11.03.24: introduction to 3rd conjugation verbs ... and how to be a worthless dice player!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/405326338745307/
21.07.24: level 1;
3rd conjugation verbs
https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/476640698280537/
24.10.24: Level 1;
review; practice in the verbs [8]; 3rd conjugation
https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/560489039895702/
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/conjugations%3A%203rd%20%26%203-io
Image
#1: You have now seen
all the active forms of the subjunctive: present, perfect, imperfect and pluperfect.
There are also passive forms, but we will look at those separately. Always
remember with the subjunctive: keep it slow and steady!
Becoming familiar
with the uses takes time – and practice, especially reading in context.
However, recognising the subjunctive is fairly straightforward because there
are distinct ‘markers’ that tell you what tense is involved.
Images #2 and #3: Here, we will look
at how to recognise the present, imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive. We’ll
look at the perfect subjunctive separately.
Think of the sounds of the subjunctives:
[i] Pluperfect subjunctives hISS …
amāvISSem
habuissēs
vīxisset
audīvisset
[ii] Imperfect subjunctives gRowl …
amāRēmus
habērētis
vīverent
audīrent
[iii] … and wE present subjunctives fEAr A
lIAr
amEm
habEĀs
vīvAt
audIAt
Are there a few exceptions? Yes, there are, and those
were shown when the individual tenses were discussed in earlier posts - but
there are so few that it’s worth remembering:
“Pluperfect subjunctives hISS, imperfect subjunctives gRowl, and wE present subjunctives fEAr A lIAr.” Try saying that on the bus going home from work, and see what happens!
Image #4: all the verbs are subjunctives. Complete the table by [1] ticking the tense, and indicating [2] the person and [3] the number:
[1] The words are a Christian formula closely associated with St. Benedict and the Benedictine order. It is meant to fend off the devil and his temptations.
Note: Satanās, -ae
[1/m]: Satan; the Devil; a Greek type noun with a separate vocative form: Satanā
Crux sacra sit
mihi lūx │ May the holy cross be my light
Nōn dracō sit mihi dux │ May not
the serpent be my guide
Vade retrō Satanā,
│ Move back, Satan,
Numquam suādē mihi
vāna │ Never promote your vanities to me
Sunt mala quae
lībās, │ What [the things] you pour out is [are] evil,
Ipse venēna bibās
│ May you drink / you should drink / drink the
poison(s) yourself.
We’ve looked at
separate verses; now we put it together
Gaudeāmus igitur, │ Let us, therefore, rejoice
Iuvenēs dum sumus,
Gaudeāmus igitur,
Iuvenēs dum sumus!
Post iūcundam
iuventūtem,
Post molestam
senectūtem,
Nōs habēbit humus,
Nōs habēbit humus.
V2
Ubi sunt quī ante
nōs
In mundō fuēre
Ubī sunt quī ante
nōs
In mundō fuēre
V3
Abeās ad īnferōs, │ May you go away to
the underworld,
Trānseās ad superōs │ May you cross over to
the heavens
Quōs sī vīs vidēre
Quōs sī vīs vidēre
Vīvat Acadēmia, │ May the Academy live
[= long live the Academy]
Vīvant professōrēs, │ May the professors live
[= long live the professors]
Vīvat Acadēmia,
Vīvant professōrēs,
Vīvat membrum quodlibet, │ May each member
live
Vīvant membra quaelibet, │ May all members
live
Semper sint in
flōre! │ May they always be in bloom!
Semper sint
in flōre!
Language focus: passive
Gallia omnis est
dīvīsa in partēs trēs, quārum ūna incolitur ā Belgīs, alia ab
Aquītānīs, tertia ab eīs quī ā nōbīs Gallī appellantur. Gallī ab
Aquītānīs Garumnā flūmine, ā Belgīs Matronā et Sēquanā dīviduntur. Hōrum
omnium fortissimī sunt Belgae, quod proximī sunt Germānīs, quī trāns Rhēnum
incolunt, quibuscum bellum semper geritur.
