Indirect Statement: Forming Acc + Inf
When Latin reports a statement, English reaches for "that" — he says that Caesar is coming. Latin doesn't.
It drops the conjunction, throws the embedded subject into the accusative, and turns the verb into an infinitive: dīcit Caesarem venīre. Same idea, three moves, no conjunction.
This is the bread-and-butter shape of ōrātiō oblīqua, and it fires after any verb of saying, thinking, perceiving, knowing, hoping, promising, or swearing — dīcō, putō, sciō, audiō, sentiō, crēdō, spērō, prōmittō, iūrō.
The trap to name early: that accusative looks like a direct object, but it's not — it's the subject of the embedded clause.
Sciō mē errāre is "I know that I am wrong," not "I know me to wander." Once you train your eye to read accusative + infinitive as a packed-down clause, half of Cicero opens up.
Learnings0 core · 1 AP claim
AP framework claims (1)— verbatim from AP CED
Latin packs a reported statement into accusative subject + infinitive — supply English "that" yourself.
The accusative is the SUBJECT of the embedded clause, not the object of the main verb. Sciō Caesarem venīre = "I know THAT Caesar is coming," not "I know Caesar to come."
See It In Action
— B. C. iii. 86
Caesar reporting on himself. Mē is the SUBJECT of pollicērī, not the object of sciō — and present infinitive = same time as the verb of saying.
— B. G. i. 17
Two indirect-statement moves at once — main clause is acc + inf (esse nōn nūllōs), and the relative clause inside it is subjunctive by attraction. Even the verb of saying is only implied.
— Lael. 79
Spērō takes acc + inf in Latin even though English wants "hope to." The reflexive sē shows the hopers and the gainers are the same people — and the future inf marks 'will gain.'
— Cic. Fīn. ii. 68
Cicero's Stoic doctrine, packed tight. Negant = "they say…not," so the English negation lives in the main verb, not the embedded clause. Esse is even elided — Latin trusts you to supply it from context.
Three ways a Latin clause can come AFTER a main verb. The shape depends on what kind of verb governs it — and they are NOT interchangeable.
REPORTING what was said / thought / perceived
dīcit eum venīre
he says that he is coming
WANTING or COMMANDING something to happen
imperat ut veniat
he orders that he come
Tip: Ask: is the main verb REPORTING speech/thought (→ acc + inf), COMMANDING/EFFECTING (→ ut + subj.), or stating a FACT-THAT (→ quod + indicative, post-classical)? Dīcō, putō, sciō, audiō → acc + inf. Imperō, hortor, persuādeō → ut + subj. Mīror quod vēnistī ("I'm amazed THAT you came") → quod + indicative explanatory.
In Cicero's nōn arbitror tē ita sentīre ("I do not suppose you feel thus"), what is the grammatical role of tē?
Study Tips
- •Whenever you meet dīcō, putō, sciō, sentiō, audiō, crēdō, spērō, negō, or prōmittō, prime yourself: the next accusative is probably the SUBJECT of an infinitive, not the object of the verb of saying.
- •Translate the infinitive with English "that" + finite verb. Dīcit Caesarem venīre = "he says THAT Caesar is coming." Latin omits the 'that'; you supply it.
- •Watch for negō instead of dīcō + nōn. Negat sē errāre = "he says that he is NOT mistaken," not "he denies wandering."
- •Verbs of hoping and promising (spērō, prōmittō, polliceor, iūrō, minor) take acc + inf in Latin even though English uses a plain infinitive. Spērat sē victūrum esse = "he hopes THAT he will win," not "he hopes to win."
- •If the subject of the embedded clause is the same as the subject of the main verb, Latin uses the reflexive sē. Caesar dīcit sē venīre = "Caesar says that HE (himself) is coming" — never omit it.