So with words likeiūs,lēx,mūnus, &c.: as,iūs esse bellī ut quī vīcissent hīs quōs vīcissent imperārent, 1, 36, 1,that rules of war entitled conquerors to lord it over conquered.quis nescit prīmam esse historiae lēgem, nē quid falsī dīcere audeat?DO.2, 62,who does not know that the first rule of history is that it shall not venture to say anything false?iūstitiae prīmum mūnus est ut nē cui quis noceat,Off.1, 20,the first duty of justice is that a man harm nobody.nam id arbitror adprīmē in vītā esse ūtile, ‘ut nē quid nimis,’T.Andr.60,for this I hold to be a rule in life that’s passing useful, ‘naught in overplus.’
1957.(2.) The subjunctive withutornēis used in clauses which complete expressions of fear, anxiety, or danger.
ut,that not,may not, andnē,lest,may, were originally signs of a wish (1540): thus,vereor, ut fīat,I am afraid; may it come to pass, acquires the meaning ofI am afraid it may not come to pass(1706); andvereor, nē fīat,I am afraid; may it not come to pass, ofI am afraid it may come to pass.metuō utis common in old Latin, and is used by Horace, but not by Caesar or Sallust, once by Cicero in the orations.timeō utis rare, and first used by Cicero.vereor utis not uncommon.
at vereor ut plācārī possit, T.Ph.965,but I’m afraid she can’t be reconciled.nē uxor rescīscat metuit, Pl.As.743,he is afraid his wife may find it out.ō puer, ut sīs vītālis metuō, et maiōrum nē quis amīcus frīgore tē feriat, H.S.2, 1, 60,my boy, you’ll not see length of days I fear, and that some grander friend may with his coldness cut you dead.nēquid summā dēperdat metuēns aut ampliet ut rem, H.S.1, 4, 31,in dread lest from his store he something lose or may not add to his estate.metuō nē nōs nōsmet perdiderīmus uspiam, Pl.MG.428,I’m afraid we’ve lost ourselves somewhere.sollicitus nē turba perēgerit orbem, J. 5, 20,apprehensive that the throng may have finished its round.nē nōnis often, though rarely in old Latin, used forut, and regularly when the expression of fear is negative: as,nōn vereor nē hoc officium meum P. Servīliō nōn probem,V.4, 82,I have no fear but I may make my services acceptable in the eyes of Servilius. Fornōn metuō quīn, see1986.
1958.vereor nēis often equivalent toI rather think, andvereor uttohardly.vidē (videāmus, videndum est) nē, and similar expressions, are sometimes used forvereor nē, to introduce something conjectured rather than proved: as,
vereor nē barbarōrum rēx fuerit,RP.1, 58,I rather think he was king over savages.vidē nē mea coniectūra multō sitvērior,Clu.97,I rather think my conjecture is in better keeping with the facts.
1959.Other constructions with expressions of fear are: (a.) Indirect question. (b.) Accusative with infinitive. (c.) Complementary infinitive: as,
(a.)erī semper lēnitās verēbar quorsum ēvāderet, T.Andr.175,I was afraid how master’s always gentleness would end.timeō quid sit, T.Hau.620,I have my fears what it may be.timeō quid rērum gesserim, Pl.MG.397,I am concerned to think what capers I have cut.metuō quid agam, T.Hau.720,I’m scared and know not what to do(1731). (b.)ego mē cupiditātis rēgnī crīmen subitūrum timērem?L. 2, 7, 9,was I to fear being charged with aspiring to a throne?(c.)vereor cōram in ōs tē laudāre, T.Ad.269,I am afraid to disgrace you with praise to the face(2168).
1960.(3.) The subjunctive withnēis used in clauses which serve to complete the sense of verbs of avoiding, hindering, and resisting.
