Salvēte, amīcī.
A couple of questions about the supine, if you’d be so kind…
a) How widely do we interpret the idea of ‘motion verbs’ - can you use it with quaerere, for example, where there is a hint of motion,figuratively at least?; and
b) The examples I have seen (in LLPSI) are relating to intransitive ideas, I think. e.g ambulātum exīre. Can the supine also be used for transitive ideas?
E.g. can I legitimately say, in response to the question Unde venit tabellārius and quem quaerit? the following:
Tusculō venit et erum iānitōris epistulum dātum quaerit or must I use the infinitive here?
Many thanks
David
Aargh - sorry, just found the answer to my second question (=‘Yes’), so please ignore that.
But I’d still be interested in the first question - how far does the concept of a motion verb extend.
Thanks
David
Si supino utaris, fortassè hoc: // If you want to use the supine, maybe this (?):
“He comes from Tusculum to look for the porter’s master so he might deliver [him] a letter.”
“Tusculo venit quaesitum erum janitoris ut [illi] epistulam tradat.”
I think you may be thinking about this in A&G:
Hoc apud A&G tractas, nisi fallor:
The way to think of it, I suspect, is to believe that a supine can be used with a motion verb (venire, ire etc) for situations where motion is less obvious; for example, “amatum [the supine] iri” is like “amaturos esse” = “that they are going to love” (no actual motion).
Meliùs est ità comprendere, ut suspicor: licet supino uti cum verbo motûs (ut venire, ut ire), etsi motûs non manifesti. Exempli gratiâ, “amatum [supinum] iri”, quod synonymum “amaturos esse” verbi est et motûs inops.
Adriane,
Thanks for both posts. I hadn’t seen the A&G entry (managed to confuse myself without it…) but your explanation is very helpful.
Regards
David.