Qui sibi nomen imposuit

[Timothée]

The famous formula upon the declaration of new pope goes as follows:

Annuntio uobis gaudium magnum: habemus papam, eminentissimum ac reuerendissimum dominum Georgium Marium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Bergoglio, qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum.

I watched the broadcasts of the last two of these ceremonies on Youtube, and the second last one goes, ‘— — qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedicti Decimi Sexti.’

Which one is correct Latin, the papal name in accusative or genitive? I’d think it’s the accusative, but even if so, on which grounds? I’m sure I should know this one, but I’m struggling a little on the construction. It won’t compare with docere aliquid aliquem with two accusatives, will it?

[rothbard]

I think this is an "appositional genitive". See here towards the end of the page.

[mwh]

Both are “correct,” just as you can say “he took the name Francis” or “he took the name of Francis.” I guess the difference has something to do with the ordinal. Strictly speaking Ratzinger took the name Benedict; that made him the 16th pope of that name.
But it does seem an odd formula, and I don’t really understand why it should be different. In fact I reply only as an excuse to recommend Nanni Moretti’s Habemus Papam. I saw it in France in the original Italian; Benedict resigned the following year.

[cb]

hi, the question has already been answered above, but as an aside in case useful, for golden age syntax one of my go-to books is lebreton's études sur la langue et la gramm. de cicéron – this question is covered on pgs 85-86 (giving both alternatives where the word cited is declinable, and lots of e.g.s):

http://archive.org/stream/tudessurlalan ... 6/mode/1up (section 1(a) on pg 85, plus the remarque on pg 86)

cheers, chad

[Timothée]

Thank you all for your replies. I feel a bit silly now, but I should really be used to it. Chad’s good reference directed my thoughts towards the newish Lehrbuch der lateinischen Syntax und Stilistik (3rd ed. 2007), founded upon Menge’s Repetitorium der lateinischen Syntax und Stilistik (1873) und based solely upon the Caesarean and Ciceronian corpora.

Here’re some examples taken from § 285 (Der Nominativ):
uox uoluptatis (fin. 2,6) “the word ‘desire’”
Victoriam conclamant (Gall. 5,37,3) “They shout ‘Victory!’”
Cato cognomen iam habebat in senectute sapientis (Lael. 6) “Already in old age Cato had the sobriquet ‘wise’”
Triste est nomen carendi (Tusc. 1,87) “The word ‘dearth’ is dreadful”
‘Burrum’ semper Ennius dicit, numquam ‘Pyrrhum’ (orat. 160) “Ennius says always ‘Burrus’ instead of ‘Pyrrhus’”
Inest uelle in carendo (Tusc. 1,88) “The word ‘dearth’ comprehends [the concept of] ‘wanting’”
Nomen amicitiae ductum est ab amando (fin. 2,78) “The word ‘amicitia’ is derived from ‘amare’”

And here some taken from § 325 (Konstruktion der Verba nominandi)
Duo sunt Roscii, quorum alteri Capitoni cognomen est (S. Rosc. 17)
Sibi habeant sapientiae nomen (Lael. 18)
Perniciosis etiam rebus nomen deorum tribuebatur (nat. deor. 3,63)
Praedae nomen cellae impones? (Verr. II 3,197)
Opponebant illi nomen P. Africani (Verr. II 4,75)
Nomen ei rei katalepsin imposuit (ac. 2,145)