____________________
All Gaul has
been divided (or: is divided*) into three parts, one of which is
inhabited by the Belgae, another by the Aquitani, and the third by those
who are called Gauls by us. The Gauls are separated from the
Aquitani by the river Garonne, and from the Belgae by the Marne and the Seine.
Of all these, the Belgae are the bravest, because they are nearest to the
Germans, who live across the Rhine, and with whom war is continually
waged.
*more appropriate in this context
Below are extracts from the same text, but now the questions are different, and are targeted at examination level.
Section
B: Close reading and inference
Inference
is often associated with “open-ended” questions i.e. ones that are not simply a
one word or one phrase answer but which require more detail, analysis and
reference to the text. Suggested answers and answering techniques are given at
the end of the post
Question
[1]
Prīma
lūx est. Nōn iam est nox, sed lūx nōn est clāra. Avēs nōn iam quiētem capiunt.
Omnēs excitantur. Iam arborēs ubi per tōtam noctem dormiēbant relinquunt. Nōn
iam avēs silent. Undique audīrī possunt.
How does the writer convey the change from
night to morning?
Question
[2]
Prīmā
lūce collēs Rōmae sunt obscūrī. Nunc Carolus et Maria et pater et māter in
summō colle Rōmae stant. Undique circumspectant. Urbs semper nātūrā pulchra
nunc etiam pulchrior est. Flūmen nōn longē abest. Ibi paucae nāvēs nāviculaeque
vidērī possunt. Caelum nunc clārius vidētur.
What
details suggest that Rome is especially impressive from a high place?
Question
[3]
Ubi
antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs putant: ōlim Rōmānī antīquī in
illō flūmine natābant et corpora valida habēbant. In illō locō rēgēs tēcta sua
aedificābant. Ibi mīlitēs Rōmānī bellum parābant.
What
impression does the writer give of ancient Rome?
Question
[4]
Diū
Americānī silent ubi urbem spectant. Maestī sunt quod hōra appropinquat ubi
necesse est Rōmam relinquere.
[a]
What mood is created here and why?
[b]
Based on your reading of the entire text, why do the Americans feel this
way? What impression do they have of present-day Rome?
____________________
Section B: Close reading and inference; suggested answers;
required skills
Question [1]
How does the writer convey the change from night to morning?
It’s a simple question but the way in which it is answered is more
detailed and does not merely involve translation, but [i] ordering ideas [ii] Latin
reference [iii] translation, and [iv] explanation; it isn’t for the
reader to “second guess” your opinion.
Such an answer often begins with an overall comment, for
example:
Together, repetition, contrast, and tense changes vividly convey
the transition from quiet night to active morning.
Then move on to specifics and references:
[1] Repetition of nōn iam to emphasise what
is no longer happening during the night time:
Nōn iam est nox │ It is no longer night.
Avēs nōn iam quiētem capiunt. │The birds are no longer
resting [literally: … take rest]
Nōn iam avēs silent. │ The birds are no longer silent.
[2] The gradual change between night and morning:
Nōn iam est nox, sed lūx nōn est clāra. │ It’s no longer
night, but the light is not bright.
[3] The change of activities and the beginning
of morning routines; shift from imperfect tense to present tense
Iam arborēs ¦ ubi per tōtam noctem dormiēbant ¦ relinquunt.
│ They (the birds) now leave the trees ¦ where they were sleeping
through the whole night
Omnēs excitantur. │ Everybody is being woken up.
Undique audīrī possunt. │ They (the birds) can be
heard everywhere.
[4] Contrast between sound imagery and verb usage i.e.
from the absence to the presence of sound.
From (1) Nōn iam avēs silent, to (2) Undique audīrī
possunt, undique emphasising the spread of sound.
Bear key words in mind if you are answering this type of
question:
Question [2]
What details suggest that Rome is especially impressive
from a high place?
