Passive Periphrastic

The passive periphrastic construction in Latin expresses the idea of obligation -- of “must” or ”ought.” A very familiar passive periphrastic is a phrase attributed to Cato, who was bent on destroying the Phoenicians. Cato is said to have ended his speeches with the phrase “Carthago delenda est” or “Carthage must be destroyed.”

There are two parts to this passive periphrastic, one adjectival and one a form of the verb to be. The adjectival form is the gerundive – note the “nd” before the ending. The ending is, in this case, feminine, nominative singular, to agree with the noun Carthago, which, like many place names, is feminine.

The agent, or in Cato's case, the person who would be doing the destroying, is expressed by a dative of agent.

Carthago____________Romae__________________ delenda est
Carthage (nom. sg. fem.) [by] Rome (dative case) destroyed (gerundive nom. sg. fem.) 'to be' (3rd sg. present)

Eventually, Cato got his way.

Index of Quick Tips on Latin Verbs

• Types of Latin Verbs
• Latin Supine
• Latin Verb Endings
• Latin Infinitives
• Latin Verbs - Internal Thematic Vowel
• Latin Verbs - Person and Number
• Latin Verbs - Prepositions in Verbs
• Latin Verbs - Sequence of Tenses in Indirect Discourse
• Latin Words - Where Do You Add on Endings?
• Passive Periphrastic