Wiley's Real Latin
Page 17
For the perfect subjunctive of all conjugations, see Appendix 5.
The perfect subjunctive is built on the perfect stem. The simplest way to remember how to form the perfect subjunctive for all conjugations is: take the perfect stem and add the endings -erim, -erīs, -erit, -erīmus, -erītis, -erint.
First Conjugation
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person amāverim amāverīmus
2nd person amāverīs amāverītis
3rd person amāverit amāverint
HINT!
These endings appear to be the same as the future perfect indicative (with the exception of the first person singular). In fact there are differences in pronunciation which need not concern us here. However, because of the way the subjunctive is used, the context almost always makes it clear which is being used.
13.1.4 Pluperfect Subjunctive Active
The pluperfect subjunctive is technically also built on the perfect stem. However, the simplest way to remember how to form the pluperfect subjunctive active for all conjugations is: take the perfect infinitive and add the endings -m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt.
First Conjugation
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person amāvissem amāvissēmus
2nd person amāvissēs amāvissētis
3rd person amāvisset amāvissent
FYI
For the pluperfect subjunctive of all conjugations, see Appendix 5.
Try This
Parse the following subjunctive forms:
e.g., decertet – 3rd person singular present subjunctive active of decerto – fight
(i) servias (vi) redidissem
(ii) cognoscerent (vii) remanserit
(iii) optet (viii) vertisset
(iv) pareamus (ix) stabiliat
(v) placaverim (x) dissimulent
13.2 Subjunctive of Irregular Verbs
13.2.1 Sum
Present Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person sim sīmus
2nd person sīs sītis
3rd person sit sint
Imperfect Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person essem essēmus
2nd person essēs essētis
3rd person esset essent
Note that the imperfect of sum follows the pattern of all imperfect subjunctives: present infinitive plus endings.
Perfect Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person fuerim fuerīmus
2nd person fuerīs fuerītis
3rd person fuerit fuerint
Note again that the perfect subjunctive follows the pattern of all perfect subjunctives.
Pluperfect Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person fuissem fuissēmus
2nd person fuissēs fuissētis
3rd person fuisset fuissent
Note again that the pluperfect subjunctive follows the pattern of all pluperfect subjunctives.
13.2.2 Possum
Present Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person possim possīmus
2nd person possīs possītis
3rd person possit possint
HINT!
To remember, note that the conjugation is simply pos + the present subjunctive of sum.
The subjunctive forms of possum are regular in all tenses except the present. Imperfect subjunctive: possem, possēs, posset, etc. Perfect subjunctive: potuerim, potuerīs, potuerit, etc. Pluperfect subjunctive: potuissem, potuissēs, potuisset, etc.
13.2.3 Eō
Present Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person eam eāmus
2nd person eās eātis
3rd person eat eant
The subjunctive forms are regular in all tenses except the present. Imperfect subjunctive: īrem, īrēs, īret, etc. Perfect subjunctive: ierim, ierīs, ierit, etc. (or iverim, iverīs, iverit, etc.). Pluperfect subjunctive: īssem, īssēs, īsset, etc. (or īvissem, īvissēs, īvisset, etc; in compounds, the forms -īissem, -īissēs, -īisset are occasionally found).
13.2.4 Ferō
Present Subjunctive Active
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person feram ferāmus
2nd person ferās ferātis
3rd person ferat ferant
The subjunctive forms of these verbs are regular in all tenses except the present. Imperfect subjunctive: ferrem, ferrēs, ferret, etc. Perfect subjunctive: tulerim, tulerīs, tulerit, etc. Pluperfect subjunctive: tulissem, tulissēs, tulisset, etc.
13.2.5 Volō
Present Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person velim velīmus
2nd person velīs velītis
3rd person velit velint
The subjunctive forms of these verbs are regular in all tenses except the present. Imperfect subjunctive: vellem, vellēs, vellet, etc. Perfect subjunctive: voluerim, voluerīs, voluerit, etc. Pluperfect subjunctive: voluissem, voluissēs, voluisset, etc.
13.2.6 The Verb Fīō
Recall that the verb faciō is not used in the present, future, and imperfect indicative passive. Instead the verb fīō, fierī, factus sum – be made; happen is used. We met the conjugation of the present indicative in Chapter 12; the present subjunctive is conjugated as follows:
Present Subjunctive
SINGULAR PLURAL
1st person fīam fīāmus
2nd person fīās fīātis
3rd person fīat fīant
For forms of fio, see Appendix 4.
Try This
Active subjunctive of irregular verbs.
