1723.A direct quotation or question gives the words of the original speaker without alteration. When the original words of a quotation or question are changed to conform to the construction of the sentence in which they are quoted, it is calledIndirect Discourse.
1724.In the complete form of indirect discourse, the subjunctive is subordinate to an infinitive or an accusative with the infinitive, dependent on a verb of saying or thinking (2175): as,
negat Epicūrus iūcundē posse vīvī, nisi cum virtūte vīvātur,TD.3, 49,Epicurus avers there is no living happily, without living virtuously; directly,iūcundē vīvī nōn potest, nisi cum virtūte vīvitur.Sōcratēs dīcere solēbat, omnēs in eō quod scīrent, satis esse ēloquentēs,DO.1, 63,Socrates used to maintain that all men were eloquent enough in a matter they knew; directly,omnēs in eō quod sciunt satis sunt ēloquentēs.
1725.The idea of saying or thinking is often not formally expressed in the main sentence, and the indirect discourse is intimated by the subordinate subjunctive only: as,
noctū ambulābat in pūblicō Themistoclēs, quod somnum capere nōn posset,TD.4, 44,Themistocles used to walk the streets nights, ‘because he could not sleep,’given as Themistocles’s reason; the writer’s would bepoterat.Paetus omnēs librōs, quōs frāter suus relīquisset, mihī̆ dōnāvit,Att.2, 1, 12,Paetus made me a present of all the books ‘that his brother had left.’dum reliquae nāvēs eō convenīrent, in ancorīs expectāvit, 4, 23, 4,he waited at anchor till the rest of the vessels should gather there(2005).pervēnit priusquam Pompēius sentīre posset, Caes.C.3, 67, 4,he got there before Pompey should be able to learn of his coming(1919).Xerxēs praemium prōposuit, quī invēnisset novam voluptātem,TD.5, 20,Xerxes offered a reward to anybody who should devise a new form of entertainment(2110).
1726.A speaker or writer may quote his own thoughts in the indirect form, like another person’s: as,haec tibi dictābam post fānum putre Vacūnae, exceptō quod nōn simul essēs, cētera laetus, H.E.1, 10, 49,I write thee this behind Vacuna’s mouldering pile, in all else well, except that thou’rt not here the while(1601).
1727.Instead of an intimation of indirect discourse by a mere subjunctive, a verb of thinking or saying is sometimes introduced byquī, or especiallyquod, sometimes bycum, and put illogically itself in the subjunctive: as,litterās, quās mē sibī̆ mīsisse dīceret, recitāvit,Ph.2, 7,he read off a letter, which he said I sent him, i.e.quās mīsissem.impetrāre nōn potuī, quod religiōne sē impedīrī dīcerent, Sulpicius inFam.4, 12, 3,I could not get leave, because they said they were hampered by religious scruple, i.e.quod impedīrentur.cum dīceret,DN.3, 83,saying as he did. This construction is common in Cicero, somewhat so in Caesar, rare in Sallust.
1728.The subjunctive is used in sentences expressing an essential part of the thought, which are subordinate to another subjunctive, or to an infinitive. This is called theSubjunctive of Attraction, orof Assimilation: as,
vereor nē, dum minuere velim labōrem, augeam,Leg.1, 12,I am afraid I may make the work harder, while I am aiming to make it less.sī sōlōs eōs dīcerēs miserōs, quibus moriendum esset, nēminem eōrum, quī vīverent exciperēs,TD.1, 9,if you should pronounce only such people unhappy as had to die, you would not except one of those who were living.mōs est Syrācūsīs, ut sī quā dē rē ad senātum referātur, dīcat sententiam quī velit,V.4, 142,it is the custom at Syracuse, that if any question is discussed in the senate, anybody who pleases may express his opinion.sapiēns nōn dubitat, sī ita melius sit, migrāre dē vītā,Fin.1, 62,the sage does not hesitate, if this be the better course, to withdraw from life.mōs est Athēnīs laudārī in cōntiōne eōs, quī sint in proeliīs interfectī,O.151,it is the custom in Athens to eulogize in public assembly such as have fallen in action.