Such are: avoiding:caveō,mē ēripiō,vītō. hindering:intercēdō,interdīcō,recūsō,repugnō,temperō; also the following which often havequōminus(1977):dēterreō,impediō,obsistō,obstō,officiō,prohibeō,teneō. resisting:resistō,repugnō,recūsō; with these last oftenquōminus. Some of the above verbs when preceded by a negative also takequīn(1986);prohibeōandimpediōhave also the accusative with the infinitive (2203). For the subjunctive coordinated withcavē̆, see1711.
nē quid eīs noceātur neu quis invītus sacrāmentum dīcere cōgātur ā Caesare cavētur, Caes.C.1, 86, 4,all precaution is taken by Caesar that no harm be done them, and that nobody be compelled to take the oath against his will.per eōs, nē causam dīceret, sē ēripuit, 1, 4, 2,thanks to this display of retainers he succeeded in avoiding trial.plūra nē scrībam, dolōre impedior,Att.11, 13, 5,grief prevents me from writing more.nē qua sibī̆ statua pōnerētur restitit, N. 25, 3, 2,he objected to having a statue erected in his honour.
II. Pure Final Clauses.
1961.The subjunctive withutornēis used to denote the purpose of the main action.
The purpose is often indicated in the main sentence by an expression likeideō,idcircō,proptereā,eā mente, &c.
vigilās dē nocte, ut tuīs cōnsultōribus respondeās,Mur.22,you have to get up early in the morning to give advice to your clients.maiōrēs nostrī ab arātrō addūxērunt Cincinnātum, ut dictātor esset,Fin.2, 12,our fathers brought Cincinnatus from his plough, to be dictator.dīcam auctiōnis causam, ut damnō gaudeant, Pl.St.207,I’ll tell the reason for the sale, that o’er my losses they may gloat.quīn etiam nē tōnsōrī collum committeret, tondēre fīliās suās docuit,TD.5, 58,why, he actually taught his own daughters to shave, so as not to trust his throat to a barber.Caesar, nē graviōrī bellō occurreret, ad exercitum proficīscitur, 4, 6, 1,to avoid facing war on a more formidable scale, Caesar goes to the army.tē ulcīscar, ut nē inpūne in nōs inlūseris, T.Eu.941,I’ll be revenged on you, so that you shan’t play tricks on me for nothing(1947).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(1754).ita mē gessī nē tibī̆ pudōrī essem, L. 40, 15, 6,I comported myself in such a way that I might not be a mortification to you.Mariōnem ad tē eō mīsī, ut tēcum ad mē venīret,Fam.16, 1, 1,I sent Mario to you with the intention of having him come with you to me.idcircō nēmō superiōrum attigit, ut hīc tolleret? ideō C. Claudius rettulit, ut C. Verrēs posset auferre?V.4, 7,was that the reason why no former officials laid a finger on it, that this man might swoop it away? was that why Claudius returned it, that a Verres might carry it off?danda opera est, ut etiam singulīs cōnsulātur, sed ita, ut ea rēs aut prōsit aut certē nē obsit rē̆ī pūblicae,Off.2, 72,we must be particular in regarding the interests of individuals as well, but with this restriction, that our action may benefit, or at any rate may not damage the country.
1962.The subjunctive withutornēis often used not to express the purpose of the main action, but in a parenthetical clause, as though dependant upon some verb unexpressed: as,
ut in pauca cōnferam, testāmentō factō mulier moritur,Caec.17,to cut a long story short, the woman makes her will and dies.sed ut hīc nē īgnōret, quae rēs agātur: dē nātūrā agēbāmus deōrum,DN.1, 17,but that our friend here may know what is up: we were just on the nature of the gods. The tense is present, in late writers the perfect, asut sīc dīxerim, Quint. 1, 6, 1. Here may also be mentioned the use ofnēdum(rarelynēor, from Livy on,nēdum ut) with the present subjunctive (rarely the imperfect): as,satrapa numquam sufferre eius sūmptūs queat: nēdum tū possīs, T.Hau.452,a prince couldn’t stand her extravagance, much less could you. This is found in Terence and Lucretius once each, in Cicero, and later; not in Caesar. The preceding clause is negative or involves a negative idea. From Livy on, the verb may be omitted: as,vix clāmōrem eōrum, nēdum impetum tulēre, L. 34, 20, 7,they hardly stood their war cry, much less their charge.
