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Imperator scit opus grave esse, sed pacem servare vult.

Imperator scit opus grave esse, sed pacem servare vult.
The emperor knows that the task is serious, but he wants to preserve peace.
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Questions & Answers about Imperator scit opus grave esse, sed pacem servare vult.

Why does Latin use opus grave esse after scit instead of a “that …” clause?

After verbs of knowing/saying/thinking like scit, Latin very often uses the accusative + infinitive construction (often called ACI) to report a statement:

  • scit
    • opus (acc.)
      • grave (acc.)
        • esse (inf.)
          English typically uses “that …”; Latin typically uses ACI instead.
In opus grave esse, what exactly is in the accusative, and why?

In an ACI, the “subject” of the reported statement goes into the accusative. Here the subject of esse is opus.

  • opus is neuter, and neuter nominative = neuter accusative in form, so it looks the same, but syntactically it’s functioning as accusative subject of esse.
Why is grave neuter (grave) and not masculine/feminine (gravis)?

Because grave agrees with opus, which is neuter singular. The adjective gravis, grave has:

  • masculine/feminine: gravis
  • neuter: grave
    Agreement in gender, number, and case is why you see grave.
Could the word order be changed to Imperator scit opus esse grave?
Yes. Both opus grave esse and opus esse grave are normal. Latin word order is flexible; moving grave can shift emphasis slightly, but the grammar stays the same: it still agrees with opus, and esse is still the infinitive in an ACI.
Why is esse an infinitive and not a finite verb like est?
Because the clause after scit is not an independent sentence; it’s an embedded reported statement. In an ACI, Latin uses an infinitive (esse) rather than a finite verb (est).
Is the time of esse present, past, or future here?

Esse is a present infinitive, so it usually describes the situation as contemporary with the main verb: the commander knows (now) that the work is hard (now).
(If Latin wanted “was” or “will be,” it could use a different infinitive construction.)

Why does the second half say pacem servare vult and not pacem servat?

Because vult (“wants”) commonly takes a complementary infinitive: vult servare = “wants to preserve.”
So:

  • vult = main verb
  • servare = infinitive completing the meaning of vult
  • pacem = direct object of servare
Who is understood as the subject of servare?
Unless Latin states a different subject, the infinitive servare is understood to share the subject of the main verb vult—here, imperator. So it means “the commander wants (himself) to preserve peace.”
Why is pacem in the accusative?

Because servare is a transitive verb meaning “to preserve/keep/save,” and it takes a direct object in the accusative.

  • pax (nom.) = “peace” as a subject
  • pacem (acc.) = “peace” as an object
What does sed connect here, and does it change the structure of the sentence?

Sed (“but”) links two coordinated parts:
1) Imperator scit opus grave esse
2) pacem servare vult
It doesn’t change the internal grammar of either part; it just contrasts them.

How would you negate each part of the sentence?

You typically place non right before what you want to negate:

  • “The commander does not know the work is hard”: Imperator non scit opus grave esse.
  • “The commander wants not to preserve peace” (i.e., he doesn’t want to): Imperator pacem servare non vult. (more natural)
  • “The commander wants to not preserve peace”: Imperator pacem non servare vult. (different emphasis)