1729.The indicative is kept in subordinate statements added or vouched for by the person reporting, and also in circumlocutions equivalent to a substantive: as,
nūntiātum est Ariovistum ad occupandum Vesontiōnem, quod est oppidum maximum Sēquanōrum, contendere, 1, 38, 1,it was reported that Ariovistus was pressing on to seize Vesontio, which is the most considerable town of the Sequans.prūdentissima cīvitās Athēniēnsium, dum ea rērum potīta est, fuisse trāditur,RA.70,Athens is said to have been passing wise, as long as she held the hegemony.vīs, quae restant, mē loquī?T.Andr.195,wilt have me tell the rest?i.e.relicua.fierī potest, ut id quod sentit polītē ēloquī nōn possit,TD.1, 6,it may be that he cannot express his thought in polished style, i.e.sententiam suam.
1730.The subjunctive is sometimes used in relative, temporal, or conditional sentences, to express action repeated or occurring at no particular time: as,
(a.)neque aliter sī faciat, ūllam inter suōs habet auctōritātem, 6, 11, 4,and if he does not do this, he never has any ascendancy at all over his people. With the present and perfect, however, this subjunctive is confined principally to the indefinite second person singular (1030): as,bonus sēgnior fit, ubī̆ neglegās, S.I.31, 28,the good man always gets slacker, when you are neglectful.sīquoi mūtuom quid dederīs, fit prō propriō perditum, Pl.Tri.1050,if you’ve lent anything to any man, ’tis not your own, but lost. (b.) The imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive begin with Catullus and Caesar, and get to be common with Livy and Tacitus: as,sī quis prehenderētur, cōnsēnsū mīlitum ēripiēbātur, Caes.C.3, 110, 4,every time a man was taken up, he was rescued by the joint action of the rank and file.quemcumque līctor prēndisset, tribūnus mittī iubēbat, L. 3, 11, 2,every man the lictor arrested, a tribune would order released.
1731.The subjunctive of wish, of action conceivable, or of interrogation, is sometimes used in a subordinate sentence exactly as in main sentences: as,
haec diē nātālī meō scrīpsī, quō utinam susceptus nōn essem,Att.11, 9, 3,this I have written on my birthday, on which day I wish I had never been lifted from the ground(1544).ut videās, Lucr. 3, 348,so that you can see(1556).neque id faciō, ut forsitan quibusdam videar,simulātiōne,Fam.1, 8, 2,nor do I do it, as perhaps I may seem to some to do, from hypocrisy(1556).etiamst paucīs vōs quod monitōs voluerim, Pl.Cap.53,there’s one point more, on which I’d have you briefly warned(1558).erant eiusmodī sitūs oppidōrum, ut neque pedibus aditum habērent neque nāvibus, quod minuente aestū nāvēs in vadīs adflīctārentur, 3, 12, 1,the towns were so situated that there was no access to them by land, nor by boat either, because at ebb tide vessels would pound on the shoals(1559).vix erat hoc imperātum, cum illum spoliātum vidērēs,V.4, 86,hardly was the order from his lips, when you might have seen the man stript(1559).quō mē vertam nesciō,Clu.4,I don’t know which way to turn(1563).
1732.I. The tense of a subordinate indicative often indicates a close relation of time with the tense of the leading verb, particularly in cases of repeated contemporaneous or antecedent action. The subordinate sentence in such combinations is said to haveRelativetime.
1733.(1.) The subordinate indicative tense may express action concurrent with the main action. Two concurrent sentences are usually put in the same tense.
Concurrent action is said to be (a.)congruent, when two actions merely cover the same time: as,dum legō, adsentior,TD.1, 24,as long as I am reading, I assent.dum necesse erat, ūnus omnia poterat,RA.139,so long as it had to be, one man controlled the world.dum Latīnae loquentur litterae, quercus huic locō nōn deerit,Leg.1, 2,as long as Latin literature has the gift of speech, this spot will not lack its oak.vīxit, dum vīxit, bene, T.Hec.461,he lived well all the time he lived.quoad potuit, fortissimē restitit, 4, 12, 5,as long as he could, he made a manful stand. Or (b.)coincident, when one action is virtually the same as the other: as,cum tacent, clāmant,C.1, 21,while they are dumb, they cry out, i.e. their silence is as telling as a shout.fēcistī mihī̆ pergrātum, quod Serāpiōnis librum mīsistī,Att.2, 4, 1,you have obliged me very much by sending Serapio’s book.
1734.(2.) The subordinate indicative tense may express action contemporaneous, antecedent, or subsequent, in relation to the main action.
