[44.] The Indirect Object. Examine the sentence
Nauta fugam nūntiat, the sailor announces the flight
Here the verb, nūntiat, governs the direct object, fugam, in the accusative case. If, however, we wish to mention the persons to whom the sailor announces the flight, as, The sailor announces the flight to the farmers, the verb will have two objects:
| 1. Its direct object, flight (fugam) 2. Its indirect object, farmers |
According to the preceding section, to the farmers is a relation covered by the dative case, and we are prepared for the following rule:
[45.] Rule. Dative Indirect Object. The indirect object of a verb is in the Dative.
a. The indirect object usually stands before the direct object.
[46.] We may now complete the translation of the sentence The sailor announces the flight to the farmers, and we have
Nauta agricolīs fugam nūntiat
[47.] EXERCISES