31.12.25: Level 3; indirect statement; the accusative-infinitive [5]; the present active infinitive

At this point, what you know about indirect statement in English, and in many other languages, you need to put aside.

“I’m going home.”

John says that he is going home. │ John said that he was going home.

English can shift the tense of the indirect statement depending on the tense of the verb which introduces it.

John says that he will go home at 5. │ John said that he would go home at 5.

Latin does not operate in that way. Regardless of whether the person said it, or is saying it, or will say it, the question is whether the statement refers to an ongoing situation or a general state of affairs at the point at which that statement is made.

[i] Dīcunt ¦ vōs hostēs vincere. │ They say ¦ that you are conquering the enemy.

[ii] Dīxērunt ¦ vōs hostēs vincere. │ They said ¦ that you were conquering the enemy.

At the point at which the statement is originally made, it is referring to a situation that is ongoing i.e. conquering the enemy.

Latin uses an infinitive and, to be precise, a present active infinitive because it will use other infinitives (which we will look at in later posts) to convey other relations of time.

[i] Crēdit ¦ patrem amāre filiās. │ He believes ¦ that the father loves the daughters.

[ii] Credidit ¦ patrem amāre filiās. │ He believed ¦ that the father loved the daughters.

His original belief was “the father loves the daughters” i.e. an ongoing situation at the time he had that thought. Therefore, Latin uses the present active infinitive. The main verb of the sentence changes tense, but the infinitive of the indirect statement remains the same.

Magister puerōs discere dīcit. │ The teacher says ¦ that the boys are studying.

Magister puerōs discere dīxit. │ The teacher said ¦ that the boys were studying.

Magister puerōs discere dīcet. │ The teacher will say ¦ that the boys are studying.

It doesn’t matter when he says, said or will say it; the present active infinitive shows that the action is ongoing.

Nūntiātum est ¦ adesse Scīpiōnem (Caesar) │ It was reported ¦ that Scipio was nearby.

What was actually reported at the time was “Scipio is nearby” and so Latin uses the present infinitive.

Further examples:

Frāter scit ¦ mē epistulam scrībere. │ My brother knows ¦ that I am writing a letter.

Nautae subitō sēnsērunt ¦ sē in maximō perīculō esse. │ The sailors suddenly sensed ¦ that they were in very great danger.

Nōn crēdēbam ¦ tē tam stultum esse, Sexte. │ I didn’t believe ¦ that you were so stupid, Sextus.

Brevī tempore cognōscēs ¦ uxōrem istum dē pecūniā fallere. │ In a short time you’ll learn ¦ that that wife of yours is deceiving you about the money.

Adsimulābō ¦ mē esse ēbrium (Plautus) │ I’ll pretend ¦ that I’m drunk.

Uxor eius dīxit ¦ sē in balneīs virīlibus lavārī velle (Gellius) │ His wife said ¦ that she wanted to bathe in the men’s baths.