1963.The subjunctive is used in an assumption or concession withutornē, or if the negation belongs to a single word, withut nōn,nēmō, &c.: as,
ut taceam, quoivīs facile scītū est quam fuerim miser, T.Hec.296,even supposing I say nothing, anybody can understand how unhappy I was.sed ut haec concēdantur, reliqua quī concēdī possunt?DN.3, 41,but even supposing this be admitted, how can the rest be admitted?nē sit summum malum dolor, malum certē est,TD.2, 14,grant that suffering is not the chiefest evil, an evil it assuredly is(1553).vērum ut hoc nōn sit, tamen praeclārum spectāculum mihī̆ prōpōnō,Att.2, 15, 2,but suppose this be not the case, still I anticipate a gorgeous show.ac iam ut omnia contrā opīniōnem acciderent, tamen sē plūrimum nāvibus posse perspiciēbant, 3, 9, 6,and even supposing everything turned out contrary to expectation, still they saw clearly that they had the advantage by sea.ut enim nēminem alium nisi T. Patinam rogāsset, scīre potuit prōdī flāminem necesse esse,Mil.46,for even supposing he had asked nobody but Patina, he might have known that a priest must be appointed. This use is common in Cicero, not found in Plautus or Sallust.
1964.The subjunctive withutornē, generally withitaas a correlative, sometimes has the force of a proviso: as,
ita probanda est clēmentia, ut adhibeātur sevēritās,Off.1, 88,mercy is to be commended, provided that strictness is employed.satis memoriae meae tribuent, ut maiōribus meīs dignum crēdant, Ta. 4, 38,they will pay respect enough to my memory, provided they consider me worthy of my ancestors.
(B.) Result.
I. Complementary Consecutive Clauses.
1965.The subjunctive withutorut nōnis used in clauses which serve to complete the sense of certain verbs and expressions, chiefly of bringing to pass, happening, and following.
Such are: (a.)faciō,efficiō(unless they imply purpose,1951);fit,accidit,contingit,ēvenit,est,it is the case; similarlymōs est,cōnsuētūdō est, &c. (b.)proximum est,reliquum est,extrēmum est,relinquitur,restat,accēdit. Or, of logical sequence,sequitur,efficitur.
(a.)fēcērunt ut cōnsimilis fugae profectiō vidērētur, 2, 11, 1,they made their march look exactly like a stampede.splendorvesterfacit ut peccāre sine summō perīculō nōn possītis,V.1, 22,your conspicuous position makes it impossible for you to do wrong without great peril.hīs rēbus fīēbat, ut minus lātē vagārentur, 1, 2, 4,so it came to pass that they did not rove round much.fit ut nātūrā ipsā ad ōrnātius dīcendī genus excitēmur,DO.2, 338,it is sometimes the case that we are roused to a loftier style in oratory by sheer circumstance.potest fierī ut fallar,Fam.13, 73, 2,it is possible that I am mistaken.fierī nōn potest ut eum tū nōn cōgnōverīs,V.2, 190,it must be the case that you have made his acquaintance yourself.eādem nocte accidit, ut esset lūna plēna, 4, 29, 1,it came to pass on the same night that there was a full moon(1758).negāvit mōris esse Graecōrum ut in convīviō virōrum accumberent mulierēs,V.1, 66,he said it was not etiquette among the Greeks for women to go to men’s dinner parties.est hōc commūne vitium in līberīs cīvitātibus, ut invidia glōriae comes sit, N. 12, 3, 3,this is a common trouble in free communities, that envy is the attendant of a great name.
(b.)proximum est, ut doceam,DN.2, 73,my next task is to prove.relinquēbātur ut neque longius ab āgmine legiōnum discēdī Caesar paterētur, 5, 19, 3,the consequence was that Caesar could not allow any very distant excursion from the main line of march.restat ut doceam omnia hominum causā facta esse,DN.2, 154,lastly, I must prove that everything is made for man.accēdēbat ut tempestātem ferrent, 3, 13, 9,then, too, they could stand the gale.accēdit utis not found in old Latin; foraccēdit quod, see1845.ita efficitur ut omne corpus mortāle sit,DN.3, 30,thus it follows that every bodily substance is mortal.sequiturandefficitur,it follows, often have the accusative with the infinitive (2207). For the subjunctive withquam utafter a comparative of disproportion, see1896. Forforeandfutūrum esse utas the periphrasis for the future infinitive, see2233.
