II. The Subjunctive dependent upon a Historical tense-imperfect, historical perfect, pluperfect-is put, 1. In the Imperfect for Incomplete Action: Vidēbam quid ǎgères, I saw what you were doing. I saw what you were doing. I saw what you had done. I saw what you had done. I had seen what you had done. III. The Periphrastic Forms in rus conform to the rule: Video quid actūrus sis, I see what you are going to do. Videbam quid actūrus esses, I saw what you were going to do. 1. FUTURE SUPPLIED.-The Future is supplied when necessary (479), (1) by the Present1 or Imperfect Subjunctive of the periphrastic forms in rus, or (2) by futurum sit ut,2 with the regular Present, and futurum esset ut, with the regular Imperfect. The first method is confined to the Active, the second occurs in both voices: Incertum est quam longa vīta fŭtūra sit, It is uncertain how long life will continue. Cic. Incertum erat quo missūri classem forent, It was uncertain whither they would send the fleet. Liv. 2. FUTURE PERFECT SUPPLIED.-The Future Perfect is supplied, when necessary, by futurum sit ut, with the Perfect, and futurum esset ut, with the Pluperfect. But this circumlocution is rarely necessary. In the Passive it is sometimes abridged to futūrus sim and fütūrus essem, with the Perfect participle: Non dubito quin confecta jam res fŭtūra sit, I do not doubt that the thing will have been already accomplished. Cic. IV. The HISTORICAL PRESENT is treated sometimes as a Principal tense, as it really is in Form, and sometimes as a Historical tense, as it really is in Sense. 1. As Principal tense according to its Form: Ubii ōrant, ut sibi parcat, The Ubii implore him to spare them. Caes. 2. As Historical tense according to its Sense: Persuadet Castico ut regnum occuparet, He persuaded Casticus to seize the government. Caes. V. The IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE often refers to present time, especially in conditional sentences (510. 1); accordingly, when thus used, it is treated as a Principal tense: 1 The Present, of course, after Principal tenses, and the Imperfect after Historical tenses, according to 480. 2 Futurum sit, etc., after Principal tenses, and futūrum esset, etc., after Histori cal tenses. Měmorare possem quibus in locis hostes fūdĕrit, I might (now) state in what places he routed the enemy. Sall. VI. The PRESENT AND FUTURE INFINITIVES, Present and Future PARTICIPLES, as also GERUNDS and SUPINES, share the tense of the verb on which they depend, as they express only relative time (540.571): Spēro fore ut contingat, I hope it will happen (I hope it will be that it may happen). Cic. Non spēraverat fore ut ad se deficerent, He had not hoped that they would revolt to him. Liv. 482. PECULIARITIES IN SEQUENCE.-The following peculiarities in the sequence of tenses deserve notice: 1. AFTER PERFECT TENSE.-The Latin Perfect is sometimes treated as a Historical tense, even when rendered with have, and thus admits the Imperfect or Pluperfect: Quoniam quae subsidia hǎbēres exposui, nunc dicam, Since I have shown what aids you have (or had), I will now speak. Cic. 2. AFTER HISTORICAL TENSES.-Conversely Historical tenses, when followed by clauses denoting consequence or result, often conform to the law of sequence for Principal tenses, and thus admit the Present or Perfect: Epaminondas fide sic usus est, ut possit jūdĭcāri, Epaminondas used such fidelity that it may be judged. Nep. Adeo excellebat Aristides abstinentia, ut Justus sit appellatus, Aristides so excelled in self-control, that he has been called the Just. Nep. This peculiarity arises from the fact that the Result of a past action may itself be present and may thus be expressed by a Principal tense. When the result belongs to the present time, the Present is used: possit jūdĭcāri, may be judged now; when it is represented as at present completed, the Perfect is used: sit appellātus, has been called i. e. even to the present day; but when it is represented as simultaneous with the action on which it depends, the Imperfect is used in accordance with the general rule of sequence (480). 3. IN INDIRECT DISCOURSE, ORATIO OBLIQUA.—In indirect discourse (528. and 533. 1) dependent upon a Historical tense, the narrator often uses the Principal tenses to give a lively effect to his narrative; occasionally also in direct discourse : Exitus fuit ōrātiōnis: Neque ullos văcăre agros, qui dări possint; The close of the oration was, that there were (are) not any lands unoccupied which could (can) be given. Caes. 1 Here fore shares the tense of spēro, and is accordingly followed by the Present contingat, but below it shares the tense of spērāvērat, and is accordingly followed by the Imperfect deficerent. 2 Exposui, though best rendered by our Perf. Def. with have, is in the Latin treated as the Historical Perf. The thought is as follows: Since in the preceding topics I set forth the aids which you had, I will now speak, &c. SECTION VI. USE OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE 483. The Subjunctive represents the action of the verb, not as an actual fact, but as something supposed or conceived. It may denote that the action is conceived, 1. As Possible, Potential. 2. As Desirable. 3. As a Purpose or Result. 4. As a Condition. 5. As a Concession. 6. As a Cause or Reason. 7. As an Indirect Question. 8. As dependent upon another subordinate action: (1) By Attraction after another Subjunctive, (2) In Indirect Discourse. 484. VARIETIES.