2. PRESENT WITH JAMDIU, JAMDUDUM.-The Present is often used of a present action which has been going on for some time, rendered have, especially after jamdiu, jamdudum, etc. Jamdiu ignoro quid ăgas, I have not known for a long time what you are doing. Cic. 1) The Imperfect is used in the same way of a past action which had been going on for some time. Thus in the example above, Jamdiu ignōrābam, would mean, I had not known for a long time. 2) The Present in the Infinitive and Participle is used in the same way of an action which has been or had been going on for some time. 3. PRESENT APPLIED TO AUTHORS.-The Present in Latin, as in English, may be used of authors whose works are extant: Xenophon făcit Socratem disputantem, Xenophon represents Socrates discussing. Cic. 4. PRESENT WITH DUM.-With dum, in the sense of while, the Present is generally used, even of past actions: Dum ea părant, Săguntum oppugnābātur, While they were (are) making these preparations, Saguntum was attacked. Liv. 5. PRESENT For Future.-The Present is sometimes used of an action really future, especially in conditions: Si vincĭmus, omnia tūta ĕrunt, If we conquer, all things will be safe. Sall. II. IMPERFECT INDICATIVE. 468. The Imperfect Indicative represents the action as taking place in past time: Stabant nobilissimi jŭvěnes, There stood (were standing) most noble youths. Liv. Colles oppidum cingebant, Hills encompassed the town. Caes. 469. Hence the Imperfect is used especially I. In lively description, whether of scenes or events: Ante oppidum plānīties pǎtēbat, Before the town extended a plain. Caes. Fulgentes glădios videbant, They saw (were seeing) the gleaming swords. Cic. II. Of customary or repeated actions and events, often rendered by was wont, etc.: Pausanias ěpůlābātur mōre Persarum, Pausanias was wont to banquet in the Persian style. Nep. 1. IMPERFECT OF ATTEMPTED ACTION.-The Imperfect is sometimes used of an attempted or intended action: Sedabant tumultus, They attempted to quell the seditions. Liv. 2. IMPERFECT IN LETTERS.-See 472. 1. III. FUTURE INDICATIVE. 470. The Future Indicative represents the action as one which will take place in future time: Scribam ad te, I will write to you. Cic. Nunquam aberrābimus, We shall never go astray. Cic. 1. FUTURE WITH IMPERATIVE FORCE.-In Latin as in English, the Future Indicative sometimes has the force of an Imperative: Cūrābis et scribes, You will take care and write. Cic. 2. LATIN FUTURE FOR ENGLISH PRESENT.-Actions which really belong to future time are almost invariably expressed by the Future Tense, though sometimes put in the present in English: Nātūram si sequemur, nunquam ǎberrābimus, If we follow nature, we shall never go astray. Cic. 3. FUTURE INDICATIVE WITH MELIUS.-With mělius the Future Indicative has often the force of the Subjunctive: Mělius pĕrībĭmus, We would perish rather, or it would be better for us to perish. Liv. IV. PERFECT INDICATIVE. 471. The Perfect Indicative has two distinct uses: I. As the PRESENT PERFECT or PERFECT DEFINITE, it represents the action as at present completed, and is rendered by our Perfect with have: De gènere belli dixi, I have spoken of the character of the war. Cic. II. As the HISTORICAL PERFECT or PERFECT INDEFINITE, it represents the action as a simple historical fact: Miltiades est accūsātus, Miltiades was accused. Nep. 1. PERFECT OF WHAT HAS CEASED TO BE.-The Perfect is sometimes used where the emphasis rests particularly on the completion of the action, implying that what was true of the past, is not true of the present: Virg. Hǎbuit, non habet, He had, but has not. Cic. Fuit Ilium, Ilium was. 2. PERFECT INDICATIVE WITH PAENE, PROPE.-The Perfect Indicative with paene, prope, may often be rendered by might, would, or by the Pluperfect Indicative: Brutum non minus ămo, paene dixi, quam te, I love Brutus not less, I might almost say, or I had almost said, than I do you. Cic. 3. PERFECT FOR ENGLISH PRESENT.-The Latin sometimes employs the Perfect and Pluperfect where the English uses the Present and Imperfect, especially in repeated actions, and in verbs which want the Present (297). Měminit praeteritorum, He remembers the past. Cic. Quum ad villam vēni, hoc me delectat, When I come (have come) to a villa, this pleases me. Cic. Měminĕram Paulum, I remembered Paulus. Cic. 4. PERFECT WITH POSTQUAM.-Postquam, ut, ut prīmum, etc., in the sense of as soon as, are usually followed by the Perfect; sometimes by the Imperfect or Historical Present. But the Pluperfect is generally used of repeated actions; also after postquam when a long or definite interval intervenes : Postquam cecidit Ilium, after (as soon as) Ilium fell. Virg. Anno tertio postquam profügĕrat, in the third year after he had fled. Nep. 1) As a Rare Exception the Imperfect and Pluperfect Subjunctive occur after postquam (posteaquam): Posteaquam aedificasset classes, after he had built fleets. Cic. V. PLUPERFECT INDICATIVE. 