Adverbial accusative?

Latin Learning Latin
1

Hi all,

I have been trying to translate the following sentence:

Multum et diu clamat lanius, sed Pseudolus nihil respondet.

The use of the accusative multum has been confusing me. Is it an adverbial accusative? If so how would i translate multum as an adverb? ( is much ok?) Here’s my best shot at translating this sentence:

The butcher shouts much and for a long time, but Pseudolus replies nothing.

thanks everyone,
deccius

2

One way to translate the adverb multum is to use the analogous English adjective/adverb “much”, as you did. Many adverbs are formed like this from (usually neuter) accusatives, as facile, parum, nihil (adv.), aeternum (adv.), statim, partim, etc.

I find it interesting that adverbial multum gave you pause, but adverbial nihil (= “not at all”) did not.

3

So nihil is also used as an adverbial accusative?

…but Pseudolus doesn’t reply at all.

4

It can be considered so, or as direct object of respondet. nihil as an adverb is a stronger alternative to non.