetorīx… obviam Caesarī proficīscitur

Vercingetorix sets out to meet Caesar

— B. G. vii. 12. 1

Obviam isn't a verb but it acts like one of these compounds — anything you go "in the way of" goes in the dative. Pair it with a motion verb like eō, veniō, proficīscor and you have the standard "go to meet X" idiom.

Compound + Dat. only vs. Compound + Acc. + Dat.

When a compound verb is transitive, the dative doesn't replace the accusative — it stacks on top of it. Don't pick one or the other.

Intransitive compound (dat. only)

The prefix's dative IS the whole object

labōrantī subvenit

he helps the struggling man (dat.)

Transitive compound (acc. DO + dat.)

The accusative is the direct object; the dative is what the prefix points to

lēgātōs legiōnibus praefēcit

he put legates (acc.) in charge of legions (dat.)

Tip: Ask whether the simple verb (without the prefix) would take an accusative. If yes (faciō, pōnō), expect both cases. If no (veniō, sum), the dative is alone.

Quick Check

In Caesar's Caesar singulīs legiōnibus singulōs lēgātōs praefēcit, why are legiōnibus (dat.) and lēgātōs (acc.) BOTH governed by praefēcit?

Study Tips

•When you parse a verb starting with ad-, prae-, ob-, in-, sub-, super-, ante-, con-, scan the clause for a stranded dative before you settle on "indirect object." The prefix usually wants it.
•If the compound is transitive, don't pick between accusative and dative — expect both. Praeficere aliquem alicuī ("to put someone in charge of something") needs an acc. person and a dat. thing.
•Obviam ("in the way") and obvius ("meeting") behave like compound verbs themselves: anything that goes "in their way" lands in the dative — obviam Caesarī, "to meet Caesar."
•Watch for the impersonal passive trick: an intransitive compound + dative goes into the passive as a third-person impersonal with the dative still attached — temporī serviendum est, "we must serve the moment."

See It In Action

Caesar singulīs legiōnibus singulōs lēgātōs et quaestōrem praefēcit

Caesar put one legate apiece and the quaestor in charge of each legion

— B. G. i. 52. 1

The textbook double pattern: praeficiō is transitive (acc. lēgātōs) AND its prae- prefix wants its own object (dat. legiōnibus). Don't pick — both cases live side by side.

quantum nātūra hominis pecudibus antecēdit

by how much man's nature is superior to the brutes

— Cic. Off. i. 105

English "is superior to brutes" hides the dative behind a preposition. In Latin the ante- of antecēdit does that work, and pecudibus sits in the dative directly — no preposition needed.

laborantī subvenit

he comes to the aid of the man in trouble

— B. G. v. 44. 9

Subveniō is intransitive — there's no accusative object — but the sub- prefix governs a dative. The bare participle laborantī IS the whole "object" of the rescue.

Vercingetorīx… obviam Caesarī proficīscitur

Vercingetorix sets out to meet Caesar

— B. G. vii. 12. 1

Study Tips

•When you parse a verb starting with ad-, prae-, ob-, in-, sub-, super-, ante-, con-, scan the clause for a stranded dative before you settle on "indirect object." The prefix usually wants it.

•If the compound is transitive, don't pick between accusative and dative — expect both. Praeficere aliquem alicuī ("to put someone in charge of something") needs an acc. person and a dat. thing.

•Obviam ("in the way") and obvius ("meeting") behave like compound verbs themselves: anything that goes "in their way" lands in the dative — obviam Caesarī, "to meet Caesar."

•Watch for the impersonal passive trick: an intransitive compound + dative goes into the passive as a third-person impersonal with the dative still attached — temporī serviendum est, "we must serve the moment."