msifimr-ii^^. iJ^' UlftKiULY LIBRARY University of California. RECEIVED BY EXCHANGE Class J^ t t\ THE USE OF VENIRE AND ANDARE AS AUXILIARY VERBS IN EARLY FLORENTINE PROSE PART I The Use with Past Participles A. Venire WITH AN INTRODUCTION DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN CONFORMITY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY I goo BY JAMES EUSTACE SHAW N. f /, BALTIMORE: JOHN MURPHY COMPANY 1903 THE USE OF VENIRE AND ANDARE AS AUXILIARY VERBS IN EARLY FLORENTINE PROSE PART 1 The Use with Past Participles A. Venire WITH AN INTRODUCTION DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN CONFORMITY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 1900 BY JAMES EUSTACE SHAW BALTIMORE: JOHN MURPHY COMPANY 1903 AsSs CONTENTS.' rAP\^f^ PAOE. Texts Examined in this Monograph 7 Introduction 9 I. Preliminary Remarks 9 II. The Independent Use of Venire and Andare 13 A. Venire 13 1. Ill a material sense 13 2. In a metaphorical sense 15 a. Expressing the idea ot motion forcibly 15 b. Expressing the idea of motion less forcibly 16 c. Expressing the idea ^o come <o 6f 18 B. Andare. 1. In a material sense, meaning to go. 2. In a metapiiorical sense. a. Expressing the idea of motion less forcibly than in its original use. b. Expressing the idea of motion still less forcibly. III. The Use with Adjectives, of Venire and Andare. 20 A. Venire 20 a. Expressing the idea of motion clearly 21 b. Expressing the idea ^0 6ecom^ 22 c. Expressing an idea approaching that of to be. 24 B. Andare. a. Expressing the idea of motion less forcibly than in its original use. b. Expressing the idea of motion still less forcibly. The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs. 26 Part I. The Use with Past Participles 26 A. Venire 26 a, venire niQQ,mi\g to happen : expressing the Pas- ' Portions not contained in the present pnblicalion are indicated by.small print. 3 22830G 4 Contents. sive : the idea of motion weaker than in the original use 29 b. Approaching the meaning to be: expressing the Passive : the idea of motion still weaker. 32 c. Meaning to be : expressing the Pure Latin Passive: almost no idea of motion 34 Remarks: 38 1. Parallelism between the use with Past Parti- ciples, and that with Adjectives 38 2. The possible influence of the two above uses the one upon the other 39 3. Venire versus Essere as an auxiliary for the Passive 40 4. Frequence of the appearance of the uses dis- cussed 42 B. Andare. a. Expressing continuity. b. Meaning to become. Eemark : 1. Frequence of the appearance of the uses discussed. 2. Some examples of similar usage in Latin. Part II. The use with Present Participles. A. Venire. a. Expressing an idea of continuity. 1. With verbs of progression. 2. With verbs not of progression. b. Meaning to bec/in. 1. Meaning to begin and expressing continuity. 2. Meaning to begin, and expressing continuity only incidentally. Remark : The frequence of the appearance of the uses discussed. B. Andare, a. In a material sense. 1. With verbs of motion, ad<ling emphasis. 2. With verbs not of motion, expressing continuity. b. Jn a metaphorioiil sense. 1. With verbs of motion, expressing continuity. 2. With verbs not of motion, expressing continuity. Kemare : The frequence of tlie appearance of the uses discussed. f'onlenia. 6 Part III. Thk use with the Pkeposition « and the Infinitive. A . Venire. • a. Expressing molioTi toward an object. b. Expres.siiiti/H<nri<i/. c. Expreseiuj; purpose. d. Used pleoniusticully. 1. Exampli'S indicating derivation of use d from use c. 2. Examples not indicating derivation. B. Andare. a. Expre.ssing motion toward an object. 1. In a material sense. 2. In a metapiioricai sense. b. Expressing purpose. c. Used pleonastically. 1. Examples indicating derivation of use c from use b. 2. Examples not indicating derivation. Vita 43 TEXTS EXAMINED FOR THIS MONOGRAPH. Ban. Fior : — Framnionti di un Libro di Banchieri Fiorentini. Ernesto Monaci, Crcstomazia r, 19. Citta di Castello, 1889. Bone Bene: — Testamento di Bone Benoivcnni Fiorentino, del 1273. Monaci, op. cU. u, 354. Brun. Rett : — Bninetto Latini, Rettorica. Roma, 1546, Cic. Inv : — Cicero, De Inventioue. Paris, 1537. Brun. Rett. Comm : — Brunetto Latini, Rettorica (Commento). Roma, 1546. Vita Nuova : — Dante, Vita Nuova. Witte, Leipsig, 1896. Scrit. Fior : — Scritta Fiorentina del 1293. Monaci, op. cit. ii, 425. Giamb. Oros : — Bono Giamboni, Delle Storie di Paolo Orosio Con- tro i Pacjani. Tassi, Firenze, 1849. Oros: — Pauli Orosii Historia Contra Paganos. Koln, 1574. Giamb. Veg : — Bono Giamboni, Arte della Giierra di Vegezio Flavio. Fontani, Firenze, 1815. Veg: — Vegetins Flavins, De Re Militari, 1523. Novell: — II Xovellino. Carlwne, Firenze, 1889. Villani : — Giovanni Villani, Crouaca. Firenze, Giunti, 1545. (For Book xii, Muratori, Rer. Italic. Script, xiii.) Cron. Fior: — Cronaca Fiorentina Attribuita a Brunetto Latini. Villari, I Primi Due Secoli della Storia di Firenze, ii, 185-269. Firenze, 1894. Paolino Fieri : — Paolino Fieri, Cronaca delle Cose d'ltalia. Tartini in Muratori, op. cit. ii. Convito : — Dante, II Convito. Fraticelli, Firenze, 1861. Neri Strin : — Cronaca di Neri degli Strinati. Biscioni, Firenze, 1753. Alb. Piag: — Alberto della Piagentina, La Consolazione della Filosofia di Boezio. Manni, Firenze, 1735, Boeth : — Boethius, De Consolatione Philosophiae. Firenze, 1521. Pa*s. (Pen. Sup. Sc. Um. Sogni. Van.): — Jacopo Passavanti, Lo Si)ecchio della Vera Penitenza. Polidori, Firenze, 1856. 7 INTRODUCTION. I. Preliminary Remarks. If there be any value in the following monograph, it will he found to consist chiefly in the account of the signification of the uses to which venire and andare are put as auxiliary verbs, in early Florentine prose. These uses fall naturally into three chief classes : I, those arising from the construction of venire and andare with Past Participles ; II, those arising from the construction of these verbs with Present Participles, and III, those arising from the construction with the Preposition a and the Infinitive of other verbs. These uses and their meanings have been pointed out and illustrated hitherto only partially, as far as my knowledge goes. For example the use of venire and andare as auxiliary verbs with Present Participles, and that with the preposition a and the Infini- tive, are mentioned by Blanc ; ^ that with Past Participles, as well as the other two by Diez," and by Meyer-Liibke,^ the discussion being, in each case, though valuable, of the general kind which the character of the works required. However, the consideration of the state of things regarding the uses referred to has led me also to consider the question of what are the processes by which these various uses have been produced, and to the framing of certain hypotheses. These hypotheses, I wish to say clearly, are beyond the possibility of demonstration, and I therefore make no attempt to prove them. Nevertheless considering that the value of an hypothesis does not depend entirely on the possibility of proving it, I have made bold to present these of mine, and to explain the reasons which have led me to them. These reasons are the result of the nature and meaning which I attribute to the uses discussed, which to lay bare by means of examples is the chief purpose of this monograph. ^Grammalik d. Ital. Spr., Halle, 184-1, 513-14. ^Grammalik, III, 205-6; '2U1-2; 238. ^Grammaire, in, U 308, 309, 312, 315,316, 331. 10 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs The hypotheses regarding the syntactical development of the use of venire and andare, are as follows : The use of venire and andare in metaphorical senses, entailed a gradual weakening of the idea of motion originally expressed by the verbs, and this gradual weakening of the idea of motion resulted, by minor processes, as follows : First : — As regards the use with Past Participles : venire, from being used independently to express the idea to come, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea to happen ; and from being used with the meaning to happen, came to be used as an auxiliary for the Passive Mood to express tlie Latin Passive which we translate by the English to be with Past Participles. andare, from being used independently to express the idea to go, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea of duration of time ; and from being used to express duration of time, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea to become. Secondly : — As regards the use with Present Participles : Venire, from being used independently to express the idea to come, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea of duration of time; and from being used with the meaning of dura- tion of time, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea to begin. Andare, from being used independently to express the idea to go, came to be used as an auxiliary to express the idea of duration of time. Thirdly : — As regards the use with the Preposition a and the Infinitive of other verbs : Venire (a). From being used in sentences where a with the Infinitive expressed motion toward an object, venire came to be used as an auxiliary to express an idea of futurity. (b). From being used in sentences where a with the Infinitive expressed the idea of purpose, venire came to be used ploonastically as in the English : I asked him to come and dine with mo. Andare, from being used in sentences where a with the Infini- tive expressed the idea of purpose, came to be used pleonastically as in the English : Now you've gone and done it. In Early Florentine Prose. 