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Salvete,omnes

I was trying to read the materials in the textbook with the aid of the Latin English Vocabulary,and when I was in the story of Hercules killing the lion, I got some problem in understanding:
"Eurytheus,qui perterrebatur vi et corpore ingenti Herculis et eum OCCIDI studebat"
I guess the uppercase word is in present passive infinitive,my question is why isn't it active instead,ie,OCCIDERE?
VALEATIS!!

RVNICVS

Studeo can take the accusative infinitive construction. Thus, read eum occidi together: for him to be killed. Make more sense, now?

I would have expected the active infinitive myself.

-David[/i]

Hi Runicus and Bellum,

I think if the infinitive active was used it would imply that Eurytheus himself would like to kill Hercules. As he is terrified by Hercules he desires that Hercules to be killed, but not by him, and then the usage of the passive form.

At least it was the way I took it when I translated this text.

Hope this helps,

Andrus

I think you're right, Andrus. Maybe in English we could render this as, "he was eager to have him killed."

-David

I’m not the best person to analyze the English aspect, but I think it is a good translation.

When I translated it I come with “he was eager that Hercules would be killed?, but now I’m not sure if this is good English. It is also, I think, a more free translation.

Andrus