Monographs

Herbert Weir Smyth [n.d.], A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [info] [word count] [Smyth].

1973

When the subject of the infinitive is the same as that of the governing verb, it is omitted, and a predicate noun stands in the nominative case.

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οἶμαι εἰδέναι I think that I know P. Pr. 312e, Πέρσης ἔφη εἶναι he said he was a Persian X. A. 4.4.17, ἐγὼ οὐχ ὁμολογήσω ἄκλητος ἥκειν I shall not admit that I have come uninvited P. S. 174d, ὁμολογεῖς περὶ ἐμὲ ἄδικος γεγενῆσθαι; do you admit that you have been guilty as regards me? X. A. 1.6.8 (cp. ^cross4.2.27 in ^cross2263).

a. The nominative is used when the infinitive, expressing some action or state of the subject of the main verb, has the article in an oblique case. Thus, τούτων ἀξιωθεὶς διὰ τὸ πατρικὸς αὐτῷ φίλος εναι justifying these requests on the ground that he was his hereditary friend Aes. 3.52, τοῦτο δ' ἐποίει ἐκ τοῦ χαλεπὸς εἶναι this he effected by reason of his being severe X. A. 2.6.9, ἐπὶ τῷ ὁμοῖοι τοῖς λειπομένοις εἶναι ἐκπέμπονται (colonists) are sent out to be the equals of those who stay at home T. 1.34.

b. The nominative stands usually in sentences with δεῖν, χρῆναι etc., dependent on a verb of saying or thinking. Thus, ἡγούμην . . . περιεῖναι δεῖν αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλοψυ_χότερος φαίνεσθαι I thought I ought to surpass them and to show myself more magnificent D. 19.235. Here ἡγούμην δεῖν is equivalent to I thought it proper.

c. When the governing verb is a participle in an oblique case, a predicate noun usually agrees with the participle, and rarely stands in the nominative. Thus, ἀπαλλαγεὶς τούτων τῶν φασκόντων δικαστῶν εἶναι being rid of those who profess to be judges P. A. 41a, τὰ_ς ἀρχὰ_ς δίδωσι . . . τοῖς ἀεὶ δόξα_σιν ἀρίστοις εἶναι it dispenses the offices to those who always seem to be the most deserving P. Menex. 238d.

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Herbert Weir Smyth [n.d.], A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [info] [word count] [Smyth].