11 I have said that these hypotheses are incapable of demonstration. That is true because, tor practical purposes, we have no Italian literature to exaiuine, which is earlier than the thirteenth century. Consequently we find a considerable number of the uses of the two verbs in question, existing side by side with other uses from which we may suppose them to be derived, in the earliest literature we have. Proof beyond doubt that one use of a verb is derival from another, requires that one be able to point to a time in the literature when tlie derived use began ; as well as to shew the causal con- nexion between the original and the derived uses. The first kind of evidence is denied us in nearly all cases ; an exception apparently being the use of venire as an auxiliary expressing the pure Latin Passive, which does not occur in the earliest Florentine prose; and we are obliged to concentrate our attention upon the second kind. To forestall an objection : it does not seem tenable that any considerable number of the Italian auxiliary uses of venire and andare have had their development in Latin times, and have been handed down to us ready made from the Latin, For wherever similar uses appear in Latin literature, they are, for the most part, rare, and their meaning is not beyond doubt. To say that the auxiliary uses were all made ready for us in the pre-literary Italian period, and that it is therefore impossible to follow their development in the literature, is no objection to one's endeavouring to induce conclusions, even from an ungrowing state of these uses, concerning that development, but the possibility seems unlikely. A construction may be used with several significations of which some are derived from the others, and the fact that the various significations exist side by side is no evidence that the process of derivation of some from the others is no longer active. When a construction is first used in a derived sense, the process of derivation is only begun, and it is not ended until the derived meaning is generally understood without vagueness. For example : 1-imanere and restare are used, especially popularly, with past parti- ciples, as auxiliaries for the Passive as, ^ rimasto fucilato senza misencordia ; but since in many of these cases there is doubt as to whether rimanere and restare do not retain some of their indepen- dent meaning, the process of derivation of the use as an auxiliary 12 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs for the Passive, from the independent use, cannot be said to be as yet complete, and perhaps it may never be completed. Since such objections as the above do not seem fatal, it does not seem unreasonable to attempt to build a plausible connexion among the various uses of the verbs in question, even without the help of chronological evidence. For since all these uses represent mere modifications of the independent use of venire and andare with their elementary and material meanings (venire meaning motion toward the speaker, and andare motion in any direction except toward the speaker), it is reasonable to believe that the uses with the more complex significations are derived from those with the elementary meanings, and that some causal connexion exists among the more complex uses themselves. And if a belief in such a process of development be admitted to be reasonable, it is alsa natural to expect that the uses with the most complex significations are derived from the less complex. One has, then, at the begin- ning of the process of development, the words used with their elementary or material meanings, and, at the end of the develop- ment, the words used with significations farthest removed from the former (for example, on the one hand venire meaning to come materially, and, on the other hand venire used as an auxiliary expressing the pure Latin Passive) : and if one can shew that the significations of the other uses can be placed in order so as to lead the thought gradually from the presumably original meanings to the presumably last derived significations, and if" what little one is able to conjecture reasonably from the order of the appearance of the uses in the earliest texts, does not conflict with the arrangement in the order referred to, then one has framed perhaps not a theory^ but at any rate an hypothesis, which may or may not be plausible. However, as has already been said, such hypotheses are of secondary importance : it is the chief purpose of this monograph to give an account of the significations of the chief uses of venire and andare as auxiliary verbs, in the earliest Florentine prose. No use has been made of texts ot poetry, as information derive<l from such texts may l)e misleading. I am indebtetl to Professor Pio Rajna of the Istituto di Studi Superiori of Florence, for advising me to use only texts of prose, and take j^loasnre in acknowledging here the kind indulgence of Professor Kajna, In Early Florentine Prone. 13 kindness to experience which I am by no means the first stiulont from this country. The prose texts I have used are Florentine only. I have attempted to give conijilete lists of examples of the auxiliary uses in question, but not of the uses of venire and andare independently or with adjectives, which are mentioned in the Introduction. I wish to express my gratitude to Professor Kirby F. Smith of the Johns Hojikins University for his kindness in heljiing me with information regarding analogous auxiliary uses in Latin. II. The Independent Use of Venire and Andare. A. Venire. 1. In a Material Sense. In Italian, just as in Latin, beside having the ordinary meaning to come, that is, to move tov)ard the speaker, venire was used to express the idea of arriving at, reaching, and this use seems to be as frequent in the modern as in the ancient language. The most satisfactory examples are those where we are able to com})are the Italian with a Latin original. In the translation by Bono Giam- boni of the history of Orosius, we find venire used continually as a translation of the Latin pervenire ; for example, Caio Gracco, grande pczza per lui combattendo gli amici, e per- dendo, a grande fatica venne al ponte chiamato Sublicio ; . . . . Giamb. Oros. v, xi, 298. Gracchus diu pro se amicis pugnantibus ac pereuntibus, aegre ad pontem Sublicium peruenit. Oros. V, XI, 297. For other examples compare : Giamb. Oros. vi, xv, 396 ; vi, xiv, 394 ; vr, 1, 353-4 ; in, xix, 174 ; and the corresponding passages in the original : Oros. vi, xvi, 407; VI, XV, 405; vi, ii, 361-2; in, xix, 162. Naturally enough, we also find venire as a translation of the Latin venire used to express the same idea of arriving ; for example, 14 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Vej'bs .... movendo di Ponto n'and6 in Parzia, e alia cittade d'Ecbatana, ch' e capo del regno de' Parti, in cinquantji di venne. Gianib. Oros. vi, in, 357. . . . ., promouens e Ponto in Parthiam, ad Ecbatanam urbem caput Parthici regni quinquagesimo die venit. Oros. VI, IV, 365. Compare also Gianib. Oros. vii, xxv, 473 ; and Oros. vii> XXII, 492. Further still, venire was used with its simplest meaning, to come, in numbers of instances where the Latins would use some other verb of motion. This is especially the case in accounts of events, where a story is being told, the purpose being to represent the event more graphically ; for where andare, or some other verb of motion, would have served the purpose of the narrative, venire insists on both narrator and reader being, in imagination at least, actually on the spot where the event is happening ; for example, Nel detto anno del mese di Maggio, e di Giugno, i Turchi armaro 280 tra barche grosse, e legni con pi^ di quarantamila Turchi e vennero per mare sopra Gostantinopoli, .... Villani x, cciv, 653-4. Again Giamboni, in his translation of Orosius, tells us that after Himilco the Carthaginian had lost his whole army in Sicily by pestilence, he returned home, . . . ., E con la detta gente vegnendo per la cittii piagnendo e lut- tando, entro uel palagio, .... Giamb. Oros. iv, vii, 210. . . . . : ad postremum vociferans per urbem, tandem ingressus domum, .... Oros. IV, VI, 200-1. For other examples compare : Giamb. Oros. in, xxii, 178-9 ; v, xv, 310-11 ; vii, xlvi, 531 ; V, XI, 298 ; V, IV, 282-3 ; Oros. iii, xxii, 169 ; v, xiv, 309 ; V, V, 281 ; V, XII, 297 ; vii, XLii, 561. In Early Florentine Frosc. 