Topic · from the English index · as printed

Striving

verbs of, with genitive

THE PARTITIVE GENITIVE

The genitive is used with verbs signifying to aim at, strive after, desire (genitive of the end desired).

ἀνθρώπων στοχάζεσθαι to aim at men X. C. 1.6.29, ἐφῑέμενοι τῶν κερδῶν desiring gain T. 1.8, πάντες τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπιθῡμοῦσιν all men desire what is good P. R. 438a, τὸ ἐρᾶν τῶν καλῶν the passionate love of what is noble Aes. 1.137, πεινῶσι χρημάτων they are hungry for wealth X. S. 4. 36, πόλις ἐλευθερίᾱς διψήσᾱσα a state thirsting for freedom P. R. 562c. So with ὀϊστεύειν shoot at (poet.), λιλαίεσθαι desire (poet.), γλίχεσθαι desire. φιλεῖν love, ποθεῖν long for take the accusative.

with object clause

OBJECT CLAUSES AFTER VERBS OF EFFORT

Verbs of effort include verbs denoting to take care or pains, to strive.

ἐπιμελοῦμαι, μέλει μοι, μελετῶ, φρουρῶ, πρόνοιαν ἔχω, βουλεύομαι, μηχανῶμαι, παρασκευάζομαι, προθῡμοῦμαι, πρᾱ́ττω, πάντα ποιῶ (ποιοῦμαι), σπουδάζω, etc.

a. The same construction follows certain verbs of will signifying to ask, command, entreat, exhort , and forbid, and which commonly take the infinitive (αἰτῶ, δέομαι, παραγγέλλω, ἱκετεύω, δια- or παρακελεύομαι, ἀπαγορεύω, etc.).

b. Some verbs take, by analogy, but in negative clauses only, the construction either of verbs of effort or of verbs of fearing. These verbs signify to see to a thing: ὁρῶ, σκοπῶ (-οῦμαι), ἐσκεψάμην, σκεπτέον ἐστί, τηρῶ; to be on one's guard: εὐλαβοῦμαι, φροντίζω, φυλάττω (-ομαι). See 2220.

These verbs may take μή with the infinitive. εὐλαβοῦμαι and φυλάττομαι take the infinitive when they mean to guard against doing something.