Salvete omnes!
In chapter XI, the following passage reads:
Medicus: “Jam necesse est puerum dormire.”
Why is the accusative used here? Shouldn’t he to which something is necessary go to the dative?
You can also have the subject clause in the accusative + infinitive. See examples in the dictionary.
So while in English we would say “It is necessary to the boy to sleep”, equivalent to the Dative, in Latin we can either say “Necesse est puero dormire” or “Necesse est puerum dormire”?
Yes you can have it either way.
Necessest puerum dormire “It’s essential that the boy sleep” (acc. & inf.)
or Necessest puero dormire “It’s necessary for the boy to sleep" (specifying who it’s necessary for).
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Much thanks, Bedwere and Mwh!