1966.Verbs of happening may often be rendered best by compacter expressions: thus,hīs rēbus fīēbat ut,consequently;fit ut,once in a while,sometimes,often;fierī potest ut,possibly;accidit ut,accidentally,unfortunately.
1967.faciō ut, or with a negative, commonlycommittō ut, is used in circumlocutions for emphasis: as,
faciundum mihī̆ putāvī, ut tuīs litterīs brevī respondērem,Fam.3, 8, 1,I thought I ought to take hold and write a few lines in answer to your letter.ego vērō nōn committam, ut tibī̆ causam recūsandī dem,DO.2, 233,no, no, sir, I will not be guilty, not I, of giving you an excuse to back out. So particularly withinvītus,libenter,prope: as,invītus fēcī ut L. Flāminīnum ē senātū ēicerem,CM.42,it was with great reluctance that I expelled Flamininus from the senate.
1968.A subjunctive clause withutis often used to define a preceding idea indicated in a general way by a neuter pronoun: as,
post eius mortem nihilō minus Helvētiī id, quod cōnstituerant, facere cōnantur, ut ē fīnibus suīs exeant, 1, 5, 1,after his death the Helvetians attempted just the same to carry out their resolution of moving out of their abodes(1752).omnibus Gallīs idem esse faciendum, quod Helvētiī fēcerint, ut domō ēmigrent, 1, 31, 14,that all the Gauls must do just as the Helvetians had done and move away from home.Helvētiī, cum id, quod ipsī diēbusXXaegerrimē cōnfēcerant, ut flūmen trānsīrent, illum ūnō diē fēcisse intellegerent, lēgātōs mittunt, 1, 13, 2,when the Helvetians learned that the Roman commander had done in a single day what they had found it hard themselves to do in twenty, namely cross the river, they sent deputies(1752).id aliquot dē causīs acciderat, ut subitō Gallī bellī renovandi cōnsilium caperent, 3, 2, 2,it was due to a variety of reasons that the Gauls suddenly conceived the idea of making war again(1758).hocine bonī esse officium servī exīstumas, ut erī suī corrumpat et rem et fīlium?Pl.Most.27,is this what you think the duty of a good slave, to waste his own master’s property and corrupt his son?
1969.tantum abest,so far from, is sometimes followed by a doubleut, the first introducing an unreal, and the second a real action: as,
tantum abest ut haec bēstiārum causā parāta sint, ut ipsās bēstiās hominum grātiā generātās esse videāmus,DN.2, 158,so far from these things being made for brutes, we see that brutes themselves were created for man. This use, very rarely personal, begins with Cicero, and is common in his writings and in Livy. Not in Caesar, Sallust, or Tacitus. Sometimes instead ofutthe second sentence is coordinated (1700):tantum abfuit ut īnflammārēs nostrōs animōs, somnum vix tenēbāmus,Br.278,so far from your firing our heart, we could hardly keep awake. Or, the idea is expressed byita nōn . . . ut: as,erat ita nōn timidus ad mortem, ut in aciē sit ob rem pūblicam interfectus,Fin.2, 63,so far from being afraid of death, he fell in battle for his country.
II. Pure Consecutive Clauses.
1970.The subjunctive is used withutorut nōnto denote result.
The result may be the result of an action or of a thing named in the main sentence. The main sentence often has a correlative tout, expressing (a.) degree: as,tantus,so great,tam,so(with adjectives or adverbs),adeō,tantopere. (b.) quality: as,is(hīc,ille,iste),such,tālis,ita,sīc.
mōns altissimus impendēbat, ut facile perpaucī prohibēre possent, 1, 6, 1,an exceeding high mountain hung over, so that a very few could block the way.dictitābant sē domō expulsōs, omnibus necessāriīs egēre rēbus, ut honestā praescrīptiōne rem turpissimam tegerent, Caes.C.3, 32, 4,they stoutly declared that they were driven out of house and home, and lacked the necessaries of life, thus veiling dishonour under the name of respectability.
(a.)Ariovistus tantōs sibī̆ spīritūs sūmpserat, ut ferendus nōn vidērētur, 1, 33, 5,Ariovistus had put on such high and mighty airs as to seem intolerable.adeō angustō marī cōnflīxit, ut eius multitūdō nāvium explicārī nōn potuerit, N. 2, 4, 5,he went into action in such cramped sea-room, that his armada could not deploy, of Xerxes (1757).
