[i] The present subjunctive is used in purpose clauses to express future intention:
Ad urbem eō ut
pānem emam. │ I’m going to town (in order) to buy bread / so that I
may buy bread.
i.e. that is his
purpose now
[ii] The imperfect
subjunctive is used in purpose to express past intentions:
Ad urbem īvī ut
pānem emerem. │ I went to town (in order) to buy bread; the English
translation shows no difference. However, if we shift the English into a
slightly more archaic form, the difference can be conveyed: I went to town so
that I might buy bread.
i.e. that was his
purpose at that time in the past
Remember that the
subjunctive does not focus on outcome. Whether or not he did buy bread
is not taken into consideration. The subjunctive is used to pinpoint the
intention.
Hannibal ad
Ītaliam vēnit, ut Rōmānōs destrueret │ Hannibal came to Italy (in
order) to destroy the Romans [ = so that / in order that he might
destroy the Romans].
The English
‘might’ emphasises intention. However, dependent upon context, other modal
verbs (could; would) may work equally well. English modality is flexible; Latin
tense is not.
Ab arātrō abdūxērunt Cincinnātum
ut dictātor esset │ They took Cincinnatus from (his) plough so
that he could / would be dictator.
Vēnērunt ut
arma nōs rogārent │ They came to ask us for weapons.
Vēnātor per silvam
ambulābat ut bēstiās quaereret. │ The hunter was walking
through the forest to search for / so that he might search for wild
animals.
Scrīpserat, ut
nōs monēret │ He had written to warn us / in order that he
might warn us.
Prōditor tacuit nē
nōs dē perīculō monēret │ The traitor was silent in order not to
/ so that he wouldn’t warn us about the danger.
Portās obstruit nē mīlitēs oppidum irrumperent │ He barricaded the gates so that the
soldiers would not break into the town.
Fortiter pugnāvērunt nē hostēs urbem caperent.
│ They fought bravely so that the enemies might not capture the
city.
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