The infinitive as used by Vergil in his Aeneid

Abstract

Vergil has made liberal use of his license as a poet, not only in using the infinitive mode in many instances where it would be either unusual in prose, or absolutely non-permissible, but also in his looseness of diction. Many times, in place of a word which might very well take the infinitive, he uses another which conveys the same idea, but which should be used in another construction, or alone, as evaluit medicari in VII-756. As this subject would properly be treated in a paper, considering the diction of Vergil, no lengthy discussion can be given here, the governing word in general being taken as it is given, not as it is meant, with merely occasional notice as seems necessary. It is not always possible to decide doubtful points by reference to the grammars, as they are incomplete in their treatment of the subject, and do not always agree in the points which they do consider. I have followed Allen and Grunough, where possible, supplementing that with Bennett, and occasionally with my own conclusions. References will also be made to the commentaries of Forbiger (F), Conington (C), and Ladowig (L), in a few cases where questions concerning the interpretation arise.