1 Adema, S.M. (2007). Temporal bases and the use of the narrative infinitive in the Aeneid. In G. Purnell & J.Denooz (Eds.), Ordre et cohérence en Latin (pp. 7-18). Liège: Université de Liège. Google books: http://books.google.nl/books?id=sTLk6ZLkqawC&lpg=PA18&dq=Ordre%20et%20coh%C3%A9renc e%20en%20Latin&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false Temporal bases and the use of the narrative infinitive in the Aeneid Suzanne Adema, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Summary In the Aeneid, the narrative infinitive occurs in two types of context: in passages in which the temporal base lies in the time of the narrator, and in passages in which the temporal base lies in reference time. The basic function of the narrative infinitive is to fill a time frame given by the context. The ‘inchoative’ use of the narrative infinitive and its use in ‘chaotic and busy’ environments can be explained by means of this function. 1. Introduction The narrative infinitive is characterized by its lack of morphological elements defining tense, mode and person. According to Sznajder (1996:308), this lack of morphological elements makes the narrative infinitive suitable for contexts in which a temporal marker would be felt as redundant. In this article, I turn this argument around and argue that the narrator of the Aeneid, whenever he uses a narrative infinitive, has taken care to provide a specific time frame in which the state of affairs in the narrative infinitive is valid, i.e. the position on the time line and the duration of the state of affairs in the narrative infinitive are made clear by the context. This becomes clear when we contrast example (1) with (2), which both contain the verb consurgere. The present tense form consurgunt in (1) defines its own time frame, which lasts as long as it takes for the seamen to stand up. This verb form denotes, by itself, a bounded state of affairs. 1 (1) consurgunt nautae et magno clamore morantur ferratasque trudes et acuta cuspide contos expediunt fractosque legunt in gurgite remos. (Verg. Aen. 5.207 – 209) The present tense form consurgunt is interpreted as reaching its end point in reference time, after which we are to picture the seamen as cheering (magno clamore) in a standing position. This interpretation is not evoked in (2), in which the narrative infinitives consurgere and inferre denote the situation of the seamen rowing to the Latin coast. The verb forms do not by themselves indicate the end point of the state of affairs: they need the donec-clause to do it for them. (2) quae talia postquam effatus Tarchon, socii consurgere tonsis spumantisque rates aruis inferre Latinis, donec rostra tenent siccum et sedere carinae omnes innocuae. (Verg. Aen. 10.299 – 302) The narrative infinitives fill the temporal space between postquam effatus and donec tenent. The function of the narrative infinitive to fill such a time frame is the same in every type of context, although the ‘shape’ of the time frame may vary. In this article, I will try to show that the specific type 1 I use the terms bounded and unbounded in the sense of Depraetere (1995).