§504. Gerund and Gerundive

The Genitive of the Gerund and Gerundive is used after nouns or adjectives, either as subjective or objective genitive:—

• vīvendī fīnis est optimus (Cat. M. 72), it is the best end of living. [Subjective.]
• neque cōnsilī habendī neque arma capiendī spatiō datō; (B. G. 4.14), time being given neither for forming plans nor for taking arms. [Objective.]
• nōn tam commūtandārum quam ēvertendārum rērum cupidōs (Off. 2.3), desirous not so much of changing as of destroying the state. [Objective.]

a. The genitive of the gerund sometimes takes a direct object, especially a neuter pronoun or a neuter adjective used substantively:—

• nūlla causa iūsta cuiquam esse potest contrā patriam arma capiendī; (Phil. 2.53), no one can have a just cause for taking up arms against his country.
• artem vēra ac falsa dīiūdicandī; (De Or. 2.157), the art of distinguishing true from false.

• quae postquam glōriōsa modo neque bellī patrandī cōgnōvit (Iug. 88), when he perceived that these were only brilliant deeds and not likely to end the war.
• Aegyptum proficīscitur cōgnōscendae antīquitātis (Tac. Ann. 2.59), he sets out for Egypt to study old times.

b. The genitive of the gerund or gerundive with causā or gratiā expresses purpose (§ 533. b):—

• pābulandī aut frūmentandī causā prōgressī; (B. C. 1.48), having advanced for the purpose of collecting fodder or supplies.
• vītandae suspīcionis causā; (Cat. 1.19), in order to avoid suspicion.
• simulandī grātiā; (Iug. 37), in order to deceive.
• exercendae memōriae grātiā; (Cat. M. 38), for the sake of training the memory.

c. The genitive of the gerund is occasionally limited by a noun or pronoun (especially a personal pronoun in the plural) in the objective genitive instead of taking a direct object:—

• rêiciendī trium iūdicum potestās (Verr. 2.77), the power of challenging three jurors (of the rejecting of three jurors).
• suī colligendī facultās (B. G. 3.6), the opportunity to recover themselves.

Dative of the Gerund and Gerundive