Internal object

The direct object is of two kinds:

a. The internal object (object effected): ὁ ἀνὴρ τύπτει πολλᾱ̀ς πληγᾱ́ς the man strikes many blows.

N. 1.—Here the object is already contained (or implied) in the verb, and its addition is optional. The accusative of the internal object is sometimes called the accusative of content. The object stands in apposition to the result of the verbal action. The effect produced by the verb is either (1) transient, when the object is a nomen actionis, and disappears with the operation of the verb, as in μάχην μάχεσθαι to fight a battle, or (2) permanent, and remains after the verbal action has ceased, as in τεῖχος τειχίζειν to build a wall. The latter form is the accusative of result (1578).

N. 2.—Almost any verb may take one of the varieties of the internal object.

b. The external object (object affected): ὁ ἀνὴρ τύπτει τὸν παῖδα the man strikes the boy.

N.—Here the object is not contained in the verb, but is necessary to explain or define the character of the action in question. The external object stands outside the verbal action.

Many verbs may take an accusative either of the external or of the internal object: τέμνειν ῡ̔́λην fell timber, τέμνειν τᾱ̀ς τρίχας cut off the hair, τέμνειν ὁδόν open a road, but σπονδᾱ̀ς or ὅρκια τέμνειν, with a specialized verbal idea, to make a treaty by slaying a victim (pass. ὅρκια ἐτμήθη), τέμνειν ὁδόν make one's way (poet.), τειχίζειν χωρίον fortify a place, but τειχίζειν τεῖχος build a wall. Cp. E. Supp. 1060: A. νῑκῶσα νῑ́κην τίνα; μαθεῖν χρῄζω σέθεν. B. πᾱ́σᾱς γυναῖκας, κτλ. A. Victorious in what victory? This I would learn of thee. B. Over all women. Here the construction shifts from the internal to the external object.

The accusative of respect is probably in its origin, at least in part, an accusative of the internal object.

Most of these adverbial accusatives are accusatives of the internal object: thus, in τέλος δὲ εἶπε but at last he said, τέλος is to be regarded as standing in apposition to an unexpressed object of the verb—words, which were the end. Many adverbial accusatives are thus accusatives in apposition (991) and some are accusatives of respect (1600). It is impossible to apportion all cases among the varieties of the accusatives; many may be placed under different heads. The use of adjectives as adverbs (μέγα πλούσιος very rich) is often derived from the cognate accusative with verbs (μέγα πλουτεῖν).

ACCUSATIVE OF THE ARTICULAR INFINITIVE

a. Object (cp. 1989): δείσᾱς τὸ ζῆν fearing to live P. A. 28d, μεῖζον μέν φαμεν κακὸν τὸ ἀδικεῖν, ἔλᾱττον δὲ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι we call doing wrong a greater evil, being wronged a lesser P. G. 509c.

b. After prepositions: e.g. μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν τὸ πειθαρχεῖν φαίνεται εἰς τὸ καταπρᾱ́ττειν τᾱ̓γαθά obedience appears to be an advantage of the greatest importance with regard to the successful accomplishment of excellent objects X. C. 8.1.3, τῶν ἁπάντων ἀπερίοπτοί εἰσι παρὰ τὸ νῑκᾶν they are indifferent to everything in comparison with victory T. 1.41, πρὸς τὸ μετρίων δεῖσθαι πεπαιδευμένος schooled to moderate needs X. M. 1.2.1, πῶς ἔχεις πρὸς τὸ ἐθέλειν ἂν ἰέναι ἄκλητος ἐπὶ δεῖπνον; how do you feel about being willing to go uninvited to supper? P. S. 174a (cp. ἐθέλοις ἂν ἰέναι). Furthermore, after διά, ἐπί, κατά, μετά, περί.

c. The accusative of the infinitive with τό appears after many verbs and verbal expressions which usually take only the simple infinitive. Such verbal expressions may be followed also by a genitive of a noun. Thus, τὸ σπεύδειν δέ σοι παραινῶ I commend speed to thee S. Ph. 620, καρδίᾱς δ᾽ ἐξίσταμαι τὸ δρᾶν I withdraw from my resolution so as to ( = and) do this thing S. Ant. 1105, μαθὼν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἀρνοίμην τὸ δρᾶν when I am informed, I will not refuse the deed S. Ph. 118, τὸ προθῡμεῖσθαι δὲ συναύξειν τὸν οἶκον ἐπαιδεύομεν αὐτήν we trained her to show zeal in assisting to increase our estate X. O. 9.12 (cp. 1628), τὸ ἐρᾶν ἔξαρνος εἶ you refuse to love P. Lys. 205a.

d. So after adjectives. Thus, μακρὸς τὸ κρῖναι ταῦτα χὡ λοιπὸς χρόνος the future is long (i.e. time enough) to decide this S. El. 1030.

e. This object infinitive after verbs is often an internal accusative. The accusative after verbs and nouns is, in many cases, like an accusative of respect (1600); as τὸ δρᾶν οὐκ ἠθέλησαν they refused to do it S. O. C. 442, αἰσχῡ́νονται τὸ τολμᾶν they are ashamed to dare P. Soph. 247b, οὐδ᾽ ἐμοί τοι τοὐξανιστάναι ἐστὶ θάρσος nor have I courage to remove thee S. O. C. 47, τὸ μὲν ἐς τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἐσβάλλειν . . . ἱκανοί εἰσι they are able to make an inroad into our country T. 6.17. This infinitive after adjectives (and sometimes after verbs) occurs when the simple infinitive expresses purpose or result, as in τίς Μήδων . . . σοῦ ἀπελείφθη τὸ μή σοι ἀκολουθεῖν; what one of the Medes remained away from you so as not to attend you? X. C. 5.1.25.

f. Some verbs take the articular infinitive as an object when the simple infinitive could not be used: μόνον ὁρῶν τὸ παίειν τὸν ἁλισκόμενον taking heed only to strike any one he caught X. C. 1.4.21.

g. Verbs of saying and thinking rarely take the articular infinitive (also with ἄν): ἐξομεῖ τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι; wilt thou swear thou didst not know? S. Ant. 535, τῆς ἐλπίδος γὰρ ἔρχομαι δεδραγμένος, τὸ μὴ παθεῖν ἂν ἄλλο πλὴν τὸ μόρσιμον for I come with good grip on the hope that I can suffer nothing save what is my fate S. Ant. 235.

h. On the use of the object infinitive with τὸ μή and τὸ μὴ οὐ, see 2744 and 2749.

i. The accusative with the infinitive may stand in the absolute construction: ἐπεί γε τὸ ἐλθεῖν τοῦτον, οἶμαι θεόν τινα αὐτὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν ἀγαγεῖν τὴν τῑμωρίᾱν as for his coming, I believe that some god brought him to his very punishment Lyc. 91.

The impersonal character of the above expressions would not be shown by the genitive since the participle in that case marks a distinction between masculine (neuter) and feminine. The accusative absolute, which occurs first in Herodotus and the Attic prose writers of the fifth century, is probably in its origin an internal accusative, developed, at least in part, by way of apposition (991-994), the neuter of a participle or of an adjective standing in apposition to an idea in the leading clause. Thus, προσταχθὲν αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐτόλμησαν εἰσαγαγεῖν (Is. 1.22) they did not dare to bring him in—a duty that was enjoined (although it was enjoined) upon them. Cp. πείθει δ᾽ Ὀρέστην μητέρα . . . κτεῖναι, πρὸς οὐχ ἅπαντας εὔκλειαν φέρον he persuaded Orestes to slay his mother, a deed that brings not glory in the eyes of all E. Or. 30.