15 2. In a Metaphorical Sense. Venire is used metaphorically to express the metaphorical ideas corresponding to the material ideas represented by its material use which has just been illustrated. These metaphorical ideas are: Firaty The simple idea of motion toward a state of mind or being. Secondly, The idea of (H'riving at a state of mind or being. It seems to be the use of venire in the latter sense, that gave rise to the development which, in the end, caused the verb to be used directly with adjectives, in the sense of to become. The process by which this development proceeded seems to con- sist in the gradual weakening of the idea of motion which attaches to venire. To explain this more fully, I will say that there is a connexion, in the process of development, between the idea of (for example), arriving at a state of pride, and that of becoming proud. The difference between the two ideas lies in the fact that in the latter expression, the idea of motion has become almost lost, whereas in the former it is still felt. In all Florentine texts, down to the middle of the fourteenth century, examples are to be found shewing all the stages of this development. This does not mean that the use of venire with adjectives, to express the idea become, was not an accomplished fact long before the middle of the fourteenth century (for it had become 80 even in Latin), but that the uses of venire which represent the intermediate stages in the development, did not die out as soon as they had served the purpose of forwarding the development. In fact they persisted long afterward. The following examples will illustrate the process of gradual weakening of the idea of motion in the metaphorical use of venire. a. Expressing the idea of motion forcibly. . In questo anno i principi della Mangna concordevolmente elessero re della Mangna Adolfo conte di Nasso, ma no venne a la benedizione imperiale. Cron. Fior. 66, 1, 12. . Cosi cominciando ad errare la mia fantasia, venni a quel/o, che non sapea dove io fossi ; Vita Nuova. xxiii, 20. 16 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Vei'bs . E Seneca dice : Imper5 malagevolmente vegnamo alia salute della sauita, perch^ non conosciaino essere infermi. Pass. Sup. VII, 225. For other examples compare : Giamb. Oros. vi, IV, 259, and Oros. vi, V, 367 ; Novell, i, 4 ; Villani vii, x, 193; Piag. Boez. iii, 64-5, and Boeth. in, 27 b. The above examples shew venire, used in a metaphorical sense, expressing the idea of motion almost as forcibly as when it is used in a material sense. The following examples will illustrate the use of venire still in a metaphorical sense, but with the idea of motion somewhat weakened. However, it must be borne in mind that in all cases where venire is used independently, that is where it is not an auxiliary verb, there must be a considerable idea of motion, so that it will need some degree of attention to see that in the cases cited, the idea of motion is indeed somewhat weakened. b. Expressing the idea of motion less forcibly. . . . ., Messer Jacopo, e Messer Piero figliuoli di Messer Gianni della Colonna con tutti gli altri Colonnesi vennero alia miseri- cordia, .... Paolino Pieri. 53, 12. Al costui tempo tornaro li Fiorentini ad oste a Siena, e puosersi a campo a monte Reggione, a stando ivi, li Sanesi vennero alle Gommandamenta loro, .... Paolino Pieri. 23, 28-29. In these two examples, venire alia misericordia and venire alle commandamenta are two phrases corresponding pretty closely to the English phrase : come to terms, and which represent an idea containing little of an idea of motion. To substitute the expression agree to terms, for come to terms, would not be strctoiiing the mean- ing very far. In the second example, this lack of the idea of motion is emphasized by the phrase: e stando ivi; that '\s, tvhile they were there, the Sanesi came to unconditional terms. . Ma i Fiorentini ordinarono clio i Sanesi niandassoro i loro cavalieri alia guardia de' Guelfi di Pisa, .... onde molto furou In Early Florentine Prose. 17 ripreai da' Genouesi, e Lucchesi per lo rompere chc fecero di loro proniessa, e saramonto per iscaiupare Pisa, ma hebhoii da' Pisani il merito, e il guiderone che a cid si venia Villani vii. xcvii, 267. il merito, e il yidderdone che a cid si venia means : the credit and reward which was due for this ; that is, which icould righifidly come. This reminds one of the American expression : the money that is coming to me, that is, tohich is due to me. Evidently the idea of motion expressed by venire, is much weakened in this sentence. For other examples compare : " Brun. Rett. Comra. 82; 54; Giamb. Oros. in, i, 130; in, i, 132 ; Oros. ni, i, 120 ; in, i, 122 ; Villani vii, xxvir, 208 ; vn, xcvin, 257; Pass. Pen. in, iv, 60; Pass. Sup. in, 193. The above examples shew venire used in a metaphorical sense, the idea of motion not being so necessary to the sense as it was originally ; that is, here the idea of motion is weaker than it was. The examples I am now about to give will also shew venire used metaphorically, with a somewhat weak idea of motion, but in addition they will illustrate the approach of the idea expressed by venire used independently, to the idea conveyed by venire when used directly with adjectives in the sense of to come to be or to become. Although the idea expressed in these examples does, I believe, approach very close to that expressed by venire with adjectives, the syntactical form necessarily could shew no such gradual change. From venire in tanta grandezza to venire tanto grande, is a great stride, as regards the construction, and it is necessarily so, for there is no imaginable way by which the form could be so altered as to correspond to the gradually developing idea. While the idea expressed by venire in tanta grandezza, had, in reality, come to be very similar to that expressed by venire tanto grande, (owing to the metaphorical use of venire, and to its many uses where it had lost much of its idea of motion) the syntactical form had undergone no change, and remained the same as in those cases where venire had undergone no such development in meaning. 18 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs By the following examples, I am attempting to shew that venire came to have a meaning very similar to that of to come to be, while still used quite independently of other parts of speech ; that is, while it preserved the old syntactical construction proper to a v^erb of motion. Later on I shall discuss the use of venire with adjec- tives, in the sense of to come to be and to become, that is, the use of venire with a similar meaning to that I am about to illustrate, expressed by another construction. c. Expressing the idea to come to be. . . . . ; e venuto in povertd, non potendo comparire cogli altri cavalieri, com' era usato, divenne a tanta tristizia e malinconia, che si volea disperare. Pass. Pen. in, iv, 67-8. venuto in povertd = come to be poor. To translate literally : come to poverty, would indicate too strong an idea of motion, since the prevailing thought is the being poor, not the arriving at the state of poverty, as is shewn by the context. . . . ., e a Tissaferne, re di quelli di Media, n'ando. Al quale, per lo suo senno e bella favella in grazia venuto, diede per con- siglio, .... Giamb. Oros. ii, xv, 108. The Latin here is : ....,<& ad Tissaphernem in Mediam conces- sit : cui statim adcommodato ingenio & apto eloquii gratia familior factus, persuadet, ne, etc Oros. II, XV, 100. The Latin original, which uses the adjectival phrase : famiUor /actus, shews how weak the idea of motion is for venire, and also how similar the idea of the Italian translation is to that which would be expressed by venire with an adjective ; as, venuto gra- devole. . Serses, per la battaglia in Grecia mal fatta venuto in dispregio de' suoi, fue in Grecia per Artabauo ingannato e morto. Giamb. Oros. ii, xi, 96. In Early Florentine Prose. 19 The Latin here is : . Xerxes hollo in Grecia infeliciter gesto, contemptihilis sms /actus, per Artahaniiin praefectum smim in rcgia circoniientus occiditur. Oros. II, XI, 89. The translation of contemptibilis fadus by venuto in dispregio, shews how close the idea of the Italian is to that which wonld be expressed by venire with an adjective. The idea of motion con- veyed by venire is evidently almost lost. . Igli altri per questo pericolo ispaventati, levate le vele, e vogliendo fuggire la ove il vento li menasse, non abbiendo vento a qnella stagione, non sappiendo che si fare vennero in ischernie de' Romani. Giamb. Oros. vi, vii, 369. The Latin is : . Alii hoc periculo territi, expansis velis qua ventus intenderent fugire conati, cessante mox ventu destituti, ludibrio fuere Roraanis. Oros. VI, viii, 376. In this example, as in the last one, the idea of motion expressed by venire seems relatively insignificant. The meaning of the Italian is : came to he despised by the Romans. The following two examples will illustrate my meaning, in a new way. The first one has been used already for another purpose :* . . . . ; e venuto in poverta, non potendo comparire cogli altri cavalieri, com' era usato divenne a tanta tristizia e malinconia, che si volea disperare. Pass. Pen. iii, iv, 67-8. Here we have divenire, a verb which later came to mean nothing but to become, and which always carries this idea in one way or in another, used in the same sense as that in which venire is used in the examples just given. The sense of the example would not be altered at all, if we had instead of divenne, " venne a tanta tristizia e malinconia." ^Cf. p. 18. 