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THE ACCUSATIVE.

172.  The Accusative is the Case of the Direct Object.

173.  The Direct Object may express either of the two following relations:—­

A. The PERSON OR THING AFFECTED by the action; as,—­

    consulem interfecit, he slew the consul;

    lego librum, I read the book.

B. The RESULT PRODUCED by the action; as,—­

    librum scripsi, I wrote a book (i.e. produced one);

    templum struit, he constructs a temple.

174.  Verbs that admit a Direct Object of either of these two types are TRANSITIVE VERBS.

  a.  Verbs that regularly take a Direct Object are sometimes used without
  it.  They are then said to be employed absolutely; as,—­

    rumor est meum gnatum amare, it is rumored that my son is in love.

Accusative of the Person or Thing Affected.

175. 1.  This is the most frequent use of the Accusative; as in—­

    parentes amamus, we love our parents;

    mare aspicit, he gazes at the sea.

2.  The following classes of Verbs taking an Accusative of this kind are worthy of note:—­

  a) Many Intransitive Verbs, when compounded with a Preposition, become
  Transitive.  Thus:—­

    1) Compounds of circum, praeter, trans; as,—­

    hostes circumstare, to surround the enemy;

    urbem praeterire, to pass by the city;

    muros transcendere, to climb over the walls.

    2) Less frequently, compounds of ad, per, in, sub; as,—­

    adire urbem, to visit the city;

    peragrare Italiam, to travel through Italy;

    inire magistratum, to take office;

    subire periculum, to undergo danger.

  b) Many Verbs expressing emotions, regularly Intransitive, have also a
  Transitive use; as,—­

    queror fatum, I lament my fate;

    doleo ejus mortem, I grieve at his death;

    rideo tuam stultitiam, I laugh at your folly.

  So also lugeo, maereo, mourn; gemo, bemoan; horreo, shudder, and
  others.

  c) The impersonals decet, it becomes; dedecet, it is unbecoming;
  juvat, it pleases, take the Accusative of the Person Affected; as,—­

    me decet haec dicere, it becomes me to say this.

  d) In poetry many Passive Verbs, in imitation of Greek usage, are
  employed as Middles (Sec. 256, 1; 2), and take the Accusative as Object;
  as,—­

    galeam induitur, he puts on his helmet;

    cinctus tempora hedera, having bound his temples with ivy;

    nodo sinus collecta, having gathered her dress in a knot.