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Mercator autem se defendere vult et dicit se veritatem semper dicere.

Mercator autem se defendere vult et dicit se veritatem semper dicere.
The merchant, however, wants to defend himself and says that he always tells the truth.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Latin
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Questions & Answers about Mercator autem se defendere vult et dicit se veritatem semper dicere.

Why is autem placed after Mercator instead of first in the sentence?
Autem (meaning however / but) is a postpositive particle in Latin: it almost never comes first in its clause. It typically appears in the second position (after the first word or phrase). So Mercator autem ... is the normal Latin way to say But the merchant ....
What case is Mercator, and what is its role?

Mercator is nominative singular and is the subject of both main verbs vult and dicit:

  • Mercator ... vult = the merchant wants
  • (Mercator) ... dicit = (the merchant) says
Why does Latin use se here, and who does it refer to?
Se is the reflexive pronoun (himself / herself / themselves) and it refers back to the subject of the clause—here, Mercator. So se defendere means to defend himself, not someone else.
Why is it se and not eum?

Eum would mean him referring to someone else (a non-reflexive third person).

  • Mercator se defendere vult = the merchant wants to defend himself
  • Mercator eum defendere vult = the merchant wants to defend him (some other man)
What does se defendere vult literally mean, and why is defendere an infinitive?

Literally it’s the merchant wants to defend himself. Latin commonly uses:
verb of wanting (vult) + infinitive (defendere)
So vult defendere = wants to defend. Defendere is the present active infinitive of defendō, defendere.

Could Latin also say Mercator se defendit instead?

Yes, but it would mean something different:

  • se defendere vult = he wants to defend himself (desire/intention)
  • se defendit = he defends himself (he is doing it)
Why does the sentence use dicit followed by another se and an infinitive?

Because dicit commonly introduces an indirect statement, which in Latin is usually accusative + infinitive (often abbreviated ACI).
So dicit se ... dicere is he says that he ...

In dicit se veritatem semper dicere, what is the subject of dicere?

In an ACI construction, the “subject” of the infinitive is put in the accusative. Here the accusative subject is se, so:

  • se ... dicere = that he says / more literally him ... to say
Why is veritatem in the accusative?

Because it is the direct object of dicere (to say).
So veritatem dicere = to tell the truth (literally to say the truth).

Is veritatem dicere a normal Latin idiom for “to tell the truth”?
Yes. Veritatem dicere is a very common way to say to tell the truth. Another common phrasing you may also see is verum dicere (to speak what is true).
Where does semper belong—does it modify dicit or dicere?
It modifies dicere (the infinitive): to always tell the truth. Latin word order is flexible, but placing semper near dicere makes its scope clear: veritatem semper dicere = always to tell the truth.
Why is se repeated (once with defendere and once with dicere)?

Because each verb needs its own pronoun in its own structure:

  • se defendere: se is the object of defendere (defend himself)
  • se ... dicere: se is the accusative “subject” of the infinitive dicere in indirect statement (says that he tells...)
What is the function of et here?

Et simply coordinates the two actions of the merchant:

  • vult (he wants)
  • dicit (he says)
    So: he wants ... and he says ...