Schaum's Outline of Latin Grammar - Alan Fishbone [41]
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Vocabulary
patreÅs conscriptõÅ
senators
cognoÅscoÅ, cognoÅscere
learn
vulnis, vulneris, n.
wound
conservoÅ, conservaÅre
save, preserve
igitur (adv.)
therefore
iuÅdex, iuÅdicis, m.
judge
cõÅvis, cõÅvis, -ium, m.
citizen
ars, artis, -ium, f.
skill, art
pars, partis, -ium, f.
part
hodieÅ (adv.)
today
proÅvocoÅ, proÅvocaÅre
provoke
respondeoÅ, respondeÅre
respond
oblõÅviscor, oblõÅviscõÅ, oblõÅtus sum
forget
putoÅ, putaÅre
think
quam ob rem
for which reason
disceÅdo, disceÅdere
leave, depart
timor, -oÅris, m.
fear
eÅripioÅ, eÅripere
tear away, remove
veÅrus, -a, -um
true, real
opprimoÅ, opprimere
oppress
sõÅn
but if
falsus, -a, -um
false, unreal
tandem (adv.)
®nally, at least
aliquandoÅ
at some time, ever
timeoÅ, timeÅre
fear
deÅsinoÅ, deÅsinere
cease (inf.)
CHAPTER 8 Syntax of the Simple Sentence
113
Subjunctive Mood: Independent Uses
Chapter 2 stated that the subjunctive should not be translated in isolation, but that its translation often involved such English words as ``could,' ``would,' and ``might.'
The subjunctive mood does most of its work in subordinate clauses, usually governed by conjunctions or a grammatical context that determines its meaning.
(These will be treated in the next chapter.) However, the subjunctive can also be used as the main verb of an independent clause. Following are its main independent uses.
POTENTIAL
The subjunctive may express potentiality or possibility. The present tense is used for present potentiality, and the imperfect for past potentiality: MõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleant.
The soldiers could destroy the city.
MõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleÅrent.
The soldiers could have destroyed the
city.
DELIBERATIVE
This form of the subjunctive is used, often in the ®rst person, to ask questions not of fact but of deliberation:
Urbem deÅleaÅmus?
Should we destroy the city?
Quid1 urbem deÅleÅreÅmus?
Why should we have destroyed the city?
Again the present subjunctive is used for deliberation in present time, and the imperfect subjunctive for past deliberation.
OPTATIVE
The optative subjunctive expresses a wish. Often the word utinam, `ìf only,'
accompanies this usage.2
The present subjunctive expresses a wish in the present time: Utinam mõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleant!
If only the soldiers would destroy the
city!
The imperfect subjunctive also expresses a wish in the present time, but one that cannot come true:
Utinam mõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleÅrent!
If only the soldiers were destroying the
city! (We know that they are not.)
1 Quid here is an adverbial accusative, a common usage best translated as ` why?''
2 Less often, ut may be used.
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CHAPTER 8 Syntax of the Simple Sentence
The pluperfect subjunctive expresses a wish in the past that could not have come true:
Utinam mõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleÅvissent!
If only the soldiers had destroyed the
city! (We know that they did not.)
To negate an optative subjunctive, Latin uses neÅ rather than noÅn: Utinam neÅ canant!
If only they were not singing!
HORTATORY OR JUSSIVE
The subjunctive can be used to express commands, mostly in the ®rst and third persons.3 (For second-person commands, usually the imperative is used.) Generally the present subjunctive is used:
Urbem deÅleaÅmus!
Let us destroy the city!
MõÅliteÅs urbem deÅleant!
Let the soldiers destroy the city!
To negate these, Latin uses neÅ.
NeÅ loquaÅtur!
Let him not speak.
Exercises
7. Translate the following. Then identify the italicized usages.
1. Utinam nautae nostrõÅ võÅcissent!
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2. Ut nautae vincant!
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