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Answering this question, I recalled a somewhat rare construction used to express that an action is characteristic of someone. Pekkanen's Ars Grammatica (§77.1) gives two examples:

  1. Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis est in errore perseverare.
  2. Adulescentis est maiores natu revereri.1

I tried looking this up in online Latin grammars to provide a reference, but I failed to find anything. Can someone find an online Latin grammar that discusses this use of genitive and infinitive?

I am not aware of a specific name for this, so it is hard to search. Pekkanen lists it as a subclass of genetivus possessivus, but such classification is a somewhat arbitrary choice.

1 If you are puzzled by the word natu, see this follow-up question.

Joonas Ilmavirta
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2 Answers2

4

Allen & Greenough §343 also lists it as a type of possessive genitive, giving a few examples. Note that this use of the genitive in the predicate is used with infinitives and with clauses:

c. An infinitive or a clause, when used as a noun, is often limited by a genitive in the predicate:—

neque suī iūdicī [erat] discernere (B. C. 1.35), nor was it for his judgment to decide (nor did it belong to his judgment).

<p><strong>cûiusvīs hominis est errāre (Phil. 12.5)</strong>, it is any man's [liability] to err.</p>

<p><strong>negāvit mōris esse Graecōrum, ut in convīviō virōrum accumberent mulierēs (Verr. 2.1.66)</strong>, he said it was not the custom of the Greeks for women to appear as guests (recline) at the banquets of men.</p>

<p><strong>sed timidī est optāre necem (Ov. M. 4.115)</strong>, but't is the coward's part to wish for death.</p>

<p><strong>stultī erat spērāre, suādēre impudentis (Phil. 2.23)</strong>, it was folly (the part of a fool) to hope, effrontery to urge.</p>

<p><strong>sapientis est pauca loquī</strong>, it is wise (the part of a wise man) to say little. [Not sapiēns (neuter) est, etc.]</p>

Note 1— This construction is regular with adjectives of the third declension instead of the neuter nominative (see the last two examples).

Note 2— A derivative or possessive adjective may be used for the genitive in this construction, and must be used for the genitive of a personal pronoun:—

mentīrī nōn est meum [not meī], it is not for me to lie.

<p><strong>hūmānum [for hominis] est errāre</strong>, it is man's nature to err (to err is human).</p>
brianpck
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Is this predicative genitive + esse?

"est boni imperatoris bene ducere" = "It is of a good general to lead well.";

"est digni civis patriae cogitare" = "it is of a worthy citizen to think about his country.";

"est honesti regis regere sapienter" = "It is of an honourable king to rule wisely.";

"est canis feles agitare" = "It is of a dog to chase cats."

tony
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