Is this a complementary infinitive WITH a subject accusative? Exercitia Latina, Pars I, Capitulum XX, Exercitium 6, 11

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salvete.

I’m working my way through the exercises is the ‘Exercitia Latina, Pars I’ companion volume to LLPSI. As I do this I try to read around the subject and glean all I can from the process. When I reached Exercitium 6, question 11 I found what I am thinking is an example of a complementary infinitive WITH a subject accusative construction! I’d be very grateful for any insights into quite what is going on.

Question 11: Nemo infantem melius CURARE Potest quam mater.

First of all I should point out that the word ‘curare’ I have inserted as I think this is the missing word. I’m thinking that this is a complementary infinitive BUT would that not make the word ‘infantem’ a subject accusative?

Any pointers would be very much appreciated.

2

The sentence makes good sense, but I don’t know what you mean by a subject accusative. The only accusative here is infantem, which is simply the direct object of curare.

3

Ok, thanks for taking an interest but is the infinitive ‘curare’ a complementary infinitive?

4

Yes, it is. Meagan Ayer, Allen and Greenough’s New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-947822-04-7.

5

Thanks. I feel like I’m getting somewhere.

Perhaps predictably I must therefore ask… and if indeed the accusative is the subject of the infinitive then is this an example of a complementary infinitive WITH a subject accusative? I ask as that is what my, admittedly brief, reading of Allen and Greenough seems to say is not to be expected (see note at end of A & G, 456).

I just went back to that section and it does say ‘no subject accusative is in general admissible or conceivable. So can we interpret this to mean that such IS nevertheless possible with this construction?

Can anyone help with this as I my learning method is very much focussed on following leads and I feel like I’m onto something here.

6

Verbs which imply another action of the > same > subject to complete their meaning take the Infinitive without a subject accusative. >

Emphasis mine. Hence, the subject of cūrāre is nēmō.

7

I’d missed that detail, thanks. So if the subject of both verbs is ‘nemo’ I’m left wondering, in my ignorance, quite what role does the accusative have in this construction?

8

So the lack of subject accusative does not imply that there can be no accusative direct object as mwh pointed out above?

9

Consider this set of sentences:
nemo hoc dicit, no-one says this.
nemo hoc dicere potest, no-one is able to say this, no-one can say this.
nemo infantem curare potest, no-one is able to look after an infant, no-one can look after an infant.
nemo infantem melius curare potest, no-one is better able to look after an infant, no-one can look after an infant better.
nemo infantem melius curare potest quam mater, no-one is better able to look after an infant than a mother, no-one can look after an infant better than a mother.

No subject accusatives anywhere there. I think you might do better to just observe how it all fits together, without worrying too much about labels.

But if you really want a subject accusative here’s one:
nemo dicit me infantem curare posse, no-one says that I’m able to look after an infant.
me is the subject of the infinitive posse (an “accusative and infinitive” construction, used in indirect speech).
nemo dicit me posse, no-one says that I can.
(omnes negant me posse, everyone says that I can’t.)

10

Thanks. Just the sort of detail that Informs.