Supply the subjunctive form requested:
e.g., sum (1st person singular present subjunctive) – sim
(i) sum (1st person singular imperfect subjunctive)
(ii) possum (2nd person singular perfect subjunctive)
(iii) eo (3rd person singular pluperfect subjunctive)
(iv) fero (3rd person plural present subjunctive active)
(v) volo (1st person plural present subjunctive)
(vi) fio (2nd person singular imperfect subjunctive)
(vii) sum (2nd person plural present subjunctive)
(viii) volo (3rd person plural pluperfect subjunctive)
(ix) fero (2nd person present subjunctive active)
(x) eo (3rd person perfect subjunctive)
FIGURE 13.2 Roman figurine bottle (date unknown). The bottle is in the shape of a woman seated between two birds. It could have contained an ointment or unguent. Oils and suchlike were very popular in antiquity – for example, they were used in medicine and as a luxury item. © Leeds Museums and Galleries (Discovery Centre)
13.3 Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
As noted above the subjunctive most frequently occurs in subordinate clauses. However, there are instances where the subjunctive is used as the main verb in its sentence. The present subjunctive is most commonly used in this way.
13.3.1 Jussive Subjunctive
The present subjunctive may be used to express commands in the third person singular or plural of the type: let him/her/it/them do something (often referred to as a jussive subjunctive – from the Latin iubeō, -ēre, iussī, iussum – order).
Dīvitiās alius fulvō sibi congerat aurō
Et teneat cultī iūgera multa solī (Tibullus 1.1–2):
Let another gather up wealth for himself in yellow gold
And let him possess many acres of cultivated land.
The present subjunctive is also used, most frequently in the first person plural, to express commands of the type: let us do something. This is referred to in some grammars as jussive in others as hortatory subjunctive (from the Latin hortor, -āri, hortātus sum – encourage).
vīvāmus, mea Lesbia, atque amēmus (Catullus 5.1): let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love.
In each case the negative is not non, but ne.
sed acta ne agamus, reliqua paremus (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 9.6.7): let us not consider past actions but l
et us prepare for that which remains
13.3.2 Deliberative Subjunctive
The subjunctive is also used in questions where the speaker is or appears to be uncertain what action to take; hence, deliberative subjunctive because the speaker is deliberating what to do, what to say, etc. Compare the English: What am I doing? (simple question) and What am I to do? For past deliberative questions, the imperfect subjunctive is used.
sed quid faciāmus? victī, oppressī, captī plāne sumus (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 7.23.2): but what are we to do? we are quite clearly conquered, held in check, and captured.
quid faciam? roger anne rogem? (Ovid Metamorphoses 3.465): what am I to do? am I to be sought or am I to seek?
FYI
For the form roger, see Chapter 14.
quid dīcerem? (Cicero Epistulae ad Atticum 6.3.9): what was I to say?
Negative deliberative questions use nōn rather than nē.
an ego nōn venīrem? (Cicero Philippicae 2.3): should I not have come?
13.3.3 Potential Subjunctive
The subjunctive is also used to express what may happen; that is to express not a fact, but a possibility. The potential subjunctive may be translated as may or would as in English someone may say or if I should see you, I would be happy.
nunc aliquis dīcat mihi “quid tu?
nullane habēs vitia?” (Horace Satires 1.3.19–20):
now someone may say to me, “What about you?
Have you no vices?”
The present subjunctive is commonly used to express potentiality; however, the perfect subjunctive also occurs:
ut aliquis fortasse dixerit (Cicero De Officiis 3.97): as someone perhaps may say.
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The Bigger Picture
De Officiis (On Duties), a philosophical work in the form of a letter addressed to his son Marcus, completed in 44 bc. The work is a practical discussion of ethics and the way moral duties should guide the life of a Roman politician. It is dependent to a large extent on Greek philosophical thought, especially that of the Stoic Panaetius.
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The negative is rare, but in this instance nōn would be used.
The construction with some verbs is slightly different. For example, velim – I would wish may be followed by a complementary infinitive or by another subjunctive without the subordinating conjunction ut:
velim mihi dīcās (Cicero Philippicae 2.41): I would wish that you tell me.
13.3.4 Optative Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used (sometimes with the word utinam) to express a wish for the future as in English May you be happy:
valeant cīvēs meī; sint incolumēs, sint florentēs, sint beātī (Cicero Pro Milone 93): may my fellow citizens be strong; may they be safe, may they flourish, may they be fortunate.
For a wish that something may not be happening Latin uses the imperfect subjunctive (unfulfilled wish for the present); for a wish that something might not have happened (unfulfilled wish for the past) Latin uses the pluperfect subjunctive. Here nē (sometimes with utinam) is used:
illud utinam nē vērē scrīberem (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 5.17.3): how I wish that I were not writing this truly.
13.4 More Uses of the Cases
13.4.1 Locative
A few nouns (especially the names of cities, towns, small islands, domus and rus) have a locative case which is used without a preposition to express place where. For first and second declension nouns, the locative singular has the same form as the genitive singular (e.g., Rōmae); plural nouns have the same form as the ablative (e.g., Athēnīs); for third declension nouns, the locative normally has the same form as the ablative (e.g., Carthāgine; the form Carthāginī also occurs). So domī – at home; domī mīlitiaeque – at home and on the field of battle (i.e., in peace and in war); rūre – in the country.
Marcellus … duo templa sē Rōmae dedicātūrum vōverat (Cicero In Verrem 2.4.123): Marcellus had vowed that he would dedicate two temples at Rome.