Note suggest i.e.it is not explicitly stated, but implied
by text references:
(1) Prīmā lūce collēs Rōmae sunt obscūrī. (2) Nunc
Carolus et Maria et pater et māter in summō colle Rōmae stant. Undique
circumspectant.
This is paraphrasing – not a translation – of the original text,
but still shows understanding of meaning and highlights points to
justify your answer.
(4) Urbs semper nātūrā pulchra nunc etiam pulchrior est.
(5) Flūmen nōn longē abest. Ibi paucae nāvēs nāviculaeque
vidērī possunt. Caelum nunc clārius vidētur.
Key words:
Question [3]
Ubi antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs putant: ōlim
Rōmānī antīquī in illō flūmine natābant et corpora valida habēbant. In illō
locō rēgēs tēcta sua aedificābant. Ibi mīlitēs Rōmānī bellum parābant.
What impression does the writer give of ancient Rome?
[1] Look for phrases that lead you to the answer:
What impression does the writer give of ancient Rome
Ubi antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs
putant: ōlim Rōmānī antīquī …
[2] What impression does the writer give of ancient Rome?
Again, the text does not tell you what impression you
should have. It is for you to infer.
Begin with overall comments:
The writer presents ancient Rome as a powerful, impressive,
and physically strong civilisation.
Justify your answer with references to the text and either
translation or, better, paraphrasing. Make sure that each point is distinct and
explained. Translation and / or paraphrasing alone is not sufficient.
References are made to strength, authority, and military
power.
When the characters see the ancient ruins, they think about the
past (dē temporibus antīquīs putant), which immediately links Rome’s
present remains with its former greatness.
The statement that ancient Romans swam in the river and had strong
bodies (corpora valida habēbant) suggests physical fitness and
vitality.
The mention of kings building their houses (rēgēs
tēcta sua aedificābant) implies wealth, status, and political power.
That Roman soldiers prepared for war (mīlitēs Rōmānī
bellum parābant) highlights Rome’s military strength and organisation.
Question [4]
Most questions of this type lead you to a specific part of the
text:
Diū Americānī silent ubi urbem spectant. Maestī sunt quod hōra
appropinquat ubi necesse est Rōmam relinquere.
[a] What mood is created here and why?
It is a simple example but it shows that answers may not be
based solely on actions or what physically exists, but on emotions
communicated through vocabulary choice and explanation of motive. If you are
moving into Classical Latin literature, you will be reading not simply about
what people did, but their motives and states of mind.
(1) A sad and reflective mood is created, suggested by …
(2) the Americans’ long silence (diū Americānī silent),
(3) That sadness is made explicit by maestī sunt.
(4) The departure is inevitable and fast approaching: hōra
appropinquat ubi necesse est Rōmam relinquere.
[b] Based on your reading of the
entire text,
why do the Americans feel this way? What impression do they have of present-day
Rome?
This second question, however, is more challenging:
This mirrors GCSE and AS/A2 level inference questions, where
success depends on overview, selection, and justification, rather than
close translation alone.
Frequent references are made to the beauty of Rome.
(1) the constant and natural beauty: urbs semper nātūrā pulchra
(2) emphasis that Rome is unmatched in beauty:
Key words:
In the end, this text is not Cicero or Tacitus or Catullus; it
is from a school book. However, the focus is on the way in which a text may
have simple comprehension questions as in the previous post as opposed to
questions at a far higher level and which require specific skills in order to
be able to answer them. It is the latter question type that provides the
transition from understanding Latin at a beginner / lower- intermediate level
to the upper-intermediate and advanced stages.
[1] with the
present subjunctive [wishing that something would (not) happen]
Utinam valeās. │ If
only you would be strong.
Utinam nē
haesitem. │ If only I would not hesitate.
[2] with the
imperfect subjunctive [wishing that something were (not) happening
now]:
Utinam potentior
essem. │ Would that I were / if only I were more powerful.