20 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Vei'bs Another such example is : Et nota die distrutti sono colore, che soliano essere in alto «tato, & in riccheza, & poi divengono in tanta miseria che vanno mendicando. Brun. Rett. Comm. r, 16. Here divengono in tanta miseria, is exactly the same as : vengono in tanta miseria, venire having come, in uses such as these, to have the same meaning as divenire, that is, to come to be, the two were sometimes confused. For other examples compare : Cron. Fior. 77, 16 ; 12, 16 ; Giamb. Oros. iv, x, 223 ; i, xxi, 62 ; VII, XLiv, 526 ; iv, xvii, 243 ; and Oros. iv, ix, 213 ; i, xxi, €0 ; vii, XL, 555 ; iv, xvi, 234 ; Villani iv, xiii, 80 ; V, ix, 107 ; VI, LI, 156 ; X, CLXXXiii, 643 ; vi, xcii, 182 ; xi, xxxix, 709 ; Pass. Sup. VII, 230-1. III. The Use with Adjectives of Venire and Andare. A. Venire. I have attempted to shew that the Italian verb venire being used in the sense of to arrive at, to reach, when used metaphorically, and gradually losing the force of the idea of motion which it expressed, came to have the meaning of to come to be. It seems that venire could not have been used with adjectives at first except in this sense, for it is impossible to suppose the verb to have been used in close construction with adjectives while retain- ing its simplest signification of motion toward the speaker. To come rich, strictly speaking, has no meaning, unless the verb is understood to be independent of the adjective. Now starting with the use of venire as independent of the adjective, for examjile, to come, rich, meaning to come and to be rich at the same time, it is easy to see that with the new meaning acquired by venire in the manner lately illustrated, that of to come to be, a close construction of the verb with the adjective is j)ossible. Now this use we find to be common in our texts, and to appear even in Latin. In Early Florentine Prose. 21 When, however, this change in meaning had come to pass, and venire was used in close construction with adjectives, the idea of motion originally conveyed by the verb, was not entirely done away with. The meaning was to come to be. The metaphorical idea of motion was still there. The tendency to become weaker, however, still existed, and, as in the independent uses of venire^ so in its construction with adjectives, we see the idea of motion gradually becoming fainter and fainter, until in a few cases, it seems to disappear almost altogether; at this stage it apparently means no more than simply to become in a sense not far removed from to be. To put this briefly : from the time venire begins to be used in the sense of to arrive at, to reach, and is used metaphorically, there is a gradual weakening of the force of the idea of motion attaching to the verb, and we see the culmination of the tendency, in the last development of the use with adjectives. We have something of a parallel to the final weakening of the idea of motion expressed by venire wnth adjectives, in the case of the English verb : to become. The original meaning of to become seems to be to come to be. In modern use, however, there is a difference between the meaning of the two expressions, the former having less of an idea of motion than the latter, so that we hear sentences as, he became imprisoned, in the sense of he was imprisoned. To illustrate the weakening of the idea of motion, expressed by venire with adjectives, I will give a few examples shewing the idea of motion as distinct as it is ever found in this construction, then two or three other examples where this idea seems to be still further weakened, and, lastly, a few where the idea of motion seems to be almost lost : — a. Expressing the idea of motion clearly. . . . ., e per fermo mostrava di dover venire il migliore uomo di sua casa. Paolino Fieri, 60, 22. Translation : He gave sure promise that he would come to be the best man of his house. 22 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs . . . ., peroche' Fiorentini erano venuti moUo superbi, per le vit- torie hauute sopra' loro vicini, e tra loro molto ingrati a Dio, .... Villani, v, viii, 106. Translation : . . . ., for the Florentines had come to be very proud^ because of their victories over their neighbors, and among them- selves, ungrateful towards God, .... For other examples compare : Paolino Fieri 49, 40; Villani vi, i, 124; v, xxr, 112. The Italian expression : venire meiio, which originally meant simply to become less ; that is, to begin to fail, has a development parallel to that of venire with adjectives. At first, venire in venir meno conveyed a clear idea of motion ; in other cases, presumably later, the idea of motion almost disappeared. The word meno seems to have been affected by its use in this phrase, so that it is used as meaning lacking, loanting} The follow- ing are a few examples where the idea of motion is still expressed : . . . ., lo mio signore Amore, la sua merce, ha posta tutta la mia beatitudine in quello, che non mi puote venir meno. Vita Nuova xviii, 1, 25. venir meno = come to be lacking ; that is, come to fail, . . . . ; come interviene a molte persone che o per vergogna o per temenza (....) perdonsi e vengon ^ meno, che smemorano e dimen- ticano i peccati che in prima aveano pensati di dire, .... Pass. Pen. v, 1, 95. Vengon si meno = come to be so lacking (in strength). For other examples compare : Villani xi, i, 674 ; Giamb. Oros. vi, xviii, 408, and Oros. vi, XIX, 437. b. Expressing the idea to become. . Piero tavoliere fu grande uomo d'avere, e venne ianto vmeri- cordioao, che prima tutto I'avere dispese a'povori per Dio. E poi ^Cf. Tobler, Verm. Beitr. 1899. in, 102. — '' ilal. venir main, aiiflioren, aus- gehn, auch ohnmachtig werden." In Early Florentine Prose. 23 quando tiitto ebbe dato, ed clU si fece vendere, ed il prezzo diede a' poveri tutto. Novell. XIV, 19. Here, as is shewn by the context, the whole emphasis of the sentence is laid on the fact of the man's being so merciful that he did all the things which follow ; there is no emphasis on the coming to be merciful. The idea of motion, then, plays here a very inconspicuous part, and is hardly expressed. The meaning of venire seems to be to become. . . . .; e gia cominciauano a venire possenti i Frescobaldi, e Bardi, e Mozi, ma di picciolo comiuciamento. Villani v, xxxix, 121. It may be urged that in this example the translation ought to be : And already the Frescobaldi, etc., .... were beginning to come to be powerful, etc., but it seems to me that the emphasis is not on the process by which they became powerful, but on their being powerful ; the fact that the beginnings of their power are mentioned, has nothing to do with the idea of motion, which is hardly expressed. I should be inclined to translate : were beginning to become powerful. The following examples of the expression venir meno shew a less evident idea of motion than those given above. . Uno della Marca and6 a studiare a Bologna. Vennerli meno le spese. Novell. XLVii, 54. Vennerli meno le spese = his spending-money became lacking. There is no apparent idea here of coming to be wanting or to fail. . . . ., e quasi sbigottito della bella difesa che mi era venuta meno, .... Vita nuova vii, 1, 4. Translation : and as if dismayed on account of the good defence which had become lacking to me. For other examples compare : 24 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs Giamb. Oros. rv, vii, 215 ; Oros. iv, VI, 204 ; Villani vi, xciii, 183 ; IV, X, 78 ; iv, x, 78 ; Pass. Pen. iv, IV, 89 ; Giamb. Veg. I, 2, 8, and Veg. i, ii, 4. c. Expressing an idea approaching that of to be. . . . .? certo chi hauea forza, & potere sopra altri molti non haueria patito di uenire pari di coloro, cui potea signorigiare, se non I'hauesse mosso sennata & soave parlatura, .... Brun. Lat. Rett. 10. The Latin is : . Profecto, nemo nisi graui ac soaui commotus oratione, cum viribus plurimum posset, ad ius voluisset sine vi descendere, ut inter quos posset excellere, cum iis se pateretur aequari, .... Cic. De luv. I, Op. Rhet. 42B. Here the translation of aequari by venire pari, shews little of any idea of motion in venire. . . . . : I malleoli siccome saette sono, ed ove s'appiccano, peroche arzenti vengono, ogni cosa ardono. Giamb. Veg. iv, 18, 163. The Latin is : Malleoli velut sagittae sunt, et ubi adhaeserint [quia ardentes sunt) universa conflagrant. Veg. Ill, XVIII, 128. Here again, ardentes sunt being translated by arzenti vengono , seems to shew an absence of the idea of motion. For other examples compare : Giamb. Oros. iv, x, 223; and Oros. iv, ix, 213; Villani x, ccxxii, 665. The following examples of the expression : venir meno seem to shew an equal loss of the idea of motion expressed by venire : . . . ., e delli antichi nomati di sopra sono calali, e tali venuti meno, .... Villani iv, xiii, 80. In Early Florentine Prose. 