CLT: Lesson - Gerundive Uses - Expressing Purpose
Gerundive Uses - Expressing Purpose
Gerundives are rarely used as a normal participle or adjective. The gerundive is commonly used to express obligation in the nominative case and to express purpose in the genitive, dative, accusative, and ablative cases. Let's look at some examples of how we use it in each of the various cases.
Expressions of Purpose using Gerundives
For all cases other than the nominative, gerundives are used to express purpose. Let's explore examples in each case.
| Case | Explanation | Latin Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genitive | The genitive noun + gerundive is used with causa or gratia which means for the sake of. The genitive form of the gerundive always goes before causa or gratia. | Caesar ad Galliam hostium vincendorum causa profectus est. |
Translation 1: Caesar traveled to Gaul for the sake of conquering the enemy. Translation 2: Caesar traveled to Gaul to conquer the the enemy. |
| Dative | The dative case is used as the indirect object or with certain adjectives expressing utility, like utilis. |
Indirect Object: Caesar multum tempus militibus exercendis dedicavit. Adjective: Caesar putat milites esse utiles proeliis oppugnandis. |
Indirect Object: Caesar devoted a lot of time to training his soldiers. Adjective: Caesar thinks that the soldiers are useful for fighting battles. |
| Accusative | If the gerundive modifies a noun in the accusative case, it is used as the object of the preposition ad. | Caesar ad Galliam ad hostes vincendos profectus est. | Caesar traveled to Gaul to defeat the enemy. |
| Ablative | If the gerundive modifies a noun in the ablative case, it is used as an ablative of means, which means there will be no preposition. | Caesar hostibus vincendis Galliam conficere paravit. | Caesar planned to completely subdue Gaul by (means of) defeating his enemies. |
Additional Notes
The noun with which the gerundive agrees in these constructions is treated as the object of the action. For example, the phrase: hostes vicendos = the enemy who is to be defeated. When expressed as a purpose, that phrase would be translated: to defeat the enemy.