[3] with the
pluperfect subjunctive [wishing that something had (not) happened]:
Utinam vēnissent. │
If only they had come.
____________________
[1]
[2]
[3]
The optative is a
very good example of the way in which different tenses of the subjunctive
convey different meanings
Utinam veniat!
│ If only he would come i.e. the speaker is referring to a hope for the
future
Utinam venīret!
│ If only he were coming (now) i.e. a wish for something to
happen in the present
Utinam vēnisset!
│ If only he had come; in grammar, this can be called contrary-to-fact
i.e. what is wished for can no longer happen
Gaius Verres was a Roman senator and former governor of Sicily who was accused of abuse of power. Cicero, serving as prosecutor on behalf of the Sicilians, took the case against Verres. In this extract, Cicero accuses Verres of relentless and widespread theft:
negō in Siciliā tōtā, tam locuplētī, tam vetere prōvinciā,
tot oppidīs, tot familiīs tam cōpiōsīs, ūllum argenteum vās, ūllum
Corinthium aut Dēliacum fuisse, ūllam gemmam aut margarītam,
quicquam ex aurō aut ebore factum, signum ūllum aēneum,
marmoreum, eburneum, negō ūllam pictūram neque in tabulā
neque in textilī quīn conquīsierit, īnspexerit, quod placitum sit
abstulerit.
Below is the translation by Peterson (1917)
I say that in all Sicily, in all that wealthy and ancient
province, that in that number of towns and families of such exceeding riches,
there was no silver vessel, no Corinthian or Delian plate, no jewel
or pearl, nothing made of gold or ivory, no statue of
marble or brass or ivory, no picture whether painted
or embroidered, that he did not seek out, that he did not inspect, that,
if he liked it, he did not take away.
However, we can take a second look at a slightly more
precise translation because this well-known extract is a typical example of
Cicero’s oratory style. There are three features discussed: [a] rhetorical
anaphora [b] alliteration [c] tricolon
[1] negō in Siciliā tōtā, tam
locuplētī, tam vetere prōvinciā, tot oppidīs, tot familiīs
tam cōpiōsīs, (1) ūllum argenteum vās, (2) ūllum
Corinthium aut Dēliacum fuisse, (3) ūllam gemmam aut margarītam, quicquam
ex aurō aut ebore factum, signum ūllum (1) aēneum, (2) marmoreum,
(3) eburneum, [2] negō ūllam pictūram neque in tabulā neque
in textilī quīn (1) conquīsierit, (2) īnspexerit, quod placitum sit (3) abstulerit.
[1] I say that in all Sicily — so rich,
so ancient a province, with so many towns and so many
wealthy households — there was not any / not a single silver vessel, not
one piece of Corinthian or Delian ware, not one gem or pearl, not
anything made of gold or ivory, not any (1) bronze, (2) marble,
or (3) ivory statue;
[2] I say there was no painting, neither
on panel nor on fabric / cloth, that he did not (1) search out, (2) examine,
and, if it pleased him, (3) carry off.”
[a] He repeats the opening verb (negō: I say … not), a
technique known as rhetorical anaphora, the same word or phrase repeated
at the beginning of successive clauses or phrases.
[b] alliteration, the repetition of initial
consonants:
[c] The tricolon: this is a common rhetorical device
in Cicero’s speeches, and has been used by politicians and advertisers ever
since - three parallel words, phrases,
or clauses that are roughly equal in length and structure. If you’ve ever been
to a London market, the stallholders will loudly attract you with their wares
using the same technique that Cicero uses!
“(1) I’m not asking for £20, (2) I’m not asking for £15, (3)
I’m not even asking for £8 …D’you know what I’m asking for? £6, you
can’t say fairer than that!”
When the three parts increase in length or intensity, it’s
called a tricolon crescēns (ascending tricolon or climax).