1735.(a.) Action contemporaneous with a main present is expressed by a present, with a main future or virtual future, by a future, with a main secondary tense by an imperfect: as,
quod est, eō decet ūtī,CM.27,what you have, that you should avail yourself of.hōrologium mittam, sī erit sūdum,Fam.16, 18, 3,I will send the clock, if it is pleasant(1625).paulātim dabis, sī sapiēs, T.Hau.870,you’ll give in driblets, if you are wise.cum relaxāre animōs volent, caveant intemperantiam,Off.1, 122,when they want to unbend, let them beware of excess(1625;1718).omnia deerant, quae ad reficiendās nāvēs erant ūsuī, 4, 29, 4,they were out of everything that was serviceable for repairing their vessels.
1736.(b.) Action antecedent to a main present is expressed by a perfect, to a main future or virtual future by a future perfect, to a main secondary tense by a pluperfect: as,
quōcumque aspexistī tuae tibī̆ occurrunt iniūriae,Par.18,wherever you turn your gaze, you are confronted by your own abominable acts.cum posuī librum, adsēnsiō omnis ēlābitur,TD.1, 24,when I drop the book, all assent melts away(1860).quicquid fēceris, adprobābō,Fam.3, 3, 2,no matter what you do, I shall think it well(1626).ut quisque istīus animum offenderat, in lautumiās statim coniciēbātur,V.5, 143,any man that wounded his sensibilities was always flung into the quarries without any ado.
1737.(c.) Action subsequent to a main present is expressed by the future participle with a present form ofsum, to a main future or virtual future by the future participle with a future form ofsum, and to a main secondary tense by the future participle with an imperfect form ofsum: as,
decem diēs sunt ante lūdōs, quōs Cn. Pompēius factūrus est,V. a. pr. 31,there are ten days before the shows which Pompey is to manage.attentōs faciēmus, sī dēmōnstrābimus ea, quae dictūrī erimus, magna esse,Inv.1, 23,we shall make people attentive if we show that what we are going to say is important.rēx, quia nōn interfutūrus nāvālī certāminī erat, Magnēsiam concessit, L. 36, 43, 9,as the king was not to have a hand in the action at sea, he moved off to Magnesia.
1738.II. A subordinate indicative tense is said to beIndependentwhen it simply expresses time of its own, without any close relation to the time of the main action.
Such independent tenses may denote general present action: as,ībam forte viā sacrā, sīcut meus est mōs, H.S.1, 9, 1,in Sacred Street, as is my wont, I happened to be promenading(relatively,erat mōs,1735).nōn mē appellābis, sī sapis, Pl.Most.515,you won’t address me, if you have sense(relatively,sī sapiēs,1735). Or past action, either continuous, completed, or indefinite: as,ut mōs fuit Bī̆thȳniae rēgibus, lectīcā ferēbātur,V.5, 27,he regularly rode in a litter, as was the practice of the despots of Bithynia; herefuitdenotes action simply as past, without further definition of time (1603), whereaserat, relative to the time offerēbātur, would implywhich was then the practice(1595).
1739.Withdum,in the time while, an independent present is used: see1995. Withpostquam, &c.,after, an independent perfect is used of a single action; see1925.
1740.Subordinate subjunctive sentences were originally independent coordinate sentences, in the tense required to express the thought. By degrees the subordinate sentence blended closely with the main sentence, and the combination of the two was regarded as one whole.
1741.I. The time of the subordinate subjunctive is usuallyRelative, that is either contemporaneous, antecedent, or subsequent, in relation to that of the main action.
1742.Action contemporaneous with the main action is expressed by a present or imperfect subjunctive. Action antecedent is expressed by a perfect or a pluperfect subjunctive. Action subsequent is expressed by the future participle with a form ofsimor ofessem.
1743.Subordinate sentences with verbs of will or aim, with verbs of fear, also final sentences and many consecutive sentences are expressed in Latin as contemporaneous with the main action, not as subsequent to it.
1744.II. The main and subordinate sentences may express wholly different spheres of time by tenses not commonly used together, when the thought requires it. In such cases the tense of the subordinate member is calledIndependent, like the analogous tenses of the indicative (1738).
