INDIRECT STATEMENT
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ITS USE
 Used when the words (or beliefs, or thoughts) of a speaker are reported ‘indirectly’ and so normally introduced by a verb to do with ‘saying’, ‘knowing’ or ‘believing’. Latin uses the
‘accusative and infinitive’ construction – i.e. the subject of the statement is put in the accusative and the verb is put in the infinitive. (If there is also an object, it remains in the accusative.)
 This construction is very common in Latin and can be introduced with a noun which simply implies speech.
nuntium accepi servos templum intravisse. I received a message (saying) that the slaves had entered the temple.
 Often, you will see several indirect statements follow one another without repetition of the initial verb of speaking/thinking.
dixit servos templum intravisse; custodes effugisse; servos simulacrum commovere.
INFINITIVES
 Latin has infinitives in present, future and perfect tenses, both active and passive (see below). The tense of the infinitive in indirect statement is the same as the tense of the verb of the original statement.
Cicero in urbe est. Ciceronem in urbe esse dixit.. (present infinitive)
Cicero in urbe fuit.
Cicero in urbe erit.
Ciceronem in urbe fuisse dixit. (perfect infinitive)
Ciceronem in urbe futurum esse dixit. (future infinitive)
FORMATION OF INFINTIVES
ACTIVE PASSIVE
PRESENT amare amari
PERFECT amavisse amatus esse
FUTURE amaturus esse amatum iri
In reality there is no future passive infinitive. Use the supine with iri (passive infinitive of eo ‘to go’) and translate it just as if it is an infinitive.
AGREEMENT
 As the subject of Accusative and Infinitive clauses is in the accusative, the future infinitive active and the perfect infinitive passive will also need to be in the accusative case, agreeing with the subject in number and gender. audio Gallos a Caesare victos esse. I hear that the Gauls have been defeated by Caesar.
 Note that the ‘supine’ used in the future infinitive passive (ending in –um) does not decline and should not be made to agree with anything.
PRONOUNS
 The reflexive pronoun se is used when the person referred to in the statement is the same as the subject of the verb of speaking/thinking.
‘I am sitting.’
He said that he (the speaker) was sitting. dixit se sedere.
JACT LATIN SUMMER SCHOOL GRAMMAR CLINIC: INDIRECT STATEMENT

‘You made a mistake.’
He said that he (the person to whom he was speaking) had made a mistake. dixit illum erravisse.
NEGATIVE
 Latin does not usually use dico with a negative to express the idea that ‘I say… not’. Use nego.
negat servos templum intravisse. He says that the slaves did not enter the temple.
SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
In indirect speech, the verb in a subordinate clause is normally in the subjunctive. mercator respondit servos qui vinum effunderent magno pretio emptos esse.
The merchant replied that the slaves who were pouring out the wine had been bought at a high price.
And some to try…
1. spero vos me non risuros esse.
2. Hispaniam olim provinciam Romanam fuisse dicunt.
3. puella mihi dixit se dono meo delectatam esse.
4. negavi me ante adventum tuum abiturum esse.
5. mercator togas ab omnibus amari scit.
JACT LATIN SUMMER SCHOOL GRAMMAR CLINIC: INDIRECT STATEMENT