26 This example differs from others such as oiu; from Villaiii, referred to above, which says :...." venue meno il detto lignaj^gio." The distinction is that here it is not a race of people, which is spoken of as dying out, but single individuals who have died. Hence there seems to be almost no idea of motion in this example. . Questa e orazione, per la quale i Fiorentini veglievoli con ani- mata divozione a' j)rogonitori tnoi, ogualmente e a te, la tna celsitu- dine amantissimameute destano, acci5 die quella desta, tntte le nebbie passino via, e al tutto vengano meno. Villani xii, cviii, 987. " Acci5 che etc." = , so that, when that is aroused, all the mists may pass away, and entirely be gone. For other examples, compare : Villani xii, viii, 883; xii, xcv, 973; xii, civ, 982; Pass. Sup. VII, 230. To sum up briefly : venire having, by processes described above, acquired the meaning : to come to he, was used with adjectives in this sense. The weakening of the idea of motion expressed by venire, however, which had already begun, continued in the use with adjectives, so that at last it seems to be lost, and in some cases venire seems to be almost equivalent to to he. THE USE OF VENIRE AND ANDARE AS AUXILIARY VERBS. Part I. With Past Participles. A. Venire. I have traced the hypothetical process of development by which venire came to be used with adjectives, with the meaning to become, and almost even to be, the idea of motion being almost lost in the latter case. There is room for doubt as to whether the idea of motion is ever actually lost or not, but at any rate, it becomes so weak, in the use with adjectives, as to be all but lost, so that venire degno, for example, in some cases seems to mean little more than to he worthy. I now come to my proper subject : The use of venire with Past Participles. With past participles, venire comes to be used as an auxiliary verb expressing the Passive voice, supplanting eventually, to a great extent, the common auxiliary for the Passive, essere. The question I am about to discuss is : by what process of develop- ment, ve7iire came to be used in this way. At first sight, it may seem to others, as it once seemed to me, that the use of venire with Past Participles, to express the Passive, is an outgrowth of the use of this verb with adjectives, as discussed above. In other words, venire, having come to mean become (and approaching to be) with adjectives, was then used with past parti- ciples, with the same meaning. After more thought, however, I have abandoned this idea. My reasons are as follows : First. The use of venire with adjectives, in the sense of to become, rather than more frequent with the passing of time, became more and more rare, and has at last been almost entirely supplanted by divenire and diventare. Secondly. Although examples of the use of venire with Past Participles, with a meaning other than its elementary meaning, to come, are rare in early texts, yet examples are to be found in the earliest texts we have, and have become more and more frequent 26 In Early Florentine Prose. 27 until at present vei\ire rivals essere in freqnency of nse with Past Participles, as an auxiliary expressing the pure Latin Passive. Besides this, I may say that tliere are indications which lead us to believe that the use of venire to express the Passive, developed along a line peculiar to itself, although, as I shall try to shew later, the develepnient seems to be identical with that of the use with adjectives, up to a certain point. When we come to consider the use of venire with Past Part ici- cles, expressing the Passive, with the purpose before us of dis- covering the process by which an ordinary verb of motion, such as venire, came to be used in so singular a way, it is obvious that the first thing to which we must give our attention is the force which the verb has in this use. There can be no doubt that, in modern Italian, venire as a Passive auxiliary verb expresses the Latin Passive. Venire ucciso means to be killed in the sense of the Ger- man wo'den getbdtei, of the Latin occidi. In the latest texts, however, which my investigation includes, that is, those of the latter half of the fourteenth century, venire, as an auxiliary ex- pressing the Passive, far more frequently thfn not, seems to retain more of an idea of motion than is expressed by the Latin Passive. For example, .... E se alcuna volta gli venisse predetta alcuna di quelle (cose casual i), non sarebbe pero che n'avesse scienza, . . . ., Pass. Sc. 300. venisse predetta seems to mean : should happen to be foretold, and has not yet cast off as much of the idea of motion, as has the auxiliary for the pure Passive. The prima facie conclusion from this fact is that the loss of the idea of motion is in some way connected with the modification of the meaning of venire, which modification fitted it to be used to express the Passive. And, indeed, this is a conclusion which is obvious without any knowledge of texts, for it is evident that venire in its passage from the meaning to come, to the meaning to he, even in the sense of the Latin Passive, must have lost the greater part of its idea of motion. Nevertheless, however closely the loss of the idea of motion may be connected with the change of 28 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs meaning of the verb, it is plain that without some other cause the transition from to come to to be would never have taken place. For a gradual loss of the idea of motion, by itself, would only result in the final disappearance of the verb venire. We have, therefore, to discover what may be supposed to be the additional causes which, together with the gradual loss of the idea of motion, brought about the use of venire as an auxiliary express- ing the Passive, with the meaning to be, and, also we have to see in what manner all these forces affected the verb, so as to bring about that result. The only apparent method by which our object may be reached, is that of examining the various uses of venircy from the elementary, independent use meaning to come, to the use expressing the Passive, which we are treating. We have already in the preceding pages seen how First, venire was used independently and materially in the sense to arrive at, to reach ; Secondly, venire was used independently and metaphorically, both in the elementary sense of to come, and in the other sense of to arrive at, to reach ; Thirdly. In this metaphorical use, venire seems to have begun to lose the idea of motion originally attaching to it, so that in expressions such as : venire in disgrazia — to come to he disfavoured ;^ venire in grazia — to come to be favoured ; venire in orrore — to come to be hated, etc., the idea of motion is already somewhat weakened, since the most important thought expressed is the state in which the subjects are (after their having come into this given condition) and not the process by which they arrived at that state. In the construction with Past Participles, venire meant, originally, nothing more than to come: venire ferito meant merely, to come and to he wounded at the same time, both verbs keeping their respective independent meaning, and each its full force. When venire came to be used in the sense of to arrive at, to reach, this did not affect the meaning of that simplest of constructions : venire ferito meant then to arrive and to be ivounded at the same time. When, how- ever, venire began to be used in a metaphorical sense, then appar- ently, the meaning of the construction began to change. With the new idea conveyed by the verb, expressions such as venire ucciso, became possible, where the idea expressed could not possibly be : In Early Florentine Prose. 29 to come and to be killed at the same time. Metaphorical expressions too, such as venire predetto, venire JidlHo, etc., wouM necessarily indicate a closer logical relation between the two verbs, as they stood side by side, and a united meanini^ which was entirely differ ent from any idea formerly expressed by the construction. Now, considering that venire had come to be used metaphorically, and with the meaning, to annve at, to reach, an apj)ropriate ques- tion is : What should we expect the idea, as conveyed by the old construction of ue?iiVe with the Past Participle, to he, venire having been thus transforme<l in meaning? What is the logical result of a construction such as ; for example, vennefatto — came done? The two ideas represented are : First. A certain thing was done. Secondly. It arrived done. When I consider what the force of to arrive, is, when used in a metaphorical sense, the only idea which I can think of, is that represented by the French arriver, meaning to happen. Now putting this meaning for venire, and adding the meaning of fatto, I should answer the question asked in the preceding paragraph, by saying that, under the given conditions, venne fatto would have a meaning very much akin to that of: happened done, or (in idiomatic English) — came to pass. Now, this is exactly the idea which seems to be conveyed by vennefatto in the examples we have, where venire has not yet come to be used as a pw'e Passive auxiliary verb. The following examples of venire in the earliest stage of the develop- ment of its use as an auxiliary expressing the Passive, will illus- trate my meaning : a. Venire meaning to happen ; expressing the Passive ; the idea of motion weaker than in the original use. . Ma non sempre agli uccellatori gV ingegni vengono loro fatti, e agli indovini compositori di bugie quello, che a ventura dieono, viene loro fatto. Giamb. Oros. v, lY, 279. The Latin here is : Sed non semper aucupatoribus eventum & iustructoribus fallaciarum haruspicibus, opportuni casus suffragant. Oros. V, IV, 279. 