1745.The use of subordinate subjunctive tenses relatively to the main tense, or what is commonly called theSequence of Tenses, is as follows:
1746.(1.) The present, or perfect subjunctive, or the future participle with a form ofsim, is used in sentences subordinate to a primary tense (1717): as,
(a.)tē hortor, ut Rōmam pergās,QFr.1, 3, 4,I urge you to repair to Rome.cūrā, ut quam prīmum veniās,Fam.4, 10, 1,mind that you come as soon as you can.ego quid accēperim sciō,RA.58,I know what I have received.quam sum sollicitus quidnam futūrum sit,Att.8, 6, 3,how anxious I am to know what in the world is to come. (b.)in eum locum rēs dēducta est ut salvī esse nequeāmus,Fam.16, 12, 1,to such a pass has it come that we cannot be saved.an oblītus es quid initiō dīxerim?DN.2, 2,have you possibly forgotten what I said at the start?quoniam in eam ratiōnem vītae nōs fortūna dēdūxit, ut sempiternus sermō dē nōbīs futūrus sit, caveāmus,QFr.1, 1, 38,since fortune has set us in such a walk of life that we are to be eternally talked about, let us be on our guard. (c.)efficiam, ut intellegātis,Clu.7,I will see that you understand.dīcent quid statuerint,V.2, 175,they will tell what they decided on.quae fuerit causa, mox vīderō,Fin.1, 35,what the reason was I won’t consider till by and by(1630).tē disertum putābō, sī ostenderis quō modō sīs eōs inter sīcāriōs dēfēnsūrus,Ph.2, 8,I shall think you a most effective speaker, if you show how you are going to defend them on the charge of murder.
1747.(2.) The imperfect, or pluperfect subjunctive, or the future participle with a form ofessem, is used in sentences subordinate to a secondary tense (1717): as,
(a.)hīs rēbus fīēbat, ut minus lātē vagārentur, 1, 2, 4,so it came to pass that they did not roam round much.docēbat, ut tōtīus Galliae prīncipātum Aeduī tenuissent, 1, 43, 6,he showed how the Aeduans had had the mastery over all Gaul.Flaccus quid aliī posteā factūrī essent scīre nōn poterat, Fl. 33,Flaccus could not tell what other people would do in the future. (b.)is cīvitātī persuāsit, ut dē fīnibus suīs cum omnibus cōpiīs exīrent, 1, 2, 1,this man prevailed on his community to emigrate from their place of abode, bag and baggage.quās rēs in Hispāniā gessisset, disseruit, L. 28, 38, 2,he discoursed on his military career in Spain.an Lacedaemoniī quaesīvērunt num sē esset morī prohibitūrus?TD. 5, 42,did the Spartans ask whether he was going to prevent them from dying?(c.)Ariovistus tantōs sibī̆ spīritūs sūmpserat, ut ferendus nōn vidērētur, 1, 33, 5,Ariovistus had put on such high and mighty airs that he seemed intolerable.hīc pāgus, cum domō exīsset patrum nostrōrum memoriā, L. Cassium cōnsulem interfēcerat, 1, 12, 5,this canton, sallying out from home in our fathers’ recollection, had put Cassius, the consul, to death.illud quod mihī̆ extrēmum prōposueram, cum essem de bellī genere dictūrus,IP.17,the point I had reserved till the end, when I was going to discourse on the character of the war.
1748.With any kind of a secondary main sentence, a subordinate general truth usually stands in the past, contrary to the English idiom: as,
hīc cōgnōscī licuit, quantum esset hominibus praesidī in animī firmitūdine, Caes.C.3, 28, 4,here there was a chance to learn what a bulwark man has in courage. In the direct formest(1588).
1749.A subsequent relation is sometimes loosely suggested by a simple subjunctive; necessarily so with verbs which lack the future participle, or which are in the passive: as,sum sollicitus quidnam dē prōvinciīs dēcernātur,Fam.2, 11, 1,I am anxious to see what in the world may be decided on about the provinces.
1750.In a single example, a future perfect of resulting state is represented in subordination as follows:nec dubitō quīn cōnfecta iam rēs futūra sit,Fam.6, 12, 3,and I have no doubt the job will soon be completely finished up,directly,sine dubiō cōnfecta iam rēs erit.
1751.(1.) An imperfect subjunctive expressing a particular past result, cause, reason, &c., is sometimes connected with a main general present tense (1744): as,
cuius praeceptī tanta vīs est, ut ea Delphicō deō tribuerētur,Leg.1, 58,the power of this rule is so mighty that it was ascribed to the Delphic god.cuius rē̆ī tanta est vīs, ut Ithacam illam sapientissimus vir immortālitātī antepōneret,DO.1, 196,so irresistible is the power of this sentiment that the shrewdest of men loved his little Ithaca better than life eternal; of Ulixes.laudantur ōrātōrēs veterēs quod crīmina dīluere dīlūcidē solērent,V.2, 191,the orators of old are admired ‘because they were always clear in explaining accusations away.’The secondary sequence is also sometimes exceptionally used with ordinary presents.