472. The Pluperfect Indicative represents the action as completed at some definite past time: Copias quas pro castris collocaverat, reduxit, He led back the forces which he had stationed before the camp. Caes. 1. TENSES.-In letters the writer often adapts the tense to the time of the reader, using the Imperfect or Perfect for the Present, and the Pluperfect for the Imperfect or Perfect : Nihil bǎbebam quod scriběrem : ad tuas omnes ěpistolas rescripsĕram, I have (had) nothing to write: I have already replied to all your letters (I had replied, i. e., before writing this). Cic. 1) The Perfect is sometimes used of Future actions, as events which happen after the writing of the letter but before the receipt of it will be Future to the writer but Past to the reader. 2. PLUPERFECT FOR ENGLISH IMPERFECT.-See 471. 3. 3. PLUPERFECT TO DENOTE RAPIDITY.-The Pluperfect sometimes denotes rapidity or completeness af action: Curt. Urbem luctu complēvěrant, They (had) filled the city with mourning. VI. FUTURE PERFECT INDICATIVE. 473. The Future Perfect Indicative represents the action as one which will be completed at some future time: Romam quum vēnĕro, scribam ad te, When I shall have reached Rome, I will write to you. Cic. Dum tu haec leges, ego illum fortasse convenĕro, When you read this, I shall perhaps have already met him. Cic. 1. FUTURE PERFECT TO DENOTE CERTAINTY.-The Future Perfect is some. times used to denote the speedy or complete accomplishment of the work: Ego meum officium praestĭtěro, I will surely discharge my duty. Caes. 2. The FUTURE Perfect for ENGLISH PRESENT OR FUTURE is rare, but occurs in conditional clauses: Si interprětāri potuěro, his verbis utitur, If I can (shall have been able to) understand him, he uses these words. Cic. SECTION IV. USE OF THE INDICATIVE. RULE XXXVI.—Indicative. 474. The Indicative is used in treating of facts: Deus mundum aedificavit, God made the world. Cic. sus est patria, Was he not banished from his country? Cic. licuit, I did this as long as it was permitted. Cic. Nonne expul 475. SPECIAL USES.-The Indicative is sometimes used where our idiom would suggest the Subjunctive: 1. The Indicative of the Periphrastic Conjugations is often so used in the historical tenses, especially in conditional sentences (512. 2): Haec conditio non accipienda fuit, This condition should not have been accepted. Cic. 2. The Historical Tenses of the Indicative, particularly the Pluperfect, are sometimes used for Effect, to represent as an actual fact something which is shown by the context never to have become fully so : Vicĕramus, nisi rěcěpisset Antonium, We should have (lit. had) conquered, had he not received Antony. Cic. See 511. 2. 3. Pronouns and Relative Adverbs, made general by being doubled or by assuming the suffix cunque (187. 4), take the Indicative : Quisquis est, is est săpiens, Whoever he is, he is wise. Cic. Hoc ultimum, utcunque initum est, proelium fuit, This, however it was commenced, was the last battle. Liv. 4. In Expressions of Duty, Necessity, Ability, and the like, the Latin often uses the Indicative where the English does not: Tardius quam dêbuĕrat, more slowly than he should have done. Cic. 1) So also in sum with aequum, par, justum, mēlius, ūtṛlius, longum, difficile, and the like: Longum est persequi utilitātes, It would be tedious (is a long task) to enumerate the uses. Cic. SECTION V. TENSES OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE. 476. Tense in the Subjunctive does not designate the time of the action as definitely as in the Indicative, but it marks with great exactness its continuance or completion. 477. The Present and Imperfect express Incomplete action: Văleant cives, May the citizens be well. Cic. Utinam vēra invenire possem, O that I were able to find the truth. Cic. 478. The Perfect and Pluperfect express Completed action: Oblitus es quid dixerim, You have forgotten what I said. Cic. Thěmistocles, quum Graeciam lībĕrasset, expulsus est, Themistocles was banished, though he had liberated Greece. Cic. 479. The Future Tenses are wanting in the Subjunctive: the mood itself-used only of that which is merely conceived and uncertain—is so nearly related to the Future, that those tenses are seldom needed. Their place is however supplied, when necessary, by the periphrastic forms in rus (481. III. 1). 480. SEQUENCE OF TENSES.-The Subjunctive Tenses in their use conform to the following RULE XXXVII.-Sequence of Tenses. Principal tenses depend upon Principal tenses: Historical upon Historical: Nititur ut vincat, He strives to conquer. Cic. Nemo ĕrit qui censeat, There will be no one who will think. Cic. Quaesiĕras nonne putarem, You had asked, whether I did not think. Cic. 481. APPLICATION OF THE RULE.-In accordance with this rule, I. The Subjunctive dependent upon a Principal tense-present, present perfect, future, future perfect-is put, 1. In the Present for Incomplete Action: Video quid ǎgas, Video quid égĕris, I see what you are doing. I have seen what you are doing. Completed Action: I see what you have done. |