FIGURE 13.3 Temple of Saturn, Roman Forum. Saturn was an older god who ruled before Jupiter in the time of the Golden Age. He was identified with the Greek god Cronus. His temple was located on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. Source: courtesy Sam Penberthy
Translation from Latin
1. non est iam lenitati locus; severitatem res ipsa flagitat. unum etiam nunc concedam: exeant, proficiscantur … demonstrabo iter: Aurelia via profectus est. (Cicero In Catilinam 2.6)
2. quo me igitur vertam? rem tam improbam, crimen tantae audaciae tantaeque impudentiae propter inopiam testium ac litterarum praetermittam? (Cicero In Verrem 2.3.166)
3. nos modum aliquem et finem orationi nostrae criminibusque faciamus. (Cicero In Verrem 2.2.118)
4. de his qui dissimulant, qui Romae remanent, qui nobiscum sunt nihil dicimus? (Cicero In Catilinam 2.17)
5. Athenis audistis ex aede Minervae grande auri pondus ablatum; dictum est hoc in Cn. Dolabellae iudicio. dictum? etiam aestimatum. huius consili non participem C. Verrem, sed principem fuisse reperietis. (Cicero In Verrem 2.1.45)
6. hoc agitemus convivium/vino et sermoni suavi. (Plautus Asinaria 834–5)
7. utinam ille omnis secum suas copias eduxisset! (Cicero In Catilinam 2.4)
8. quid ego vetera repetam aut quid eorum scribarum mentionem faciam quos constat sanctissimos homines atque innocentissimos fuisse? non me fugit, iudices, vetera exempla pro fictis fabulis iam audiri atque haberi: in his temporibus versabor miseris ac perditis. (Cicero In Verrem 2.3.182)
9. quis Carthaginiensium pluris fuit Hannibale [pluris … Hannibale = greater than Hannibal] consilio, virtute, rebus gestis, qui unus cum tot imperatoribus nostris per tot annos de imperio et de gloria decertavit? hunc sui cives e civitate eiecerunt: nos etiam hostem litteris nostris et memoria videmus esse celebratum. qua re imitemur nostros Brutos, Camillos, Ahalas, Decios, Curios, Fabricios, Maximos, Scipiones, Lentulos, Aemilios, innumerabilis alios qui hanc rem publicam stabiliverunt; quos equidem in deorum immortalium coetu ac numero repono. amemus patriam, pareamus senatui, consulamus bonis; praesentis fructus neglegamus, posteritatis gloriae serviamus; id esse optimum putemus quod erit rectissimum; speremus quae volumus, sed quod acciderit feramus; cogitemus denique corpus virorum fortium magnorum hominum esse mortale, animi vero motus et virtutis gloriam sempiternam. (Cicero Pro Sestio 142–3)
HINT!
Famous Roman families. Translate: Bruti, Camilli, etc. For details, see, for example, Oxford Classical Dictionary.
Translation into Latin
1. What am I to say about the extraordinary greatness of his spirit and about his incredible courage? (Cicero Pro Sestio 62)
2. Who was the judge in this matter? How I wish that he were in Rome. He is in Rome. How I wish that he were present at the trial. (Cicero Pro Q. Roscio Comoedo 12)
3. Are we to give in to the man? Are we to listen to this man's conditions? Are we to believe that peace can be made with this man? (Cicero Philippicae 13.16)
4. How I wish, Quirites, that you had such a supply of brave and innocent men. (Cicero Pro Lege Manilia 27)
5. Let the wicked not dare to appease the gods with gifts. (Cicero De Legibus 2.41)
6. I would wish you to consider me not only a friend to you but also the greatest friend. (Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 3.7.6)
7. By all means, let him come. Let him declare war on the Cretans. Let him set free the Byzantines. Let him call Ptolemy king. (Cicero In Verrem 2.2.76)
8. When these reports became known at Rome, a public thanksgiving of 20 days was granted. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 7.90.8)
9. When this battle had been reported across the Rhine, the Suebi, who had come to the banks of the Rhine, began to return home. (Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.54.1)
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The Bigger Picture
Pro Roscio Comoedo (On behalf of Roscius the Actor), a speech, probably from the year 66 bc, in defense of the famous actor Quintus Roscius, whose age
nt Fannius is claiming half the value of a farm which he had won for Roscius in settlement of an earlier case.
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The Bigger Picture
Pro Lege Manilia (On behalf of the Manilian Law), a speech made by Cicero before the popular assembly in 66 bc, supporting legislation proposed by G. Manilius, to give supreme command to Pompey, after his defeat of the pirates in 67 bc.
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Extra Passage
The hunter, Actaeon, has come upon the goddess, Diana, bathing and because he has seen her naked, she turns him into a stag. In this passage his metamorphosis is described. First Diana sprinkles water on Actaeon's head and then she brings about his metamorphosis.
dat1 sparso capiti vivacis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collo summasque cacuminat aures
cum pedibusque manus, cum longis bracchia mutat
cruribus et velat maculoso vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius heros
et se tam celerem cursu miratur in ipso.
ut vero vultus et cornua vidit in unda,