Breakdown of Discipuli credunt magistram verum dixisse, et eam libenter audiunt.
et
and
discipulus
the student
magistra
the female teacher
dicere
to say
Questions & Answers about Discipuli credunt magistram verum dixisse, et eam libenter audiunt.
Why is magistram in the accusative, even though in English she’s the subject of “said”?
Because Latin often reports what someone thinks/says using an indirect statement (also called accusative + infinitive). In an indirect statement:
- the “subject” of the reported clause goes into the accusative → magistram
- the verb becomes an infinitive → dixisse
So Discipuli credunt magistram … dixisse = “The students believe (that) the teacher … said …”.
What exactly is the construction after credunt?
credunt (“they believe”) commonly takes an indirect statement:
- magistram = accusative subject of the indirect statement
- dixisse = infinitive verb of the indirect statement
- verum = what was said (object of dixisse)
So the core pattern is: credunt + [ACC] + [INF].
Why is the verb dixisse (perfect infinitive) instead of dicere (present infinitive)?
Infinitive tense in indirect statement is usually relative to the main verb:
- present infinitive (dicere) = happening at the same time as the believing
- perfect infinitive (dixisse) = happening the believing