Breakdown of Discipulus veritatem dicere cupit, sed timet.
discipulus
the student
sed
but
veritas
the truth
dicere
to say / to tell
Questions & Answers about Discipulus veritatem dicere cupit, sed timet.
Why is veritatem in the accusative case?
Because dicere (to say) takes a direct object: you say something. The thing being said is veritas (truth), so it appears as veritatem, the accusative singular form, to mark it as the direct object of dicere.
Why is dicere in the infinitive (to say) instead of a finite verb form like dicit (he says)?
Because cupit (he wants/desires) commonly takes a complementary infinitive to complete its meaning:
- cupit dicere = he wants to say.
So dicere depends on cupit and does not carry its own subject/tense.
How do we know who is doing the wanting and the fearing if Latin often drops pronouns?
The verb endings show it.
- cupit = 3rd person singular (he/she/it wants)
- timet = 3rd person singular (he/she/it fears)
And discipulus is a nominative singular noun (the student) that supplies the subject for both verbs.
Why is discipulus nominative?