Augustus Lepidum veteratorem fuisse.

Augustus told Antony that Lepidus was a humbug.

We don't know exactly where this historical fact is mentioned. _Lepidus_
is a _funny_ name.

Except, from the foregoing rule, rego, to rule, guberno, to govern,
which have an accusative case; tempero and moderor, to rule, which have
sometimes a dative, sometimes an accusative case; as

Luna regit ministros:

The moon rules the ministers.

That is to say, when it is at the full, and resembles a great O.

Praeco pauperes gubernat:

The beadle governs the paupers.

Non semper temperat ipse sibi:

He does not always govern himself.

Non animos mollit proprios, nec temperat iras:

He neither softens his own mind, nor tempers his anger.

Ecce, Ducrow moderatur equos:

Lo, Ducrow manages the horses.

_Q._ Why is a general officer like a writing-master?

_A._ Because he is a _ruler of lines_.

Verbs of trusting govern a dative case, as

Credite, f[oe]mineae, juvenes, committere menti,
Nil nisi lene decet.

Believe me, young men, it is fit to entrust nothing to a female mind
but what is _soft_.

In fact, _soft nothings_ are fittest for the ear of a lady.

Pomarius poetae non credit:

The costermonger trusts not the poet.

How wrong, therefore, it is to call him a _green_ grocer.

Verbs of complying with and of opposing govern a dative case, as

Nunquam obtemperat tiro hodiernus magistro:

A modern apprentice never obeys his master.

Verbs of threatening and of being angry govern a dative case, as

Utrique latronum mortem est minitatus:

He threatened death to both of the robbers,--

By presenting a pistol right and left at each of them. This when done by
some well-disposed sailor in a melodrame, constitutes a situation of
thrilling interest.

[Illustration]

Sum with its compounds, except possum, governs a dative case, as

Oculi nigri non semper sunt faciei ornamentum:

Black eyes are not always an ornament to the face.

[Illustration]

Verbs compounded with these adverbs, bene, well, satis, enough, male,
ill, and with these prepositions, prae, ad, con, sub, ante, post, ob, in,
inter, for the most part govern a dative case, as

Saginatio multis hominibus benefacit:

Cramming does good to many men.

For instance, it does good to aldermen, especially in these days of
reform, _by enlarging the Corporation_. Cramming, or rather the effect