[1069.] The plural is sometimes used with a singular subject limited by an ablative with cum, with: as, Syrus cum illō vostrō cōnsusurrant, T. Hau. 473, Syrus and yon man of yours are whispering together. Bocchus cum peditibus postrēmam Rōmānōrum aciem invādunt, S. I. 101, 5, Bocchus with the infantry falls on the rereward line of the Romans. Cicero commonly uses a singular verb in this combination, Caesar has the plural once only.
[1070.] (4.) When the subjects are connected by nec . . . nec, aut, or aut . . . aut, the verb is likewise either plural or singular: as,
([a.]) neque multitūdō hostium neque tēlōrum vīs arcēre impetum eius virī potuērunt, L. 26, 5, 17, neither the numbers of the enemy nor the shower of missiles could arrest the onslaught of that intrepid soul. sī quid Sōcratēs aut Aristippus fēcerint, Off. 1, 148, if a Socrates or an Aristippus had done anything. (b.) neque pēs neque mēns satis suom officium facit, T. Eu. 729, nor foot nor mind its duty doth aright. sī Sōcratēs aut Antisthenēs dīceret, TD. 5, 26, if a Socrates or an Antisthenes should say it.
[1071.] Collectives have usually a singular verb. But the plural is sometimes used, especially when the subject is separated from its verb, or is to be supplied from a preceding clause: as,
cum tanta multitūdō lapidēs conicerent, 2, 6, 3, when such a throng were throwing stones. is cīvitātī persuāsit, ut dē fīnibus suīs exīrent, 1, 2, 1, this person succeeded in inducing the community to leave their territory.
[1072.] The verb sometimes agrees with an appositive explaining the subject, or with a substantive in the predicate: as,
([a.]) flammae lātē fūsae, certiōris clādis indicium, prōgredī longius prohibuit, L. 10, 43, 11, wide-spread flames, sign of a surer disaster, prevented a further advance. When urbs, oppidum, cīvitās, or the like, is added to plural names of places, the predicate usually agrees with the appellative: as, Coriolī oppidum captum, L. 2, 33, 9, Corioli town was taken. (b.) amantium īrae amōris integrātiōst, T. Andr. 555, lovers’ tiffs are love’s renewal. summa omnium fuērunt ad mīlia CCCLXVIII, 1, 29, 3, the grand total was about three hundred and sixty-eight thousand. The verb regularly agrees with the predicate substantive when the subject is an infinitive: as, contentum suīs rēbus esse maximae sunt dīvitiae, Par. 51, for a man to be content with his own estate is the greatest possible riches.
[1073.] The verb sometimes agrees with a substantive introduced by such words as quam, quantum, nisi, or praeterquam: as, quis illum cōnsulem nisi latrōnēs putant? Ph. 4, 9, who but brigands think that man a consul? So also a predicate adjective or participle: as, mihī̆ nōn tam cōpia quam modus quaerendus est, IP. 3, I must aim not so much at comprehensiveness as at moderation.
[1074.] A speaker in referring to himself sometimes uses the first person plural, as a more modest form of expression: as, Molōnī dedimus operam, Br. 307, we attended Molo’s instruction, i.e. I. Similarly nōs in all its cases for ego, &c., and noster, &c., for meus, &c.