[1] A noun in the dative case occurring mainly after the verb esse, the dative indicating the purpose of that noun or the result which is achieved by that noun; this is known as the predicative dative or the dative of purpose and result. English can convey a similar idea using expressions such as: ‘as a’, ‘a cause of’, ‘a source of’ or ‘a means of’, for example:
- How can I be ¦ of assistance to you?
- I don’t think that’s ¦ of much use.
- I did it ¦ as a favour to him.
- I use these glasses ¦ as a means of / for protection.
- That is ¦ (a cause) of great concern to me.
- That’s ¦ (a source) of benefit
The Latin equivalent
is in the dative case:
Puella mihi est
cūrae │The girl is a concern / (a source / cause) of
concern to me i.e. the noun serves the purpose of causing concern
[2] This
construction most often appears not only with [i] the noun that expresses the
purpose but also [ii] the person / thing for whom / which the purpose is
intended or who is affected by it, known as the dative of reference
Since both are in
the dative case this is known in grammar as the double dative:
Puella [ii] mihi
(dative of reference) est [i] cūrae (dative of purpose) │The girl is [i]
of concern [ii] to me
bellum est [i]
exitiō (dative of purpose) ¦ [ii] incolīs (dative of reference)│
war brings destruction to the inhabitants = Literally: war is [i] a source /
cause of destruction ¦ [ii] to the inhabitants
Illa fēmina, quae
līberōs interfēcit [i] odiō (dative of purpose) [ii] omnibus (dative
of reference) est. │ That woman who killed her own children is hated by
everyone = Literally … is [i] a source of hatred [ii] for everybody
Caesar omnem ex
castrīs equitātum [ii] suīs (dative of reference) [i] auxiliō
(dative of purpose) mīsit. (Caesar) │ Caesar sent all the cavalry in the camp
[i] as a relief (for the purpose of relief) [ii] to his
men
[i] Māgnō
ūsuī (dative of purpose) [ii] nostrīs (dative of reference) fuit
(Caesar) │ It was [i] of great service [ii] to our men.
Below are examples
of nouns which use this construction:
argūmentō esse: to be proof
auxiliō esse: to
be a help; to be of help
bonō esse: to
benefit; to be (a source) of benefit
cūrae esse: to be a
concern; to be (a cause) of concern
dolōrī esse: to be
a cause of grief
dōnō esse: to be
(as a) gift (Compare English: he gave him a gift │ He gave a book to him as
a gift.)
Hōs librōs dōnō
mīsit │ He sent these books as a gift
exemplō esse: to
be (as) an example (Compare English: I’ll show this picture to you ¦ as
an example.)
nōbīs ¦ exemplō fuit ad imitandum │ He
was ¦ an example ¦ for us ¦ to imitate
exitiō esse: to
bring destruction; to be a source of destruction
honōrī esse: to be
an honour
laudī esse: to be
a credit
malō esse: to be a
cause / source of harm
mūnerī esse: to be
(as a favour); to be of service
odiō esse: to be
an object of hatred
onerī esse: to be
a burden
perīculō esse: to
be a (source of) danger
praesidiō esse: to
be a means of protection
pudōrī esse: to be
a cause / source of shame
salūtī esse: to be
a salvation
subsidiō esse: to
be (a source of) help / support
ūsuī esse: to be
of use (to benefit)
Exercise
Translate the
following sentences:
- Patriae nostrae (dative of purpose) ¦ magnō exitiō (dative of reference) fuit id bellum.
- Cui (dative of reference) ¦ bonō (dative of purpose) scelus erat?
- Equōs prīncipī hostium dōnō mīsit.
- Suīs ¦ salūtī fuit.
- Perīculō est cīvibus in viīs mediā nocte ambulāre.
- Magnō ūsuī ¦ nostrīs cōnsilium erat.
- Tertiam aciem ¦ nostrīs ¦ auxiliō ¦ mīsit.
____________________
- That was was a great cause of destruction for our country.
- Who benefitted from the crime?
- He sent horses to the enemy chieftain as a gift.
- He was the salvation of his men.
- The advice was of great use to our men.
- It is dangerous for the citizens to walk in the streets in the middle of the night.
- He sent the third (battle-) line as a help to our men.
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