1752.(2.) The present of vivid narration is commonly regarded as a secondary tense, especially when the subordinate sentence precedes, and regularly with narrativecum. Sometimes however as a primary tense: as,
(a.)servīs suīs Rubrius, ut iānuam clauderent, imperat,V.1, 66,Rubrius orders his slaves to shut the front door.Aeduī, cum sē dēfendere nōn possent, lēgātōs ad Caesarem mittunt, 1, 11, 2,the Aeduans, finding they could not defend themselves, send some envoys to Caesar. (b.)hortātur, ut arma capiant, 7, 4, 4,he urges them to fly to arms. Sometimes the two sequences stand side by side, or a subjunctive of primary sequence has itself a second subordinate subjunctive of secondary sequence. Either sequence is used with the present of quotation also (1592).
1753.(3.) Subordinate sentences of past action conceivable, of action non-occurrent, or dubitative questions of the past, retain their past unchanged with a main primary tense: as,
(a.)vērī simile nōn est, ut ille monumentīs maiōrum pecūniam antepōneret,V.4, 11,it is not conceivable that the man would have thought more of money than of his heirlooms, i.e.nōn antepōneret(1559). (b.)omnia sīc erunt inlūstria, ut ad ea probanda tōtam Siciliam testem adhibēre possem,V.5, 139,everything will be so self-evident, that I could use all Sicily as a witness to prove it(1560).taceō, nē haec quidem conligō, quae fortasse valērent apud iūdicem,Lig.30,I’ll hold my tongue, I won’t even gather together the following arguments, which might perhaps be telling with a juryman(1560). (c.)quaerō ā tē cūr C. Cornēlium nōn dēfenderem,Vat.5,I put the question to you, why I was not to defend Cornelius(1563).
1754.A final subjunctive subordinate to a perfect definite sometimes has the primary sequence, but more commonly the secondary: as,
(a.)etiamne ad subsellia cum ferrō vēnistis, ut hīc iugulētis Sex. Rōscium?RA.32,have you actually come to the court-room knife in hand, to cut Roscius’s throat on the spot?(b.)nē īgnōrārētis esse aliquās pācis vōbīs condiciōnēs, ad vōs vēnī, L. 21, 13, 2,I have come to you to let you know that you have some chances of peace.addūxī hominem in quō satis facere exterīs nātiōnibus possētis,V. a. pr.2,I have brought up a man in whose person you can give satisfaction to foreign nations.
1755.An independent present or perfect subjunctive may be put with a main secondary tense (1744):
1756.(1.) In relative, causal, or concessive sentences: as,
cum in cēterīs colōniīs duūm virī appellentur, hī sē praetōrēs appellārī volēbant,Agr.2, 93,though they are styled in all other colonies The Two, these men wanted to be styled praetors.quī adulēscēns nihil umquam nisi sevērissimē et gravissimē fēcerit, is eā aetāte saltāvit?D.27,did the man who in his growing years invariably behaved with austere propriety, dance and caper round in his old age?hōc tōtō proeliō cum ab hōrā septimā ad vesperum pugnātum sit, āversum hostem vidēre nēmō potuit, 1, 26, 2,during the whole of this engagement, though the fighting went on from an hour past noon till evening, nobody could catch a glimpse of an enemy’s back.
