Indirect statement greatly simplified:
The basic rule is: say/think + infinitive.....see/know + participle.
By either construction, the main verb takes whatever object it requires;
participles must agree with their implied subject.
As we move from present-tense main verb to past,
your translation must shift: is/are ---> was/were ......will --> would....has/have ---> had
Study the following pattern sentence: we say/see that the boy writes
|
main verb |
we say/think + infinitive |
we see/know + participle |
we said/thought + infinitive |
we saw/knew + participle |
|
|
φάμεν/νομίζομεν ... |
ὁρῶμεν/ ἐπιστάμεθα/ἴσμεν |
ἔφαμεν/ἐνομίσαμεν. .. |
εἴδομεν/ ἠπιστάμεθα/ ἔγνωμεν |
|
present |
that the boy is writing τὸν παῖδα γράφειν |
that the boy is writing τὸν παῖδα γράφοντα |
that the boy was writing τὸν παῖδα γράφειν |
that the boy was writing τὸν παῖδα γράφοντα |
|
future |
that the boy will write τὸν παῖδα γράψειν |
that the boy will write τὸν παῖδα ...γράψοντα |
that the boy would write τὸν παῖδα γράψειν |
that the boy would write τὸν παῖδα ..γράψοντα |
|
aorist |
that the boy has written τὸν παῖδα γρᾶψαι... |
that the boy has written τὸν παῖδα γράψαντα |
that the boy had written τὸν παῖδα γρᾶψαι... |
that the boy had written τὸν παῖδα γράψαντα |