(b.)eōs dēdūxī testēs ut dē istīus factō dubium esse nēminī possit,V.4, 91,I have brought such witnesses that nobody can entertain a doubt of the defendant’s guilt.ita sē recipiēbat ut nihil nisi dē perniciē populī Rōmānī cōgitāret,Ph.4, 4,he retreated, it is true, but retreated with his mind running on nothing but how to ruin the country.illa, ex tūribulīs quae ēvellerat, ita scītē in aureīs pōculīs inligābat, ut ea ad illam rem nāta esse dīcerēs,V.4, 54,what he had torn from the censers he attached to golden cups so cunningly that you would have said it was just made for that very purpose(1731,1559).
For the imperfect subjunctive connected with a main general present, see1751; for the independent present or perfect subjunctive with a main secondary tense, see1757.
1971.ubī̆, in the sense ofwhere(709), has the ordinary construction of a relative (1812-1831). Forubī̆,when, see1923-1926and 1932-1934; as a synonym ofsī,if, see2110.
1972.quō,whereby,wherewith, or in old Latin sometimesquī(689), is the instrumental ablative from the relative and interrogative stemqui-. Combined withminus,the less,not,quōgivesquōminus.
WITH THE INDICATIVE.
1973.The indicative is used withquōand a comparative in the protasis of a comparative period, witheōorhōcand a comparative as correlative (1393): as,
quō dēlictum maius est, eō poena est tardior,Caec.7,the greater the sin is, the slower is the punishment. Theeōorhōcis sometimes omitted: as,quō plūrēs sumus, plūribus rēbus egēbimus, L. 34, 34, 6,the more numerous we are, the more things we shall need. In late writers, the comparative is sometimes omitted in the main clause, very rarely in the subordinate clause.quantō . . . tantōare also used likequō . . . eō: as,quantō diūtius cōnsīderō, tantō mihī̆ rēs vidētur obscūrior,DN.1, 60,the longer I puzzle over it, the more incomprehensible the question seems to me.quantō magis extergeō, tenuius fit, Pl.R.1301,the more I polish, the slimmer it gets. This form is sometimes used withquisqueorquisof indefinite persons, instead of the commonerut . . . itaorsīc(1939): as,quō quisque est sollertior, hōc docet labōriōsius,RC.31,the brighter a man is, the more wearisome he finds teaching.quō quisque est maior, magis est plācābilis īrae, O.Tr.3, 5, 31,the greater be the man, the easier ’tis his anger to appease.
WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVE.
1974.The subjunctive is used withquōto express purpose.
quōdiffers but little in meaning fromutof purpose. It is used (a.) particularly in clauses containing a comparative expression, or (b.) in solemn law language.
(a.)equitēs omnibus in locīs pugnant, quō sē legiōnāriīs mīlitibus praeferrent, 2, 27, 2,the troopers fought on every kind of ground, hoping to outshine the regular infantry thereby.medicō putō aliquid dandum esse, quō sit studiōsior,Fam.16, 4, 2,I think it would be well to fee your medical man, to make him more attentive.id amābō adiūtā mē quō id fīat facilius, T.Eu.150,help me in that, I pray, that it may be the easier done.sublāta erat celebritās virōrum ac mulierum, quō lāmentātiō minuerētur,Leg.2, 65,the large attendance of both sexes was done away with, to make the weeping and wailing less harrowing. (b.)hominī mortuō nē ossa legitō, quō pos fūnus faciat, Twelve Tables inLeg.2, 60,he shall not gather up the bones of a dead man, with intent to celebrate the funeral a second time(1586).quī eōrum coiīt, coierit, quō quis iūdiciō pūblicō condemnārētur, law inClu.148,whosoever of that number conspired or shall have conspired to have anybody condemned in a criminal court. Otherwise rarely used without a comparative expression, yet occasionally found thus in Plautus, Terence, Sallust, and Ovid: as,hanc simulant parere quō Chremētem absterreant, T.Andr.472,they’re pretending that she’s lying in, to frighten Chremes off. So often in Tacitus.