-The Subjunctive in its various uses may accordingly be characterized as follows: I. The Potential Subjunctive. III. The Subjunctive of Purpose or Result I. THE POTENTIAL SUBJUNCTIVE. RULE XXXVIII.-Potential Subjunctive. 485. The Potential Subjunctive represents the action not as real, but as possible: Forsitan quaerātis, Perhaps you may inquire. Cic. Hoc nemo dixěrit, No one would say this. Cic. Huic cēdāmus, hujus conditiōnes audiāmus, Shall we yield to him, shall we listen to his terms? Cic. Quis dŭbĭtet (= němo dubitat), Who would doubt, or who doubts (= no one doubts)? Cic. Quid făcěrem, What was I to do, or what should I have done? Virg. 486. APPLICATION OF THE RULE.-In the Potential sense, the Subjunctive is used, I. In Declarative Sentences, to express an affirmation doubtfully or conditionally, as in the first and second examples. II. In Questions of Appeal,1 to ask not what is, but what may be or should be, generally implying a negative answer, as in the last example under the rule. III. In Subordinate Clauses, whatever the connective, to represent the action as possible rather than real: Quamquam epulis căreat senectus, though old age may be without its feasts. Cic. Quoniam non possent, since they would not be able. Caes. Ubi res posceret, whenever the case might demand. Liv. Here the Subjunctive after quamquam, quoniam, and ŭbi, is entirely independent of those conjunctions. In this way many conjunctions which do not require the Subjunctive, admit that mood whenever the thought requires it. 1. USE OF THE POTENTIAL SUBJUNCTIVE.-This Subjunctive, it will be observed, has a wide application, and is used in almost all kinds of sentences and clauses, whether declarative or interrogative, principal or subordinate, whether introduced by conjunctions or relatives. 2. How rendered.-The Potential Subjunctive is generally best rendered by our Potential signs-may, can, must, might, etc., or by shall or will. 3. INCLINATION.-The Subjunctive sometimes denotes inclination : Ego censeam, I should think, or I am inclined to think. Liv. 4. IMPERFECT FOR PLUPERFECT.-In the Potential sense, the Imperfect is often used where we should expect the Pluperfect: diceres, you would have said; crederes, pūtāres, you would have thought; videres, cerneres, you would have seen: Moesti, crederes victos, redeunt in castra, Sad, vanquished you would have thought them, they returned to the camp. Liv. 5. SUBJUNCTIVE OF REPEATED ACTION.-Subordinate clauses in narration sometimes take the Subjunctive to denote that the action is often or indefinitely repeated. Thus with ubi, whenever, quoties, as often as, quicunque, whoever, ut quisque, as each one, and the like: Id fētiālis ubi dixisset, hastam mittebat, The fatial priest was wont to hurl a spear whenever (i. e., every time) he had said this. Liv. 6. PRESENT AND PERFECT.-In the Potential Subjunctive the Perfect often has nearly the same force as the Present: Tu Plătōnem laudāvĕris, You would praise Plato. Cic. 1) The Perfect with the force of the Present occurs also in some of the other uses of the Subjunctive. 7. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES.-The Subjunctive in the conclusion of conditional sentences is the Potential Subjunctive, but conditional sentences will be best treated by themselves. See 502. 1 These are also variously called Deliberative, Doubting, or Rhetorical Questions. II. THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF DESIRE. RULE XXXIX.-Desire, Command. 487. The Subjunctive of Desire represents the action not as real, but as desired: Văleant cives, May the citizens be well. Cic. love our country. Cic. Rōbore ūtāre, Use your ne pigrēre, Do not neglect to write. Cic. Amēmus patriam, Let us strength. Cic. Scriběre 488. APPLICATION OF THE RULE.-The Subjunctive of Desire is used, I. To express a WISH, as in prayers, exhortations, and entreaties, as in the first and second examples. II. To express a COMMAND mildly, as in admonitions, precepts, and warnings, as in the third and fourth examples. 1. WITH UTINAM.-The Subjunctive of Desire is often accompanied by ǎtinam, and sometimes-especially in the poets, by ut, si, o si : Utinam cōnāta efficere possim, May I be able to accomplish my endeavors. Cic. 2. FORCE OF TENSES.-The Present and Perfect imply that the wish may be fulfilled; the Imperfect and Pluperfect, that it cannot be fulfilled : Sint beati, May they be happy. Cic. Ne transiĕris Ibērum, Do not cross the Ebro. Liv. Utinam possem, útĭnam potuissem, Would that I were able, would that I had been able. Cic. See also 486. 6. 1). The Imperfect and Pluperfect may often be best rendered, should have been, ought to have been: Hoc diceret, He should have said this. Cic. Mortem oppětiisses, You should have met death. Cic. 3. NEGATIVE NE.-With this Subjunctive the negative is ne, rarely non : Ne audeant, Let them not dare. Cic. Non rěcēdāmus, Let us not recede. Cic. 4. IN ASSEVERATIONS.-The first person of the subjunctive is often found in earnest or solemn affirmations or asseverations: Moriar, si půto, May I die, if I think. Cic. Ne sim salvus, si scribo, May I not be safe, if I write. Cic. So with ita and sic: Sollicitat, ĭta vīvam, As I live, it troubles me. Cic. Here ita vivam means literally, may I so live, i. e., may I live only in case this is true. 5. IN RELATIVE CLAUSES.-The Subjunctive of desire is sometimes used in relative clauses: Quod faustum sit, rēgem creāte, Elect a king, and may it be an auspicious event (may which be auspicious). Liv. Senectus, ad quam utinam pervĕniatis, old age, to which may you attain. Cic. |