30 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs The Italian is a free translation of the Latin, but the meaning is clear enough : But not always do the tricks of bird-trappers succeed, nor does that which lying sooth-sayers say at hazard (always), come to pass. The Latin : opportuni casus suffragant emphasizes the meaning of the translation : viene loro fatto. . II cavallo era nudrito. II fante non potendolo tenere, si si drizzo verso il padiglione del Soldano a sua forza. II Soldano aspettava il re Ricciardo, ma non li venne fatto. Novell. LXiii, 73-4. Translation : The horse had been trained. The servant not being able to hold him, he made for the Sultan's tent, with all his might. The Sultan was expecting King Richard (not the servant), but it did not so come to pass. . Come il Re di Francia ordino di fare eleggere M. Carlo di Valos Imperadore, e venneli fallito. Villani viii, ci, 372. An example which illustrates my meaning very well indeed : venneli fallito = it came failed to him ; that is, it turned out a failure. . E se alcuna volta gli venisse predetla alcuna di quelle (cose casuali), non sarebbe pero che n'avesse scienzia, .... Pass. Sc. 300. Passavanti is here speaking of the prophetic powers of the devil. He says the devil cannot foretell future events, but that (to trans- late the above example), if, now and then, he should happen to foretell one of those casual events, it would not be because he had actual knowledge of it. The gli is in the dative case because venire still preserves some of its idea of motion. The literal meaning is ; should come foretold to him; that is, it shoidd happen to him to fore- tell. The translation which the phrase might have, if it were modern Italian : should be foretold to him, would damage the sense, and is impossible. For other examples of. : Giamb. Oros. v, xxiv, 344, and Oros. v, xxiv, 345 ; Villani X, cxi.vi, 621 ; X, cxxxviii, 616 ; ix, xi, 385; l, xxx, 21 ; In Early Florentine Prose. 31 VII, LVii, 228 ; VI, LX, 160 ; ix, l, 401-2 ; ix, cccv, 507 ; ix, ix, 384 ; x, cix, 598 ; xii, xliv, 924 ; xii, lxxii, 955 ; Pas8. Pen. V, IV, 141. In the above examples, then, venire used with past participles, seems to have come to have the meaning of the French annver, that is, to happen, to come to pass. I wish to emphasize the appearance, which I have already tried to illustrate, that this meaning is the natural result of the use of venire (which was already used metaphorically, and in the sense of to arrive) with Past Participles. Now, if we compare this idea of to happen, to come to pass, with the idea which venire expresses in modern Italian, when used as an auxiliary for the Passive ; that is, the idea to be in the sense of the Latin Passive, it is plain that the only difference between the two consists in the idea of motion which is found in the former, and which is nearly absent in the latter. This being the case, if venii'e with Past Participles, and meaning to happen, to come to pass, were to lose its idea of motion, it would naturally come to mean to be, and would express the pure Passive. That the tend- ency toward losing the idea of motion, already illustrated, was not arrested at the point at which we have arrived, appears from further examples. It is evident that there is much less of an idea of motion in to happen, than there is in to come. This being the case, the weaken- ing of the idea of motion in venire with Past Participles, would be merely a continuation of the same process which seems to have begun as soon as venire was used in a metaphorical sense ; that is, as far back as we have any knowletlge of the verb, even in Latin. Also, it is worth remembering that, in the case of the use of venire with adjectives, with the meaning become, the same process seems to have continued until the idea of motion is almost lost, and venire degno came to mean almost simply : to be loorthy. The weakening of the idea of motion, then, in the case of the use with Past Participles, seems to be merely a parallel development to that in the case of the use with adjectives. Every fact, therefore, which I have elicited in examination of the usQS oi venire, tends to confirm me in my belief that I am right 32 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs in thus tracing the development which ended in the use of venire to express the pure Passive. I will now give a few examples of venire used with Past Parti- ciples, in which there seems to be less of an idea of motion expressed, than in those just given above. b. Approaching the meaning to he • expressing the Passive ; the idea of motion still weaker. . Ben dico ch' alcuna volta il mandante non scrive la salutatione, o per eel are le persone se la lettera venisse data altrui, o per alcuna cagione, .... Brun. Rett. Comm. 76. Here venisse data may be translated by : should happen to be given, in which case this example would fall among those given above. But it may also be just as well translated by should be given. It is impossible to tell which of the two translations is the more correct, and this example shews very well how easy it was for venire, in this use, to lose its idea of motion, and to pass from the meaning to happen to the meaning to be. From the fact that venire can here be translated as a pure Passive auxiliary, I suppose that the idea of motion is somewhat weaker than in the examples given above, or, at any rate, that the idea of motion is wavering. It will be remembered that in the examples of venire = to happen, it is impossible to translate the verb as a pure Passive auxiliary, without evidently iujuring the sense of the sentence. . . . . : Ora maggiormente ci dee venir fatto, dappoi che vaca lo 'mperio, e massimamente per la promessa, e saramento fatto per Papa Chimento, quando il iece far Papa. Villani viii, cr, 273. The translation may be : Now it is all the more probable that it will be done to us, since, etc., etc. (that is, it is all the more prob- able that our candidate will be made emperor). Nevertheless, it is impossible to tell whether venire expresses any idea of happening, or not. It is probable that, in these two exam|)les just given, and in those to follow, the author had no clear idea of what the exact In Early Florentine Prose. 33 force of venire was ; that is, the idea expressed by venire was wavering between the meaning (o happen and the meaning to be. In other words, whatever idea of motion there is conveyed by venire, is faint. . Per laqual cosa riraescohita la diuisione della legione tra collcgi, quasi per gara non credendo che venisse fatto, raissono a squittino quello di loro collegio, ch' era tenuto il pin menorao de' Cardinali ; . . . . Villani xi, xxi, 697. " non credendo che venisse fatto " may mean : not believing that it would be done, or else : not believing that it would come to pass, .... . . . ., che li dovea essere data I'entrata della terra ; e per sua sventura nolli venne fatto ; .... Villani xii, i, 872. Translation :...., for the entrance into the town was to be given to him, but, unfortunately for him, it teas not done for him ; . . . . or else : . . . ., it did not come to pass (to him). . Ma chi qui la volesse toccare, non gli verrebbe fatto, .... Pass. Sc. 283. Translation : But if anyone should attempt to touch it (the glory of God) here, (that is, in this life) it would not be done to him (that is, he would not be rewarded); or else : .... it would not happen to him. . Tuttavia, se in qucsto caso, o in qualunche altro, venisse nominata altrui nella confessione la persona con cui avesse peccato, o venisse detto I'altrui peccato, .... non sarebbe peccato, anzi mercede. Pass. Pen. v, iv, 138. Translation : . Nevertheless, if ... . the person with whom he had sinned should be named (or should happen to be named), or the sin of another person should be told (or should happen to be told), .... 34 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs In the above examples, then, the exact force of venire^ is uncer- tain, and seems to be wavering between the idea : to happen and the idea : to be ; that is, the idea of motion expressed is exceedingly- weak. There is no doubt in my mind that venire, in these exam- ples is an auxiliary verb expressing the Passive voice, but whether it expresses the pure Latin Passive, or conveys some idea oi happen- ing is a doubtful question. These examples may then be taken to represent the intermediate stage between venire meaning to happen, and venire expressing the pure Passive. The following examples illustrate the use of venire with Past Participles in its fullest development up to the last half of the fourteenth century; they are all from Yillani (1300-1348) except one from Alberto della Piagentina (1332). They represent the nearest approach to the use of venire as an auxiliary expressing the pure Latin Passive, up to that time : the idea of motion seems to i have almost disappeared.