The Subjective Infinitive
In English, we use infinitives for a host of different things. In Latin, there are only four uses, one of which you have already learned, namely, the complementary infinitive. The other three are the subjective infinitive, the objective infinitive, and the main verb in a construction called indirect statement.
The tense value of infinitives, like participles, is relative to the tense of the main verb. A present infinitive always shows something happening at the same time as the main verb, the perfect before, and the future after.
As its name suggests, the subjective infinitive acts as the subject of the main verb. Since infinitives have no personal endings, they are ideally suited as subjects for so-called impersonal verbs.
The term “impersonal” uses the word “person” in the grammatical sense. In English, we see impersonal verbs very often in expressions relating to the weather. For example, “it is snowing.” What does the “it” refer to? If the answer is “the sky,” why not just say so? Furthermore, pronouns are used to stand for things that have already been mentioned (i.e., antecedents). With impersonal verbs in English, the antecedent is not expressed. In other expressions, such as “it is crucial …,” the “it” is a place-marker for something that hasn't been expressed yet. In the sentence “It is crucial that you submit everything on time,” “that you submit everything on time” is actually the subject — it is the “it” that is crucial.
Latin, like English, uses impersonal verbs to describe the weather (e.g., ningit [“it is snowing”]), and it also has impersonal expressions such as necesse est. In Latin, however, an infinitive phrase is usually used to express the subject of this impersonal expression. Necesse est canibus cibum dare. (“It is necessary to give food to the dogs.”) What is necesse? The infinitive phrase canibus cibum dare is what is necessary. Since this phrase — with its infinitive — is the subject, this infinitive use is called “subjective.”
These impersonal verbs take dative objects:
libet: |
Tē vidē re mihi libet. |
(it pleases) |
(It pleases me to see you; i.e., I am happy …) |
placet: |
Venī mē cum sī tibi placet. |
(it pleases) |
(Come with me if it pleases you; i.e., … if you like.) |
licet: |
Tibi mē cum venī re licet. |
(it is allowed) |
(It is allowed for you to come with me; i.e., You may …) |
opus est: |
Tibi mē cum venī re opus est. |
(there is need) |
(There is need that you come with me; i.e., you need to …) |
necesse est: |
Tibi mē cum venī re necesse est. |
(it is necessary) |
(It is necessary that you come with me; i.e., you must …) |
These impersonal verbs take accusative objects:
oportet: |
Tē mē cum venī re oportet. |
(one should): |
(You ought to come with me.) |
decet: |
Tē mē cum venī re decet. |
(it is proper) |
(It is proper that you come with me.) |
iuvat: |
ō lim et haec meminisse iuvabit. |
(it is pleasing) |
(Someday even this will be pleasing to remember.) |
Latin also has impersonal verbs to express certain emotional situations.
For this special set of verbs, there are some unusual grammatical constructions that need to be memorized. Translating them literally would make absolutely no sense. They can use subjective infinitives or infinitive phrases for their subjects, though they can also use nouns.
Despite the Romans' reputation for frankness and stolid constitution, the linguistic convention of impersonal verbs offers a glimpse into the true mind and heart of the Roman people. They were not especially shy, but they did possess a reserved attitude toward certain things. Concepts of duty, shame, boredom, sluggishness, and urgency were more comfortably shoved off to an impersonal agent that thrust unhappy situations on unwitting victims.
The following impersonals are found with a genitive showing the source of the feeling and an accusative for the person affected:
miseret (it causes pity): Tuī mē miseret. (I pity you.)
paenitet (to cause regret): Frā ris tuī mē paenitet. (I'm sorry about your brother.)
piget (it disgusts): Istius mē piget. (That man disgusts me.)
pudet (it causes shame): Tuī mē pudet. (I am ashamed of you.)
taedet (it tires): Sermī nis mē taedet. (The conversation bores me.)
