feeling

Dative of Feeling (Ethical Dative).—The personal pro nouns of the first and second person are often used to denote the interest of the speaker, or to secure the interest of the person spoken to, in an action or statement.

μέμνησθέ μοι μὴ θορυβεῖν pray remember not to make a disturbance P. A. 27b, ἀμουσότεροι γενήσονται ῡ̔μῖν οἱ νέοι your young men will grow less cultivated P. R. 546d, τοιοῦτο ῡ̔μῖν ἐστι ἡ τυραννίς such a thing, you know, is despotism Hdt. 5.92 η, Ἀρταφέρνης ῡ̔μῖν Ὑστάσπεός ἐστι παῖς Artaphernes, you know, is Hystaspes' son 5. 30. The dative of feeling may denote surprise: ὦ μῆτερ, ὡς καλός μοι ὁ πάππος oh mother, how handsome grandpa is X. C. 1.3.2. With the dative of feeling cp. “knock me here” Shakesp. T. of Sh. 1. 2. 8, “study me how to please the eye” L. L. L. i. 1. 80. τοὶ surely, often used to introduce general statements or maxims, is a petrified dative of feeling (= σοί).

a. This dative in the third person is very rare (αὐτῇ in P. R. 343a).

b. This construction reproduces the familiar style of conversation and may often be translated by I beg you, please, you see, let me tell you, etc. Sometimes the idea cannot be given in translation. This dative is a form of 1481.