^ c. Meaning to be ; expressing the pure Latin Passive ; almost no idea of motion. Di quello medesimo maraviglioso ordine, per quattro parti del mondo, quattro regni principali con ordinati gradi soprastanti, fuoro ; come ecc. . . . De' quali, tra il primaio e quello da sezzo, cio6 tra quello di Bambillouia e Romano, quasi tra padre vecchio e figliuolo piccolo, I'Africano e quello di Macedonia piccoli in mezzo, quasi tutori e curatori vennero ricevuti per podesta di tempo, non per ragione di reditade. Giamb. Oros. ii, 1, 66. The Latin is : .... : eademque ineffabiliore ordiuatione per quatuor mundi cardines, quatuor regnorum principatus fiiere dis- tinctis gradibus eminentis : ut, etc quorum inter primura & novissiraura, id est inter Babylonicum et Romanum, quasi inter patrem senem ac filium paruum, Africanum & Macedonicum breuia ^ The Latin Passive, like the German werden with the Past Participle, expresses an entrance into a condition, so that venire (no matter how well it niav seem to be translated l)y the English to be) needs not to loie entirely its idea of motion in order to express the Latin Passive, lo vengo ucciso corresponds to ich werde getiidlet, rather than to 1 am killed. Cf. Meyer-LUbke : op. cit. ill, ^ 304. In Early Florentine Prose. 35 et media (iiinsi tutor curatorque venerunt, potestate, temporis, non iure hereilitatis, admissa. Oros. II, 1, 63-4. The Latin : venerunt .... admissa is extraordinary, and seems to have the meaning : came to be admitted. In the Italian : vennero ricevuti, however, vennero is undoubtedly as much of an auxiliary representing the pure Passive as it would be in the same phrase in modern Italian. . . . . ; e come fu trattato, venue fatto. Villani viii, LXiii, 337. Translation :....; and as it was agreed, so it ivas done. It may be said that venue fatto here too means : so it happened, or turned out, and this translation is possible. Nevertheless the absence of an indirect object such as loro makes such a translation less likely than it would be otherwise, and there seems to be no objection to the translation of venue by was. . II qual trattato scoperto con danuo di loro non veune loro fornito. Villani ix, ccxii, 469. Translation : Which agreement, being discovered to their dam- age, was not performed to them. As far as can be seen, there is no idea of happening expressed here. . . . ., e gia haueua da loro la 'mpromessa, laquale poi li venue fornita. Villani viii, v, 292. Translation :...., and already he had from them the promise which loas aftervfa.rd fulfilled to him, . Onde il Re si tenne forte grauato, ma non potendo bene a cio contraddire, . . . ., acconsentl, credendosi si adoperare al concilio di Vienna, che gli verrebbe fatto sua intendimento. Villani viii, xci, 367. Here again some doubt may be raised as to the meaning of ver- rebbe fatto, but the context seems to mean that the king expected 36 TJiQ Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs so to act, at the council of Vienna, that his intention woxdd he per- formed to him; that is, would be granted him (by the council). . La qual cosa fu rivelata a Messer Mastino per uno suo antico conestabole, ch' era di quella giura, per laqual cosa il tradimento non vennefatto, .... Villani xi, viii, 691. . . . ., per laqnal cosa il tradimento non venne fatto, for which reason, the betrayal was not accomplished .... . Nelli anni di Cristo 1328. addi 12. di Maggio, il di della Assensione . . . ., Lodouico il Bauero, che si facea chiamare Iniperadore venne incoronato, e parato con 1' abito Imperiale in sul pergamo, .... Villani x, lxxxiii, 574. Translation : " In the year of our Lord, 1328, on the twelfth of May, on Ascension day . . . ., Lewis the Bavarian, who used to cause himself to be called " Emperor," loas crowned and arrayed with the imperial dress, upon the platform, . . . . " . Or non sapevi tu i nostri costumi ? ne che Creso Re de' Lidi poco dinanzi a Cirro spaurevole, incontanente poi miserabile alle fiamme dell fuoco sommesso, dalla piova dal ciel mandata venisse difeso ? Alb. Piag. II, 33. The Latin is : An tu mores ignorabas meos ? Nesciebas Croesum regera Lidorum Cyro paulo ante formidabilem, mox deinde miseran- dum regi ; flammis traditum misso coelitus imbre defensum f Boeth. Ill, 13b. In questo apparecchio i sopradetti maestri del trattato, ch'erano in Siena, acciochfe pienamente venisselor ornito, mandarono a Firenze altri a trattare tradimento con certi grandi, e popolani Ghibellini, ch' erano rimasi in Firenze, .... Villani vi, Lxxx, 172. Translation : During these preparations the above-mentioned managers of the agreement, . . . ., so that it should be fully per- formed to them, etc. In Early Florentine Prose. 37 . Con tutto che per molti cittadini si fece questione se potesee essei' venuto fornito il detto traditnento, non essendo, nella citta possenti luiomini c'hauessero risposto al tradimeuto clie non si trou6 di vero, .... Villani x, cxviii, G04. Translation : Altiiough it was questioned by many of the citizens, whether the said treason could have been performed .... . . . ., e conoscendo il nial sito done i Fiorentini erano accampati, con sagace inganno, fece tenere in falsi trattati M. Ramondo, e' 1 suo consiglio con piii di quelle castella di val di Nievole per farli indugiare che non si partissero, e leuassero il campo, . . . . ; e tra che fn tempo piouoso, e I'inganno de' trattati, li venne fatto suo intendimento. Villani ix, ccv, 507. Considering that intendimento is here the subject of venne fatto, and that the context preceding explains how his intention was to be carried out, we may suppose the translation to be : his inten- tion was carried out. . I Fiorentini per lo socorso del detto Castello di Lucchio trattato feciono d'hauere il Castello, e'l ponte di Cappiano in su la Gui- sciana. E?sendo Castruccio ad oste in Carlagnana, vi caualcarono le cauallate, e soldati di Firenze infino a Empoli, e non vegnendo fornito il tradimento si tornarono in Firenze con gran riprensione dell' una impresa, e dell' altra. Villani ix, cxcii, 462. Translation : . . . . since the betrayal loas not carried out .... (. . . . the betrayal not being carried out . . . .) . Intra li altri notabili, e orrevoli cittadini, e antichi Guelfi, e fattisi Bianchi vi fu preso M. Donato Alberti giudice, e Nanni de' Russoli della parte del vescouo. Nanni vegnendo preso fu morto da uno de' Tosinghi, .... Villani viii, LX, 334. Translation : Nanni on being captured was killed 38 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Vei'bs . e venia fomito il trattato, se non che uno che 'I menaua cadde d'uno sporto, e veggendosi alia morte in confessione il manifestd a un frate, .... Villain VII, cxxxvii, 251. Translation : And the agreement would have been carried out, . . . } Another example in which it seems doubtful whether venire is used as au auxiliary or not is : Villani vii, cxxiii, 271. Remarks. 1 . Parallelism between the use of venire with Past Participles, and that with Adjectives. I wish here to point out the parallelism between the supposed development of the use of venire with Past Participles, and that of venire with adjectives : Venire was used originally, both with adjectives and with Past Participles, with its independent meaning of to come. However, the verb came to be used, in Latin times, with the meaning (o arrive, and was also employed in metaphorical senses. Used in metaphorical senses, venire appears to continue the loss of the idea of motion, the beginning of which loss is indicated by the passage to the meaning arrive. It is here that the supposed development of venire as used with Past Participles, and that of venire as used with adjectives, separate. Used with expressions containing an adjectival idea, such as in grazia, in povertd,, etc., it seems to acquire the meaning to come to be, which conveys less of an idea of motion than to arrive, since the emphasis is on the being rather than on the coming. And when the verb with the meaning to come to be is used in close construction with adjectives, it seems to ^ I believe the translations given for this and the preceding example*, to be correct as far as the English is concerned. However, it must be borne in mind that the English method of expressing the Passive by lo be with Past Participles Ib, to a certain extent, ambiguous. These translations are to be understood in the sense of the Latin Passive which includes the idea of an enlrnnee. into a condi- tion, that is, venire here is not absolutely deprived of a lingering idea of motion. Cf. note to p. 34. In Early Florentine Prose. 