The Syntax of the Simple Cases and of the Cases with Prepostions in Pliny's Natural History, Book VII
Graduation Date
Summer 1957
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Degree Granting Institution
Catholic University of America
Program Name
Humanities
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to discover as accurately as possible whether or not Pliny conforms to classical usage in his syntax of cases in Book VII of the NATURAL HISTORY, Analysis of the separate forms indicates that he deviates very little from the norms set by Cicero. His frequent use of the Genitive is quite regular; His excessive use of the Genitive of Definition is due primarily to his frequent use of such words asi gens, pars, etc. He employs the Dative of Reference freely. The Accusative usages adhere strictly to classical grammatical rules, Pliny seems to prefer the Ablative to the Accusative in expressions of Duration of Time. In this he deviates most notably from classical usage. For descriptive phrases he chooses arbitrarily between the Genitive and Ablative, The Locative Case is used regularly. In his use of prepositions, Pliny follows the classical standards rather closely. Twice he uses ab with the name of a city to express "place from which". He uses circa once in its late and figurative meaning, "with regard to", and iuxta, which is not found in Cicero, to mean "next to". On the whole, however, Pliny can be considered classical in his case syntax in Book VII.