Cicero repeats words and grammatical endings (ūllum / ūllam;
-um; -am; -eum; -erit):
This last one is a good example of a tricolon crescēns
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/05/290524-level-2-side-note.html
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/05/290424-tomb-of-scipio-barbatus-im-lovin.html
The entire statement is ‘encircled’ by his opening and
closing remarks which essentially summarise his argument:
in Siciliā tōtā │ in all of Sicily … absulerit
│ he stole
We’re overwhelmed by the list of precious metals and
objects: silver, jewels, pearls, gold, ivory, marble, brass, painted and
embroidered pictures. In other words, if Verres saw it, he took it. Not unlike
that the old London market stall holder wanting you to buy what’s on offer,
Cicero wants to ‘sell’ his argument.
Do you think Cicero won the case?
Prīma lūx est. Nōn iam est nox, sed lūx nōn est clāra. Avēs nōn iam quiētem capiunt. Omnēs excitantur. Iam arborēs ubi per tōtam noctem dormiēbant relinquunt. Nōn iam avēs silent. Undique audīrī possunt. Ad agrōs properant. Ibi est cōpia frūmentī et avēs cibum dēsīderant. Prīmā lūce collēs Rōmae sunt obscūrī. Nunc Carolus et Maria et pater et māter in summō colle Rōmae stant. Undique circumspectant. Urbs semper nātūrā pulchra nunc etiam pulchrior est. Flūmen nōn longē abest. Ibi paucae nāvēs nāviculaeque vidērī possunt. Caelum nunc clārius vidētur. Ibi nūllae nūbēs sunt et diēs erit pulcher. Diū Americānī silent ubi urbem spectant. Maestī sunt quod hōra appropinquat ubi necesse est Rōmam relinquere. Ubi antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs putant: ōlim Rōmānī antīquī in illō flūmine natābant et corpora valida habēbant. In illō locō rēgēs tēcta sua aedificābant. Ibi mīlitēs Rōmānī bellum parābant.
“Ubi
est urbs tam pulchra quam Rōma?” rogat Iūlia. “Nūlla pulchrior est in tōtā
Eurōpā.”
Subitō
vir huic locō appropinquat. Quis est? Poēta amīcōs suōs salūtat. Iam lūx est
clārior et urbs clārē vidētur. Omnēs in saxō sedent. Colloquium nōn est longum
quod paene est tempus Rōmam relinquere. Mox poēta cum suīs amīcīs viā angustā
dē summō colle properat. Prope rīpam Tiberis omnēs “Valēte” inquiunt. Posteā
poēta sōlus domum it.
Nunc
Americānī ab urbe properant. “Nūlla urbs erit grātior aut pulchrior quam Rōma,”
inquit Maria. “Alia exempla urbium antīquārum vidēre cupiō.”
Aedificia
urbis nōn iam vidērī possunt. Collēs urbis parvī videntur. Ā sinistrā et ā
dextrā sunt agrī et silvae.
“Omnium
terrārum,” inquit Iūlia, “Italia est mihi grātissima.”
Section
A: Understanding the narrative
[i]
At what time of day does the story begin?
[ii]
Why do the birds hurry to the fields?
[iii]
Where are Carolus, Maria, and their parents standing at the beginning of the
scene?
[iv]
What can be seen on the river?
[v]
Why are the Americans sad?
[vi]
What do they think about when they see the ancient ruins?
[vii]
Who approaches the group suddenly?
[viii]
Why is the conversation short?
[ix]
Where do the Americans go after leaving the city?
[x]
What does Julia say about Italy at the end of the passage?