1757.(2.) Often in consecutive sentences: as,
(a.)in prōvinciā Siciliā, quam iste per triennium ita vexāvit, ut ea restituī in antīquum statum nūllō modō possit,V. a. pr.12,in the province of Sicily, which the defendant so effectually tormented three years running that it cannot be restored at all to its original estate.priōrēs ita rēgnārunt, ut omnēs conditōrēs partium certē urbis numerentur, L. 2, 1, 2,such was the administration of the monarchs preceding, that they are all accounted founders of parts at least of Rome. (b.) The perfect subjunctive sometimes represents the time of the perfect definite: as,tantum in aerārium pecūniae invēxit, ut ūnīus imperātōris praeda fīnem attulerit tribūtōrum,Off.2, 76,he conveyed such quantities of money into the treasury, that the plunder turned in by a single commander has put an end to tribute for good and all.eō usque sē praebēbat patientem atque impigrum, ut eum nēmō umquam in equō sedentem vīderit,V.5, 27,he showed himself so indefatigably active that no human being has ever seen him astride a horse. Sometimes the time of the historical perfect: as,temporis tanta fuit exiguitās, ut ad galeās induendās tempus dēfuerit, 2, 21, 5,so scant was the time that they had not time to put their helmets on.hīc ita quiēvit, ut eō tempore omnī Neāpolī fuerit,Sull.17,this man held so quiet that he staid all that time at Neapolis. In Cicero a negative subordinate perfect is not uncommon; an affirmative one is very rare. This construction is more common in Nepos, Livy, and Tacitus, and is the prevalent one in Suetonius.
1758.The imperfect only is used in complementary sentences with past verbs of happening, such asaccidit,contigit, &c. (1966).
1759.When two consecutive subjunctives are coordinated, they usually have the same tense. Sometimes however the first is perfect and the second imperfect, or the reverse.
1760.(3.) An indirect question in the present or perfect sometimes retains its original tense with a main secondary tense (1744): as,
hīc quantum in bellō fortūna possit, cōgnōscī potuit, 6, 35, 2,here there was a chance to see how potent dame Fortùne is in war. Herepossitrepresentspotestof a general truth (1588); but usually general truths have the regular sequence (1748).cūr abstinuerit spectāculō ipse, variē trahēbant, Ta. 1, 76,why the emperor did not go to the show, they accounted for in this way and that, representingcūr abstinuit? quō cōnsiliō redierim initiō audīstis, post estis expertī,Ph.10, 8,what my idea was in coming back, you learned first by hearsay, afterwards by personal observation, representingquō cōnsiliō rediī?
1761.The subordinate subjunctive has sometimes the sequence of the nearest verb, instead of that of its proper verb: as,cūrāvit, quod semper in rē pūblicā tenendum est, nē plūrimum valeant plūrimī,RP.2, 39,he arranged it so, a point which is always to be held fast in government, that the greatest number may not have the greatest power.
1762.When the leading verb is a subjunctive, the present is regarded as primary, and the imperfect and pluperfect as secondary: as,
(a.)exspectō eius modī litterās ex quibus nōn quid fīat, sed quid futūrum sit sciam,Att.5, 12, 2,I am expecting a letter of a kind to let me know not what is going on, but what will be going on.quid prōfēcerim faciās mē velim certiōrem,Fam.7, 10, 3,how far I have succeeded I wish you would let me know. (b.)quālis esset nātūra montis quī cōgnōscerent mīsit, 1, 21, 1,he sent some scouts to find out what the character of the mountain was.quid mē prohibēret Epicūrēum esse, sī probārem quae dīceret,Fin.1, 27,what would prevent me from being an Epicurean, if I accepted what he said?quae sī bis bīna quot essent didicisset Epicūrus, certē nōn dīceret,DN.2, 49,Epicurus would certainly not say this, if he had ever been taught how much twice two is(1748).
1763.An imperfect subjunctive of action non-occurrent at the present time has occasionally the present sequence: as,mīrārēris, sī interessēs, quā patientiā valētūdinem toleret, Plin.Ep.1, 22, 7,you would be amazed to find, if you were with him, with what dogged endurance he bears up under his illness. But the secondary sequence is far more common.
1764.(1.) The perfect subjunctive in independent main sentences of prohibition (1551) or of action conceivable (1558) is regarded as a primary tense: as,
nē dubitārīs quīn id mihī̆ futūrum sit antīquius,Att.7, 3, 2,don’t entertain any doubt that this course will be preferable in my eyes.quid nōn sit citius quam quid sit dīxerim,DN.1, 60,I could sooner tell what is not, than what is.
1765.(2.) In subordinate sentences, the perfect subjunctive has the main sequence when it represents the indicative perfect definite, and the secondary when it represents the indicative historical perfect or the imperfect: as,
(a.)nēmō ferē vestrūm est, quīn, quem ad modum captae sint Syrācūsae saepe audierit,V.4, 115,there is hardly a man of your number but has heard over and over again how Syracuse was taken. (b.)quā rē acciderit ut id suspicārēre quod scrībis nesciō,Fam.2, 16, 1,how it came to pass that you suspected what you write, I can’t imagine.
