Heavy Construction
The Allen and Greenough is still under construction;
so some links may not work quite the way you would expect.
319.
The verb is sometimes omitted: -
a. Díco,
facio, ago, and other common verbs are often omitted in familiar
phrases: -
- quorsum haec [spectant], what
does this aim at?
- ex ungue leonem [cognosces], you
will know a lion by his claw.
- quid multa, what need of many
words? (why should I say much?)
- quid? quod, what of this, that
...? (what shall I say of this, that . . .?) [A form of transition .
]
- Aeolus haec contra (Aen. i. 76),
Aeolus thus [spoke] in reply.
- tum Cotta [inquit], then said
Cotta.
- di meliora [duint]! (Cat. M. 47),
Heaven forfend (may the gods grant better things)!
- unde [venis] et quo [tendis]?
(Hor. S. ii. 4. 1), where from and whither bound? [Cf. id. i.
9.
62 for the full form.]
b. The copula sum is very commonly omitted in the present
indicative and present infinitive, rarely (except by late authors) in the
subjunctive: -
- tu coniunx (Aen. iv. 113), you
[are] his wife.
- quid ergo? audacissimus ego ex
omnibus (Rosc. Am. 2), what then? am I the boldest of all?
- omnia praeclara rara (Lael. 79),
all the best things are rare.
- potest incidere saepe contentio et
comparatio de duobus honeshs utrum honestius (Off. i. 152),
there may often occur a comparison of two honorable actions, as to
which is the more honorable. [Here, if any copula were expressed, it
would be sit, but the direct question would be complete without any.]
- accipe quae peragenda prius
(Aen. vi. 136), hear what is first to be accomplished. [Direct:
quae peragenda prius ?]