____________________
Section A: Understanding the narrative
[i] early morning / dawn / first light
[ii] food available; grain in the fields
[iii] on the highest hill of Rome
[iv] a few boats / small boats
[v] they must leave Rome; the time is approaching
[vi] ancient times / ancient Rome / the past
[vii] a man / a poet
[viii] there is almost no time; it is nearly time to leave Rome
[ix] away from the city into the countryside / fields and woods
[x] Italy is most pleasing to her / her favourite land
[1] Compare:
Present
subjunctive: Utinam veniat │ If only he would come (referring to the
future)
Imperfect
subjunctive: Utinam venīret │ If only he were coming (now i.e. referring
to the present)
Pluperfect
subjunctive: Utinam vēnisset │ If only he had come (referring to
the past)
The pluperfect
subjunctive in this context expresses a contrary to fact idea i.e. it is
a wish for something that did not happen:
Utinam tē vīdissem
│ If only I had seen you (but I didn’t)
Utinam vēnissēs
│ If only you had come (but you didn’t)
[2] From the
authors:
Ō utinam in
thalamōs invīsī Caesaris īssem (Lucanus) │ O, if only I had
gone into the chambers of hated Caesar.
Utinam tēcum fuissem, pater (Seneca
the Elder) │ If only I had been with you, father
Utinam intervēnissem (Seneca the Elder) │ If
only I had intervened
Utinam et illōs servāre potuissem (Seneca
the Elder) │ Would that I had been able to save them too.
Sed utinam
tantum ego eī prōdesse potuissem … (Cicero) │ But would that I had
been able to help him as much …
Utinam … propius tē accessissem (Cicero) │
How I wish I had got nearer to you
Sīc faciendum est,
tibi enim ipsī (cui utinam semper pāruissem!) sīc videō placēre
(Cicero) │ It must be done this way, for I see it thus pleases you yourself
(whom I wish I had always obeyed).
Ruere et aequārī
solō utinam arcuissem (Seneca the Younger) │ Would that I had
prevented (it) from collapsing and being leveled to the ground.
Utinam iam ante vīdissēs neque
tōtum animum tuum errōrī mēcum simul dedissēs (Cicero) │ If only you
had seen (it) before, and had not given your whole mind to error
together with me
Utinam mē mortuum vīdissēs (Cicero) │ Would
that you had seen me dead
Utinam crēdibilia fīnxissēs!
(Quintilianus) │ If only you had made up credible (things / stories)!
… mihi vērō mēns
integra est. Atque utinam tam in perīculō fuisset (Cicero) │ My
mind, indeed, is pure. And would that it had been so in such danger
Quod utinam
ipse fēcisset (Quintilianus) │ If only he had done it himself.
Utinam istuc pugnī fēcissent tuī (Plautus)
│ If only your fists had done that
Utinam illud nōn verē respondissent
(Apuleius Madaurensis) │ If only they had not answered that
truthfully
Rōmānīs utinam patuissent castra puellīs! (Propertius) │ If only camps had been open to Roman girls! [ = Would that camps admitted Roman girls!]
From La: optō, -āre [1]: wish
We’ll begin again
with some lines from the student song Gaudeāmus igitur. This is what the
students wish to happen.
Vīvat Acadēmia, │ May the Academy live
[= long live the Academy]
Vīvant professōrēs, │ May the professors live
[= long live the professors]
Vīvat Acadēmia,
Vīvant professōrēs,
Vīvat membrum quodlibet, │ May each member
live
Vīvant membra quaelibet, │ May all members
live
Semper sint in
flōre! │ May they always be in bloom!
Semper sint
in flōre!
Alternative
versions have the following lines:
Pereat trīstitia, │ May sorrow perish,
Pereant ōsōrēs, │ May the haters perish,
Pereat diabolus, │ May the devil perish,
[1] The optative
subjunctive is used to express wishes or hopes.
In English,
statements such as May he rest in peace or May all your wishes come
true can be expressed in Latin using the present subjunctive, for example:
Requiēscat in
pāce│ May he rest in peace
May you learn the
optative subjunctive from the King!
Vīvat
rēgīna / rēx │ Literally: May the Queen / King live = Long live
the Queen / King
From the
coronation of Charles III and the Queen Consort (with a real OMG! Look on her
face) in Westminster Abbey; Anglicised / English ceremonial Latin pronunciation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxMTI1YbAxw
The construction
is most often used with utinam (if only):
Utinam veniat
│ If only he would come; the present subjunctive expresses a wish for
the future i.e. wishing that something would happen
Utinam mīlitēs
vincant │ If only the soldiers would win.