1766.(1.) A subjunctive subordinate to one of the nouns of the verb, except the perfect infinitive or the perfect participle, follows the sequence of the verb: as,
dēsinō quaerere cūr ēmerīs,V.4, 10,I cease to ask why you bought.nēminem tam āmentem fore putāvērunt, ut emeret argentum,V.4, 9,they did not dream anybody would be crazy enough to buy plate.secūrī percussī, adeō torpentibus metū quī aderant, ut nē gemitus quidem exaudīrētur, L. 28, 29, 11,they were beheaded, everybody there being so completely paralyzed with fear that not even a groan could be heard.Q. Fabius Pīctor Delphōs missus est scīscitātum, quibus precibus deōs possent plācāre, L. 22, 57, 5,Fabius Pictor was sent to Delphi to find out by what sort of prayers they could get the ear of the gods.cupīdō incessit animōs iuvenum scīscitandī ad quem eōrum rēgnum esset ventūrum, L. 1, 56, 10,the youths were possessed with a desire to find out to which one of their number the throne was to fall.
1767.(2.) With a perfect infinitive or perfect participle, the subordinate subjunctive may be in the imperfect or pluperfect, even with a primary leading verb: as,
satis mihī̆ multa verba fēcisse videor, quā rē esset hoc bellum necessārium,IP.27,I fancy I have said enough to show why this war is unavoidable.hunc istī aiunt, cum taurum immolāvisset, mortuum concidisse,Br.43,your gentlemen say that this man, after sacrificing a bull, tumbled down dead.viātor bene vestītus causa grassātōrī fuisse dīcētur cūr ab eō spoliārētur,Fat.34,a well-dressed traveller will be said to have been a temptation for a footpad to rob him.versābor in rē saepe quaesītā, suffrāgia clam an palam ferre melius esset,Leg.3, 33,I shall be working on a question that has often been put, whether it was better to vote secretly or openly.
1768.The sequence with a perfect infinitive is, however, often primary: as,hīc sī fīnem faciam dīcendī, satis iūdicī fēcisse videar cūr secundum Rōscium iūdicārī dēbeat,RC.14,if I should stop speaking here, I should feel I had made it plain enough to the court why a judgement should be rendered for Roscius.
1769.The secondary sequence is used withmeminī,remember, even when it has the present infinitive (2220): as,L. Metellum meminī ita bonīs esse vīribus extrēmō tempore aetātis, ut adulēscentiam nōn requīreret,CM.30,I can remember Metellus’s being so good and strong in the very last part of his life that he did not feel the want of youth.
1770.Sentences with a subjunctive due to another subjunctive or to an infinitive are put as follows:
1771.(1.) Sentences of relative time express contemporaneous, antecedent, and subsequent action like corresponding indicative sentences, with the appropriate sequence: as,
vereor, nē, dum minuere velim labōrem, augeam,Leg.1, 12,I am afraid that while I wish to make the work less, I may make it more.crocodīlōs dīcunt, cum in terrā partum ēdiderint, obruere ōva,DN.2, 129,they say that the crocodile, after laying on land, buries her eggs.dīcēbam quoad metuerēs, omnia tē prōmissūrum: simul ac timēre desīssēs, similem tē futūrum tuī,Ph.2, 89,I said that as long as you were afraid, you would promise everything; the moment you ceased to fear, you would be just like yourself.cōnstituērunt ea, quae ad proficīscendum pertinērent, comparāre, 1, 3, 1,they resolved to get such things ready as were necessary for the march.erat scrīptum: nisi domum reverterētur, sē capitis eum damnātūrōs, N. 4, 3, 4,it stood written that, if he did not come back home, they would condemn him to death(direct formnisi revertēris, damnābimus).lēgātī vēnērunt, quī sē ea, quae imperāsset, factūrōs pollicērentur, 4, 22, 1,some envoys came, to engage to do what he ordered(direct formquae imperāris, faciēmus).Venetī cōnfīdēbant Rōmānōs neque ūllam facultātem habēre nāvium, neque eōrum locōrum ubī̆ bellum gestūrī essent portūs nōvisse, 3, 19, 6,the Venetans felt assured that the Romans had not any proper supply of ships, and were not acquainted with the ports in the places where they were to fight.
1772.(2.) Sentences with independent time retain the independent time in the subjunctive in primary sequence (1744); in secondary sequence the present becomes imperfect, and the perfect becomes pluperfect: as,