39 acquire the meaning to become^ conveying still less of an idea of motion. On the other hand venire with the meaning to arrive, when used with Past Participles seems to acquire the meaning to happen, to come to pass, with the loss of the idea of motion, which might be expected. Lastly, venire meaning to happen, continuing to lose the idea of motion, seems to acquire the meaning to be (English) which fits it to be used as an auxiliary expressing the pure Latin Passive. The same cause, the gradual loss of the idea of motion, seems to have operated in the case of each of the two uses (with adjectives and with Past Participles), but the different nature of the two parts of speech produced a different result in each case. 2. The possible influence of the two above uses the one upon the other. These two developments being so much alike, it is possible that each may have influenced the other, and encouraged the progress of the other to some extent. As to what influence the use of venire as an auxiliary for the Passive, may have had upon the use of venire with adjectives, it is impossible to say. Examples of venire with adjectives, in which the verb approaches very closely the meaning to be, are so few that it is probable that the influence amounted to very little. On the other hand, it is more likely that the use of venire with adjectives, meaning to become, had a considerable effect in further- ing the change by which venire with Past Participles, passed from the meaning to happen to the meaning to be. In all languages past participles can be used as adjectives ; one has merely to remember how we say, in English, that the meat has been cooked ; and again, that we prefer cooked meat to raw meat. That the same occurs in Italian is hardly worth pointing out : " amor che a nullo amato amar perdona." The past participle faito is used as an adjective with exceptional frequence, and occurs thus in the old language as well as in the modern ; for example, .... Or, a guisa di morditore (ed avea nome Paolino), fece a Marco una cosi fatta quistione, .... Novell. XLVi, 54. 40 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs This word is especially interesting to us because it occurs in many of the examples of the auxiliary use of venire with Past Participles ; and it seems reasonable to suppose that when a verb is commonly used in a given way with such a word, when the latter is considered an adjective, it is likely to be used in the same way with the same word, when the latter is really a past participle. But beside this, in Italian, numbers of past participles of the first conjugation, and some of other conjugations, have correspond- ing shorter forms which are adjectives. Such, for example, are aGconcio-acconciato, desto-deslato, erto-eretto, etc., etc.^ Now although these adjectives are not derived from the corresponding participles, and have always been used as adjectives, as has been pointed out by Quintescu,^ nevertheless, as that writer says himself, the respec- tive meanings of adjective and participle are frequently almost identical, and it is easily conceivable that venire, once used with such adjectives, with a certain meaning, might be used with the same meaning, with the corresponding Past Participles. Such considerations as these, lead me to believe it quite possible that when venire had come to be used with Past Participles, with the meaning to happen, the example of the very similar use of venire with adjectives, with the meaning to become tending toward the meaning to be, may have contributed to the change from to happen to to be. Also it is possible that the difficulty of dis- tinguishing some of the past participles, with which venire was used, from adjectives, may have emphasized the similarity between the two uses, and so have encouraged the same change. 3. Venire versus Essere as an auxiliary for the Passive. Supposing venire to have passed from the meaning to happen to one approaching that of to be, it would seem that the mere fact that it expressed an idea similar to that expressed by the regular auxiliary for the Passive, essere, would cause it to be used likewise as an auxiliary for the Passive. This may be true, but at the same time there is another cause for the use of venire in this way. iCf. Blanc, op. r;;<., 329-341. ' " Ueher eine verinuthlich aiis dem Particip abgeleitete Adjectivalform im Italieniscben " A. n. S. XXXVII, 197. Jn Early Florentine Prose. 41 Diez makes a distinction between "Perfective" verbs (verbs expressing momentary activity) and " Imperfect ive" verbs (those expressing an enduring activity), saying that with Past Participles of the former kind of verbs, when nsed in the Present tense, exsere fails to express the Present Passive, and instead corresponds to the Latin Perfect tense composed in the same way, with esse and Past Participles. For example, " il nemico e batlnlo " means the same as '' hosils victiis est,^^ thus expressing an event which is past at the time of speaking. On the other hand " egll ^ amato da tiUti " corresponds to " amatur ab omnibii^^." ^ Meyer-Liibke objects to this distinction, and holds that, in tenses such as the Present and Imperfect, essere fails to express the corre- sponding Passive tense in Latin as well with " Imperfective" verbs as with " Perfective." ^ However that may be, it is true that venire fulfills the function of the Latin Passive where essere fails. For example, in cases such as the following : . I Fiorentini per lo soccorso del detto Castello di Lucchio trattato feciono d'hauere il Castello, e'l ponte di Cappiano in su la Guisciaua. Essendo Castruccio ad oste in Carfagnana, vi caualcarono le caual- late, e soldati di Firenze infino a Empoli, e non vegnendo fornito il tradimento si tornarono in Firenze con gran riprensione delF una impresa, e dell' altra. Villani, ix, cxcii, 462. Here if we were to substitute essendo fornito for vegnendo fornito, it is clear that the sense would be altered, and we should no longer have the Present Passive. Venire, then, being so well fitted to supply the failings of the regular auxiliary verb essere, it would be exceedingly strange if it had not been pressed into the service. That the shortcomings of essere were keenly felt is shewn by the use of periphrases, imper- sonal expressions such as, " button il nemico," ^ and the reflexive forms, as in si uccide il malfattore. Diez mentions these methods * Diez : op. ciL, ill, 202-4. » Mejer-Lubke : ap. cit., iii, g 304. 'See Diez ib. 42 The Use of Venire and Andare as Auxiliary Verbs. of providing for the failings of essere, and adds also that venire is used in this way instead.' 4. Frequence of the Appearance of the Uses Discussed. The examples of the use of venire with Past Participles, as an auxiliary for the Passive, which I have found, are as follows : a. venire meaning to happen : Giamb. Oros. v, iv, 279 ; v, xxiv, 344. Oros. v, iv, 279 ; v, XXIV, 345. Novell, lxiii, 73-4. Villani i, xxx, 21 ; vi, lx, 160; viT, LVir, 228; viii, ci, 372; ix, ix, 384; ix, xr, 385; IX, L, 401-2; ix,^ccv, 507; x, cix, 598; x, cxxxviii, 616; X, cxLVi, 621 ; XII, XLiv, 924 ; xii, lxxii, 955 ; Pass. Pen. V, IV, 141. Pass. Sc. 300. b. Approaching the meaning to be. Brun. Rett. Gomm. 76. Villani viii, ci, 273 ; xi, xxi, 697 ; XII, I, 872. Pass. Pen. v, iv, 138. Pass. Sc. 283. c. Meaning to be. Giamb. Oros. ii, I, 66. Oros. ii, i, 63-4. Villani, vi, Lxxx, 172 ; VII, cxxiii, 271 ; vii, cxxviil^ 251 ; viii, v, 292 ; viii, lx, 334 ; viii, LXiii, 337 ; viii, xci, 367 ; ix, cxcii, 462 ; ix, ccv, 507 ; IX, ccxii, 469 ; x, lxxxiii, 574 ; x, oxviii, 604 ; xi, viii, 691. Alb. Piag. ii, 33. Boeth. iii, 13b. 'While speaking of "perfective" and " Imperfi'ctive" verbs, so-called by Diez, I may say tliat the great grammarian, continuina;, points out the fact that the past participles of " Perfective" verbs, when used with the Present tense of essere, become adjectives, so that, illavoro ifinilo, comes to mean: the work is com- plete; il fancuiUo deslato comes to mean: the child is awake, and so on. In this way we have a large class of participles which have become adjectives, and which, together with the parallel fornjs mentioned .ibove (see Remark 2), would add to the indueiice which the use of venire with adjectives would have on the use with Past Participles. VITA. I, James Eustace Shaw, was l)orn at Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Eng- land, on July 17th, 1876, and lived at Rome, Italy, from 1878 to 1889. From 1889 to 1892 I was at King Henry Vlllth's School, Coventry, England. In September, 1893, I came to Baltimore and entered the college of Johns Hopkins University. Having obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts, I entered the department of Romance Languages of the postgraduate division of the university, and spent four years in studying for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. During the seven years thus passed at the Johns Hoj^kins Univer- sity, I spent five summers in Euro})e, all but one in Italy. It has been my good fortune to hold a university scholarship during the year 1899, and a fellowship during the year 1900. I wish to express ray thanks first to Professor Menger of Bryn Mawr College, who introduced me to the undergraduate work here, whose advice has been at my disposal ever since, and who suggested to me the subject of this dissertation. I am also exceed- ingly indebted to Professors Harden, Armstrong and Ogden, and to Dr. Keidel, of the Johns Hopkins University for instruction and continual kindness. Professor Armstrong especially has been an ever ready source of help to me during the last three years. Above all am I indebted to Professor Elliott of this University, not only for constant help and generous advice during my last four years of work, but also for his kindly interest in me during my undergraduate years. James Eustace Shaw, RETURN TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 198 Main Stacks ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS Renewals and Recharges may be made 4 days prior to the due date. Books may be renewed by calling 642-3405. DUE AS STAMPED BELOW FORM NO. DD6 50M 5-03 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Berkeley. California 94720-6000 1 1 OAVI ^y^a^^ .^HtBN^ !::l!i::