[Footnote: Cf. the accusative of direct object (23), direction of motion
(46, 121), time (91), and measure (139).]
263. The accusative of direction of motion is used after nouns from
roots expressing motion:
Lia eniro en la urbon estis subita,
his entrance into the city was sudden.
La irado tien estos plezuro,
(the) going thither will be a pleasure.
Gxia falado teren timigis min,
its falling earthward terrified me.
264. a. An intransitive verb may be followed by a noun in the accusative
case, if the meaning of the noun is related to that of the verb:
Li vivas agrablan vivon, he lives an agreeable life.
Sxi dancis belan dancon, she danced a beautiful dance.
Ili ploris maldolcxajn larmojn, they wept bitter tears.
b. Verbs of motion ("iri", "veni", "pasi", "marsxi", "veturi", etc.)
compounded with prepositions or adverbs (121) indicating direction,
also compounds of such verbs as "esti" and "stari" with prepositions
expressing situation, may be followed by the accusative, instead of by
a prepositional phrase in which the preposition is repeated:
La viro preterpasis la domon,
the man passed (by) the house.
Lin antauxvenis du sklavoj,
there preceded (came before) him two slaves.
Ni supreniru la sxtuparon,
let us go up the stairs.
Mi cxeestis la feston,
I attended (was present at) the entertainment.
Mi kontrauxstaras vian opinion,
I oppose (withstand) your opinion.
c. The slight change in meaning given by "pri" used as a prefix may
render intransitive verbs transitive. The same is true of "el" prefixed
to intransitive verbs not expressing motion:
Sxi priploris la mortintan birdon, she mourned the dead bird.
Mi pripensos la aferon, I shall consider (think over) the matter.
Ni gxin priparolos, we shall talk it over.
Li klare elparolas la vortojn, he pronounces the words clearly.
[Footnote: In this use "pri" resembles the English and German
inseparable prefix "be-", as in English "bemoan", "bewail", "bethink",
"bespeak", German "beklagen", "besprechen", "sich" , etc.]
265. The accusative may be used after verbs of such meaning that either
a prepositional phrase or an accusative would seem correct:
Mi pardonas lin (al li), I pardon (grant pardon to) him.
Mi helpis lin (al li), I helped (gave aid to) him.
Gxi placxas min (al mi), it pleases (is pleasing to) me.
Li obeis nin (al ni), he obeyed (was obedient to) us.
Sxi ridis mian timon (je mia timo),
she ridiculed (laughed at) my fear.
[Footnote: When ambiguity would be caused, as by the presence of another
accusative, this construction may not be employed. One may say "pardonu
nin", but must say "pardonu al ni niajn pekojn".]
266. The accusative may be used after certain adverbs which are normally
followed by a prepositional phrase:
Rilate tion (rilate al tio), in regard to that.
Escepte tion (escepte de tio), with the exception of that.
Koncerne la aferon (koncerne je la afero), concerning the affair.
Kompare la alian (kompare kun la alia), in comparison with the other.
Konforme la legxon (konforme al la legxo), in conformity to the law.