Schaum's Outline of Latin Grammar - Alan Fishbone [45]
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5. AnimaÅlia quibus cornua magna erant a mõÅlitibus reÅgis interfecta sunt.
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6. Corpora animaÅlium quoÅrum cornua vendita erant in ignõÅ poÅneÅbantur.
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CHAPTER 9
Syntax of the
Complex Sentence
A complex sentence is one that contains one or more subordinate clauses that are said to depend on the main or independent clause. This means that they cannot stand alone as sentences, but must exist in conjunction with an independent clause.
When he got home, he destroyed the television.
Because he destroyed the television, his sister was angry.
``When he got home'' and ``because he destroyed the television'' are subordinate clauses. They cannot stand alone as sentences. A subordinate clause gives more information about the main clause by relating it to other circumstances.
We say that words such as ` when'' and ``because'' are subordinating conjunctions. They serve to introduce subordinate clauses and usually tell you what clauses mean.
``When'' introduces a temporal clause. ``When he got home'' is a temporal clause. It situates the action of the main clause in time, telling us when he destroyed the television.
``Because'' introduces a causal clause. ``Because he destroyed the television'' is a causal clause, telling us why his sister was angry.
Latin has many different kinds of subordinate clauses. They are categorized according to the different kinds of information they offer about the main clause.
Although there are many such categories, it may be convenient to simply think of their differences as differences in the vocabulary of subordinating conjunctions.
Some subordinating conjunctions take the indicative, and some take the subjunctive. Some can take either, with differences in meaning. Those that take the indicative will take whatever tense their sense requires. Those that take the subjunctive, however, are bound by two important grammatical considerations, 121
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CHAPTER 9 Syntax of the Complex Sentence
known as sequence of tenses and relative time. These will apply to almost all uses of the subjunctive in subordinate clauses:
Sequence of Tenses
Subordinate uses of the subjunctive follow thè`sequence of tenses.' This means that the tense of the subjunctive used in a subordinate clause will depend on the tense of the verb in the main clause.
There are four tenses of the subjunctive:
Present
Imperfect
Perfect
Pluperfect
If the main verb refers to the present or future, the subjunctive in a subordinate clause that follows it must be either present or perfect. This is said to be in primary sequence. If the main verb refers to the past, the subjunctive in a subordinate clause that follows it must be either imperfect or pluperfect. This is said to be in secondary sequence.1
In each sequence, then, there are two possible tenses of the subjunctive that may be used. The difference between the two in each case will be one of relative time.
RELATIVE TIME
The concept of relative time ®rst appeared in the discussion of participles (p. 117).
There it was said that the tense of the participle is not an objective time value, but one that can be understood only in relation to the time of the main verb. The same is true of subjunctives in subordinate clauses.
In primary sequence, the present subjunctive expresses a time simultaneous with (or sometimes subsequent to) that of the main verb: ScioÅ quid faciaÅs.
I know what you are doing.
The present subjunctive tells us that whatever you are doing is happening at the same time as my knowing.
The perfect subjunctive expresses a time prior to that of the main verb: ScioÅ quid feÅceris.
I know