1975.quō nē, in a negative clause of purpose, is found in a disputed passage in Horace, but not again until late Latin. Fornōn quō,nōn eō quō, introducing an untenable reason, see1855.
1976.In old Latinquī,whereby,wherewith,withal, is partly felt as a live relative pronoun in the ablative, and partly as a mere conjunction of purpose; as a pronoun it may even take a preposition; as a conjunction, it may refer to a plural antecedent (689): as,quasi patriciīs puerīs aut monērulae aut anitēs aut cōturnīcēs dantur, quīcum lūsitent: itidem mī haec upupa, quī mē dēlectem datast, Pl.Cap.1002,as to the sons of gentlemen or daws or ducks or quails are given, wherewith to play; just so to me this crow is given, to entertain myself withal.enim mihi quidem aequomst dari vehicla quī vehar, Pl.Aul.500,in sooth ‘t were fair that carriages be given me, to ride withal. The indicative occurs where the subjunctive would be used in classical Latin: as,multa concurrunt simul, quī coniectūram hanc faciō, T.Andr.511,a thousand things combine whereby I come to this conjecture.
1977.The subjunctive withquōminus(1972) is used to complete the sense of verbs of hindering or resisting.
Such verbs are:impediō,teneō,hinder,interclūdō,dēterreō,obstō,obsistō,resistō,repugnō,nōn recūsō; these verbs often have a subjunctive withnē(1960). Cicero rarely and Caesar never usesquōminuswithimpediōorprohibeō. For the accusative and infinitive with these verbs, see2203.quōminusis also used withmoveor,am influenced,fit,it is owing to,stat per aliquem,somebody is responsible, or indeed any expression implying hindrance. When the verb of hindering has a negative with it,quīnis often used; see1986.
nōn dēterret sapientem mors, quōminus rē̆ī pūblicae suīsque cōnsulat,TD.1, 91,death does not hinder the wise man from working for country and friends.quid obstat, quōminus sit beātus?DN.1, 95,what is to hinder his being happy?neque recūsāvit quōminus lēgis poenam subīret, N. 15, 8, 2,and he did not decline to submit to the penalty of the law.Caesar, ubī̆ cōgnōvit per Āfrānium stāre quōminus proeliō dīmicārētur, castra facere cōnstituit, Caes.C.1, 41, 3,when Caesar learned that owing to Afranius there was no battle, he resolved to build a camp.sī tē dolor corporis tenuit, quōminus ad lūdōs venīrēs, fortūnae magis tribuō quam sapientiae tuae,Fam.7, 1, 1,if it was bodily suffering that kept you from coming to the performances, I think more highly of your luck than of your sense. Terence first usesquōminusthus, but only rarely. He also sometimes uses the parts separately so that the true relative and negative forces appear: as,sī sēnserō quicquam in hīs tē nūptiīs fallāciae cōnārī, quō fīant minus, T.Andr.196,if I catch you trying on any trick in the matter of this marriage through which it may not come off(1451).
1978.In Tacitus,quōminusis sometimes found wherequīnwould be used in classical Latin (1986): as,nec dubitātum quōminus pācem concēderent, Ta.H.2, 45,there was no hesitation in granting peace.
1979.It may be mentioned here thatquō sētiuswith the subjunctive, instead ofquōminus, is found twice in Cicero’s earliest extant prose, and twice in older Latin.
1980.quīnis composed ofquī, the ablative or locative of the interrogative and relative stemqui-(689), and-ne,not. It is used in simple sentences and as a conjunctive particle.
1981.For the use ofquīn,why not, in questions with the indicative, see1526. Such questions have the sense of an affirmative command or exhortation (1531): as,quīn abīs, Pl.MG.1087,why won’t you begone?orget you gone.quīn cōnscendimus equōs, L. 1, 57, 7,why not mount, orto horse, to horse. For the use ofquīnwithout interrogative force, see1527.
1982.quīnis found occasionally with the subjunctive in a direct question in Plautus, Terence, Lucilius, Lucretius, Cicero, and Tacitus: thus,quīn ego hōc rogem?Pl.MG.426,why shouldn’t I ask this?(1563).
1983.The subjunctive with the conjunctive particlequīnis used, particularly in old Latin, in connection with the common formulanūlla causa estor its equivalents.
