Item Caesar, animō ad dīmicandum parātus, exercitum suum ēdūxit et septem cohortibus (1) praesidiō [dative] (2) castrīs [dative] relictīs cōpiās triplicī aciē īnstrūxit.
- Caesar likewise, his mind prepared for battle, led out his army and, seven cohorts having been left behind (1) as a guard (2) for the camp [ = to guard the camp], drew up his forces in a triple line.
You can see that there are two nouns in the dative case. We
will look at these separately.
(1) praesidiō: the dative of purpose
We have a noun in the dative case very often (but not
exclusively) occurring after the verb esse, the dative indicating the purpose
of that noun or the result which is achieved by that noun; this is also known
as the predicative dative or the dative of purpose and result.
septem cohortibus (1) praesidiō … relīctīs
- seven cohorts having been left behind (1) as a guard …
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?
- I did it ¦ as a favour.
- I use these glasses ¦ as a means of / for protection.
- That is ¦ (a cause) of great concern.
- That’s ¦ (a source) of benefit
Below are examples of nouns which commonly 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.)
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)
(2) castrīs: the dative of reference
septem cohortibus (1) praesidiō (2) castrīs …
relīctīs
- seven cohorts having been left behind (1) as a guard (2) for the camp
This indicates the person / thing for whom /
which the purpose is intended or who is affected by it:
Since this construction most often occurs with the two parts,
it is known as the double dative:
(1) Māgnō ūsuī [dative of purpose] (2) nostrīs [dative
of reference] fuit (Caesar)
- It was (1) of great service (2) to our men.
Translations may not convey the double dative so literally:
bellum est (1) exitiō ¦ (2) incolīs
[Literally: war is (1) a source / cause of destruction
¦ (2) to the inhabitants]
- War brings destruction to the inhabitants.
Illa fēmina, quae līberōs interfēcit (1) odiō [ii] omnibus
est.
[Literally: That woman
who killed her own children is (1) a source of hatred (2) for everybody
- That woman who killed her own children is hated by everyone.
The order may be reversed:
Puella (2) mihi [dative of reference] est (1)
cūrae [dative of purpose]
- The girl is (1) of concern (2) to me
(2) nōbīs (1) exemplō fuit ad
imitandum │ He was (1) an example (2) for us to imitate
Caesar omnem ex castrīs equitātum (2) suīs (1) auxiliō
mīsit. (Caesar)
- Caesar sent all the cavalry in the camp (1) as a relief (for the purpose of relief) (2) to his men
A neat way of remembering this construction is a two word
quotation from Cicero:
Cui [dative of reference] bonō
[dative of purpose]?
[Literally: to whom (is it) of advantage?]
- Who benefits?
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/030525-level-3-verbs-with-dative-case-9.html
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