preposition AD/ad litteris studendum

tamarica
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preposition AD/ad litteris studendum

Postby tamarica » 2010-02-28, 21:38

I have a problem with one sentence:
Filii divitum Romanorum ad litteris studendum in Graeciam iter faciebant.
Does it mean:
The sons of the rich Romans travelled to Greece?
and what does the part "ad litteris studendum" means?
To learn litterature?
what I don't get is why is there a preposition AD, which normally should go with accusative, and litteris is in dative or abblative...
thanks

modus.irrealis
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Re: preposition AD/ad litteris studendum

Postby modus.irrealis » 2010-02-28, 23:34

"To study literature" is right. With "ad litteris studendum", it's the gerund "studendum", which is accusative, that goes with "ad", and this is a very common construction for showing purpose. "litteris" is in the dative because "studeo" takes the dative.

Nero

Re: preposition AD/ad litteris studendum

Postby Nero » 2010-03-04, 2:20

modus is right. "Ad" goes with "studendum" (accusative), but studendum itself comes from a verb (studeo, studere) which takes a dative object, so "litteris".

Ad + Gerundive = "in order to", "for the purpose of ___ing", "to ____"
Ad + studendum = in order to study

Ad studendum litteras -> To study literature, just like you said. :)


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