Utinam fēlīx sīs
│ Literally: if only you would be happy; would that you may be
happy > I hope you may be happy
[2] The negative
optative is formed with nē (although it sometimes can be found with nōn):
Utinam nē hoc
accidat │ If only this would not happen
[3] Translations
may vary from the ‘model’ above, but they still all express the idea of wishing
or hoping.
From Plautus:
Dī immortālēs, utinam
conveniam domī Periphanem │ By the immortal gods, if only I could
meet Periphanes at home
Utinam mea mihi modo auferam, quae adtuli,
salva │ If only I might just carry off my own things, which I
brought, safe
Utinam audīre nōn queās │ If only you
couldn’t hear
Utinam nunc stimulus in manū mihi sit. │
Literally: If only an ox goad would be in my hand now = Oh, if I
could only get hold of an ox goad now!
From Cicero:
Utinam illum diem videam │ If only I
may see that day / Would that I may see that day
Utinam quidem Antōnium conveniam │ If
only / I wish I could meet Antony
Utinam prōficere possim │ If only I
could make progress
Utinam modo cōnāta efficere possim │ If
only I could just accomplish what I’ve attempted
Atque utinam
continuō ad complexum meae Tulliae, … possim currere │ And I only
wish I could run straight to the embraces of my Tullia
Quamquam dē ipsā
Siciliā utinam sit vērum │ However, I do hope the news about
Sicily may prove true
Atque utinam
ipse Varro incumbat in causam! │ If only Varro himself were to
/ I only wish Varro himself would throw his weight into my cause
Utinam … Cotta Sardiniam teneat │ I
only hope Cotta may hold Sardinia
Utinam īdem maneat Hortēnsius │ If only
Hortensius may stay the same [in context: … may keep the same mind]
Atque utinam potius
per populum agat quam per senātum │ And if only he would act
through the people rather than through the Senate
Take a second look
at the Cicero quotations above: all of them use the present subjunctive
and all of them refer to Cicero’s hopes / wishes for something in the future.
[2] A common
phrase on a holiday postcard is “Wish you were here” i.e. English
uses ‘were’ to express a situation that the speaker / writer wants to exist now
in the present.
Latin does the
same: it uses an imperfect subjunctive to convey a wish for something to
be happening now, but isn’t; in grammar this is sometimes referred to as an unreal
or hypothetical present.
Utinam hīc nunc essēs, mī amīce. │ If
only you were here now, my friend
Utinam mē intellegere posset. │ Would
that he could understand me!
Utinam rēs melior esset. │ If only
the situation were better
Utinam nōs līberī essēmus! │ If only we
were free!
Utinam nē vērē scrīberem! │ If
only I were not writing truthfully!
Utinam rēx Eumenēs, utinam Asiae omnēs cīvitātēs
adessent (Livy) │ If only King Eumenes, if only all the
cities of Asia were present.
From Plautus:
Homō
hic ēbrius est, ut opīnor. │ The man is drunk, I do believe
Utinam
ita essem. │ I wish I was [ = literally: If only I were (now)]
Utinam
lēx esset eadem quae uxōrī est virō │ Would that the law were
the same for the woman as it is for the man / If only the law were / would
be the same for the wife as for the husband.
From Cicero:
Utinam meō sōlum
capite dēcernerem (Cicero) │ Literally: If only I were deciding with my
head alone = Would that I had only to decide for myself
Utinam ulcisci possem
(Cicero) │ I wish I could take my revenge
Iterum dīcō
“utinam adessēs” (Cicero) │ I repeat, I wish you were here [ = if
only you were here].
