1534. The infinitive is principally used in subordination, and will be
spoken of under that head. One use, however, of the present infinitive
in main sentences, as a kind of substitute for a past indicative,
requires mention here.
1535. In animated narration, the present infinitive with a subject in
the nominative sometimes takes the place of the imperfect or perfect
indicative: as,
#interim cōtīdiē Caesar Aeduōs frūmentum flāgitāre#, 1, 16, 1, _there
was Caesar meantime every day dunning and dunning the Aeduans for the
grain_. #Diodōrus sordidātus circum hospitēs cursāre, rem omnibus
nārrāre#, _V._ 4, 41, _Diodorus kept running round in sackcloth and
ashes from friend to friend, telling his tale to everybody_. #intereā
Catilīna in prīmā aciē versārī, labōrantibus succurrere#, S. _C._ 60, 4,
_Catiline meantime bustling round in the forefront of battle, helping
them that were sore bestead_. #tum vērō ingentī sonō caelum strepere, et
micāre ignēs, metū omnēs torpēre#, L. 21, 58, 5, _at this crisis the
welkin ringing with a dreadful roar, fires flashing, everybody paralyzed
with fear_. This infinitive occurs in almost all writers, for instance,
Plautus, Terence, Cicero, Horace, and particularly Sallust, Livy, and
Tacitus. Less commonly in Caesar. Usually two or more infinitives are
combined, and infinitives are freely mixed with indicatives. The subject
is never in the second person.
1536. This infinitive is used to sketch or outline persistent, striking,
or portentous action, where description fails; and as it merely
_intimates_ the action, without distinct declaration, and without
notation of time, number, or person, it is called the _Infinitive of
Intimation_. It cannot be adequately represented in English.
1537. The infinitive of intimation is sometimes used without a subject,
when emphasis centres in the action alone; as,
#ubī̆ turrim procul cōnstituī vīdērunt, inrīdēre ex mūrō#, 2, 30, 3,
_when they saw the tower planted some way off, jeer after jeer from the
wall_. #tum spectāculum horribile in campīs patentibus: sequī fugere,
occīdī capī#, S. _I._ 101, 11, _then a heartrending spectacle in the
open fields: chasing and racing, killing and catching_.
1538. Terence and Petronius have it in questions: as, #rēx tē ergō in
oculīs :: scīlicet :: gestāre? :: vērō#, T. _Eu._ 401, _your king then
always bearing you :: of course, of course :: in eye? :: oh yes_. #quī
morī timōre nisi ego?# Petr. 62.
1539. It may be mentioned here, that the infinitive of intimation is
sometimes used from Sallust on in relative clauses and with #cum#,
_when_. Also by Tacitus in a temporal protasis with #ubī̆#, #ut#,
#dōnec#, or #postquam#, co-ordinated with a present or imperfect
indicative protasis: as,
(_a._) #cingēbātur interim mīlite domus, cum Libō vocāre percussōrem#,
Ta. 2, 31, _the house meantime was encompassed with soldiers, when Libo
called for somebody to kill him_ (1869). (_b._) #ubī̆ crūdēscere sēditiō
et ā convīciīs ad tēla trānsībant, inicī catēnās Flāviānō iubet#, Ta.
_H._ 3, 10, _when the riot was waxing hot, and they were proceeding from
invectives to open violence, he orders Flavian to be clapped in irons_
(1933).