[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]).