Such a subjunctive may be regarded as original (1786) or as due to the indirect form of question (1773).
nūlla causast quīn mē condōnēs crucī, Pl.R.1070,there’s no reason why you shouldn’t deliver me up to execution.quīn dēcēdam, nūlla causa est,Fam.2, 17, 1,there is no reason why I should not retire.quid causaest quīn in pistrīnum rēctā proficīscar viā?T.Andr.600,what’s the reason I don’t march straight into the mill?haud causificor quīn eam habeam, Pl.Aul.755,I don’t quibble against keeping her.
1984.mīrum quīnwith the subjunctive is used by Plautus in sarcastic expressions wheremīrumis ironical: as,mīrum quīn tū illō tēcum dīvitiās ferās, Pl.Tri.495,strange enough, how you can’t take your money there with you, that is to Hades.
1985.The subjunctive withquīn(orut nōn) is used afternōn possum, ornōn possumwith an infinitive, usuallyfacere, and withfierī nōn potest: as,
nōn enim possum quīn exclāmem, eugē, eugē, Lȳsitelēs,πάλιν, Pl.Tri.705,upon my word I must cry bravo, bravo, Lysiteles; encore!facere nōn potuī quīn tibī̆ sententiam dēclārārem,Fam.6, 13, 1,I could not help giving you my views.fierī nūllō modō poterat, quīn Cleomenī parcerētur,V.5, 104,it was impossible not to spare Cleomenes.ēheu, nequeō quīn fleam, quom abs tē abeam, Pl.MG.1342,O well-a-day, I needs must weep, for that from thee I part.nōn potuistī ūllō modō facere, ut mihī̆ illam epistulam nōn mitterēs,Att.11, 21, 1,you could not get along at all without writing me that letter(1965).
1986.The subjunctive withquīnis used in clauses which complete the sense of verbs of restraining, abstaining, delaying, or doubting, when such verbs have a negative, expressed or implied.
Such verbs are (a.) restraining:temperō mihī̆,teneō,restrain,retineō,contineō,dēterreō,reprimō. abstaining:praetermittō,intermittō. delaying:cunctor,differō,exspectō,recūsō;nōn multum,nihil,paulum abest. (b.) doubting:dubitō,dubium est; a doubt may also be implied in other words, or forms of words: as,nōn metuō,nōn abest suspīciō, &c.
(a.)neque sibī̆ hominēs barbarōs temperātūrōs exīstimābat, quīn in prōvinciam exīrent, 1, 33, 4,and he thought, as they were savages, they would not restrain themselves, but would sally out into the province.vix mē contineō quīn involem mōnstrō in capillum, T.Eu.859,I scarce can keep from flying at the caitiff’s hair.nihil praetermīsī, quīn Pompēium ā Caesaris coniūnctiōne āvocārem,Ph.2, 23,I left no stone unturned to prevent Pompey from joining Caesar.abstinēre quīn attingās nōn queās, Pl.B.915,you can’t keep from touching it. (b.)nōn dubitat, quīn tē ductūrum negēs, T.Andr.405,he doesn’t doubt that you’ll refuse to marry.quis dubitet, quīn in virtūte dīvitiae sint?Par.48,who can doubt that there is money in virtue?neque abest suspīciō quīn ipse sibī̆ mortem cōnscīverit, 1, 4, 4,and ground is not wanting for the belief that he made away with himself.
1987.nōn dubitōhas other constructions: (a.) Indirect question. (b.) Accusative with the infinitive (in some authors: chiefly Nepos and Livy and later writers). (c.) Meaningnot hesitate, the infinitive alone (2169).quīnseldom follows this meaning.
(a.)nōn dubitō, quid nōbīs agendum putēs,Att.10, 1, 2,I have no doubt about what you think is our duty to do. (b.)neque enim dubitābant hostem ventūrum, L. 22. 55, 2,for they firmly believed the enemy would come. (c.)quid dubitāmus pultāre?Pl.B.1117,why do we hesitate to knock?nōlīte dubitāre quīn huic crēdātis omnia,IP.68,do not hesitate to trust all to him.
1988.The subjunctive withquīnis often used after general negative assertions, or questions implying a negative: as,