L
ATIN FOR
R
ESEARCH IN THE
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UMANITIES
S EMINAR 8
G ERUNDS AND G ERUNDIVES
Gerunds and gerundives appear with great regularity in both classical and post-classical Latin, and are remarkable for the efficiency with which they express certain concepts. The basic difference between the two is that the gerund is a verbal noun, while the gerundive is a verbal adjective.
(1) The Gerund
The infinitive and the gerund are both verbal nouns : that is to say that while they are formally part of a verb, the function as nouns. They are not, however, interchangeable: each has certain functions, which the other never performs. Together, they form a complete
‘declension’ for the verbal noun.:
I NFINITIVE
Nom. ( subj. or complement )
Acc. ( object of a verb ) vincere erit facile vincere volumus
Acc. ( after a preposition )
Gen. ( with a noun or adj.
) ad vincendum vicendi occasio
G ERUND
Dat. ( e.g. I do my best to win ) vincendo operam do
Abl. ( instrumental, or with prep.
) vincendo se liberabunt
The gerund is not used as a subject, object or complement; and the infinitive is not used in other ways.
The gerund is formed in following way:
1 st
conj.
Ind. Present
Present Active Infinitive
Acc. Gerund
Gen. Gerund
Dat. Gerund
Abl. Gerund porto portare portandum portandi portando portando
2 nd
conj. doceo docere docendum docendi docendo docendo
3 rd
conj. traho trahere trahendum trahendi trahendo trahendo
4 th
conj. audio audire audiendum audiendi audiendo audiendo
Note that the gerund is a neuter noun, and has no plural.
Perhaps the most important point to note is that the gerund has an active meaning.
(a) Uses of the Gerund
•
As an accusative , primarily with ad . This usually expresses purpose:
Multi homines ad audiendum aderant.
Many men were there to listen.
Common examples of collocations involving ad + gerund include: idoneus ad… suitable for… aptus ad… suitable for… natus ad… born to… missus ad… sent to…
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creatus ad… elected to…
•
As a genitive :
Optimam habeo occasionem cognoscendi quid acciderit.
I have an excellent opportunity of finding out what has happened.
Gerunds in the genitive often depend on nouns such as the following: facultas occasio potestas cupido stadium causa opportunity, chance ars desire desire reason tempus signum initium finis time art end
( for signal (
) for, to beginning
)
The genitive of the gerund is used especially with the ablatives causa and gratia to indicate purpose. Notice that the gerund comes before causa and gratia .
Deliberandi causa convenimus.
We have met for the purpose of debating.
The genitive gerund can also be used with certain adjectives: scribendi peritus videndi cupidus eundi studiosus skilled in writing desirous of seeing eager to go
•
The dative is used with verbs such as studio (I am keen on), operam do (I do my best to, I give attention to):
Operam scribendo dedit.
He gave his attention to writing.
Sometimes – although rarely – the dative of the gerund is used to express purpose.
•
As an ablative , mostly as an instrumental ablative or as an ablative of manner:
Fortiter pugnando hostes vicerunt.
By fighting bravely, they defeated the enemy .
Note that since the gerund is a verb , it is qualified by an adverb (e.g. ‘fortiter’ in the example above).
The ablative can also be used with in and de :
In disputando tempus consumunt.
They spend the time in discussing.
(b) Exercises
(1) Tres milites tabernam ad bibendum ingressi sunt.
(2) Omnes homines debent artem bene dicendi discere.
(3) Ancilla tua, fideliter decem annos serviendo, libertatem meruit.
(4) Ad bene vivendum breve tempus satis est longum. (Cicero)
(5) Cupidus te audiendi sum. (Cicero)
(6) Par est disserendo. (Cicero)
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(2) The Gerundive
The gerundive is a verbal adjective . It is formed in the following way:
Ind. Present
Present Active Infinitive
1 st
conj. porto portare
2 nd
conj. doceo docere
3 rd
conj. traho trahere
4 th
conj. audio audire
Gerundive portandus docendus trahendus audiendus
Gerundives change their endings in the same way as bonus (see appendix for a reminder).
Note that – in contrast to the gerund – the gerundive has a passive meaning.
(a) Uses of the Gerundive
•
One of the most common uses of the gerundive is to express something that must or ought to be done with a form of the verb sum . A gerundive used with part of sum is called a gerundive of obligation . There are three further points to note about gerundives of obligation.
(i) If the verb from which the gerundive is derived is intransitive , the nominative neuter of the gerundive is used with part of esse to form an impersonal passive construction.
Eundem est.
One must go .
(ii) If the verb is transitive , its gerundive is used as a predicative adjective:
Caesari omnia uno tempore erant agenda. C AESAR
All things had to be done by Caear at one time .
(iii) The dative is used to indicate the person who has to do the action:
Longum iter mihi faciendum erat.
I had to make a long journey .
[lit.
A long journey was having to be made to me .]
•
As an accusative , with ad . Note that the gerundive agrees with the noun on which it depends.
Ad pacem petendam venerunt. L
IVY
They came to seek peace.
[lit. They came for peace having-to-be-sought ]
Iuvenis ad epistulam legendam consedit.
The young man sat down to read the letter.
•
As a genitive :
Navis servendae causa, magnam mercis partem in mare eiecerunt.
To save the ship, they jettisoned a large part of the cargo .
Note that while this is similar in its nature to the use of a genitive gerund, the gerundive agrees in case, number, and gender with the noun on which it depends (in this case, navis ). Obviously, this is because of the adjectival nature of gerundives.
Note also the fact that the gerundive is also found with common ablatives like causa , as with the gerund.
•
As a dative :
Milites omnem operam armis parandis dabant.
The soldiers were giving all of their attention to preparing their weapons.
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•
As an ablative :
Custodibus decipiendis, e carcere effugi.
By deceiving the guards, I escaped from the prison .
(b) Exercises
(1) Frater meus in ripa fluminis sedere solebat, ad pisces capiendos.
(2) Caesar artem belli gerendi bene sciebat.
(3) Fabri omnem operam templo perficiendo dabant.
(4) Flammae extinguendae sunt.
(5) Avarus occasionem pecuniae recipiendae amisit.
(3) Appendix: Declining Gerundives
Example: portandus masculine
Singular
Plural nominative portand i accusative genitive dative ablative portand portand portand os orum is portand is feminine nominative. portand us accusative portand um portand portand a am genitive dative ablative portand portand portand i o o portand portand portand ae ae a portand portand
portand portand ae as is portand is arum neuter portand portand portand portand portand portand portand
portand portand i um um o o a a is orum portand is
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