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Misit Frumentatum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2009

C. W. F. Lydall
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Extract

This article, which makes no claim to scholastic profundity, arose from a discussion as to whether the use of a supine to translate a purpose clause after misit was admissible in G.C.E. ‘A’ level Latin Prose.

This construction, which describes action as a goal of motion, is explained in probably all syntax books used in schools: e.g. North and Hillard, Latin Prose Composition, has a note (p. 110) in which the following examples are given of ways to express purpose:

Legates misit ut pacem peterent

qui pacem peterent

ad pacem petendam

pacis petendae causā

pacem petitum

It is also noted that the future participle (pacem petituros) occasionally occurs in this sense. This use is so rare that I do not propose to consider it.

Type
Research Article
Information
Greece & Rome , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , October 1969 , pp. 169 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1969

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References

page 169 note 1 I should like to express my gratitude to Dr. A. J. Gossage, of King's College, London, who both encouraged this article from the outset, and also read it in draft and suggested some valuable improvements. He is, of course, not responsible for its accuracy or for any of the views expressed.

page 169 note 2 The supine is also used in one or two phrases with verbs not generally regarded as verbs of motion. The only such examples in the works here examined are nuptum collocare (Caes.) and nuptum dare (twice in Livy). Presumably motion was felt to be implied.

page 169 note 3 In order to avoid vain repetition, ‘supine’ is used throughout this article to mean the supine in -um, excluding its use in the ‘future infinitive passive’.