Quod utinam
ita esset! (Cicero) │ And if only that were true / so
The numbers in
(brackets) below refer to nouns not previously discussed:
[18] et erat
strūctūra mūrī eius ex lapide iaspide (1) │ And the
building of the wall was made of jasper (1) stone:
ipsa vērō cīvitās aurō
mundō │ but the city itself of
pure gold
simile vitrō
mundō │ similar to clear glass.
[19] fundāmenta
mūrī cīvitātis omnī lapide pretiōsō ōrnāta │ And the foundations of the
wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stone
fundāmentum prīmum
iaspis │ The first foundation was
jasper
secundum sapphīrus
│ the second, sapphire
tertium carcedonius
(2) │ the third; a chalcedony
(2)
quārtum zmaragdus
│ the fourth, an emerald
[20] quīntum sardonyx
(3) │ the fifth, sardonyx (3)
sextum sardīnus
(4)│ the sixth, sardius (carnelian) (4)
septimum chrȳsolitus (5)│ the seventh, chrysolite (5)
octāvum bērillus
│ the eighth, beryl
nōnum topazius
│ the ninth, a topaz
decimum chrȳsoprassus (6) │ the tenth, a chrysoprasus (6)
ūndecimum hyacinthus
│ the eleventh, a jacinth
duodecimum amethistus
│ the twelfth, an amethyst
[21] et duodecim
portae duodecim margarītae sunt ¦ per singulās │ And the twelve
gates are twelve pearls, ¦ each one of a single pearl
et singulae portae
erant ex singulīs margarītīs │ and the individual gates were made of a
single pearl / individual pearls (i.e. emphasis on perfection and
unity — each gate being not a composite but one flawless pearl)
et platēa
cīvitātis aurum mundum tamquam vitrum perlūcidum │ and the street of the city was pure
gold, just like transparent glass
(1) iaspis,
iaspidis [3/f]: jasper
(2) carcedonius,
-ī [2/m]: calchedony, fine-grained quartz nearly transparent or with a milky
translucence
(3) sardonyx,
sardonychis [3 m/f]: sardonyx, a gemstone with bands of red
(4) sardius, -ī
[2/m]: a carnelian, a reddish-orange semi-precious gemstone; adjective: sardīnus, -a,
-um
(5) chrȳsolitus, -ī [2 m/f]: used in
the Classical Latin period to refer to topaz, but later acquired the meaning of
chrysolite, various green-coloured gems
(6) chrȳsoprassus, -ī [2/m]: chrysoprase, a light-green translucent quartz
[1] Summary of the forms of ūnus, duo and trēs
I: ūnus (masculine) ūna (feminine) ūnum
(neuter)
II: duo (masculine) duae (feminine) duo
(neuter)
III: trēs (masculine) trēs (feminine) tria
(neuter)
[2] In pictūrā sunt … │ In the picture are …
IV: quattuor equī / puellae / templa
│ four horses / girls / temples
V: quīnque puerī / viae / pōcula │ five boys /
streets / drinking cups
[3] For most Latin numbers from four onwards, the
number does not agree in gender and is normally indeclinable.
IV: quattuor equī [I - V = 1 away from 5 = 4]
V: quīnque puellae
VI: sex viae [V + I = 6]
VII: septem templa [V + II = 5 + 2 = 7]
VIII: octō puerī [V + III = 5 + 3 = 8]
IX: novem librī [I - X = 1 away from 10 = 9; you
sometimes see VIIII]
X: decem pōcula
[4] In the singular multus (masculine), multa
(feminine) and multum (neuter) means ‘much / a lot of’; in the plural
multī (masculine), multae (feminine) and multa (neuter)
means ‘many’:
multī equī │ many horses
multae puellae │ many girls
multa pōcula │ many drinking cups
Put the verbs into
the appropriate form of the imperfect subjunctive.
[i] First,
identify the person and number of the verb
Example:
laudō: first person singular
[ii] Then identify
the perfect stem of the verb
Infinitive: laudāv¦ī
> laudāv-
[iii] Add -isse-
/ -issē- to the perfect stem + the personal ending
So: laudāvissem
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