09.07.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [67] reading the subjunctive … and singing it

Fluency in any verb form comes with reading until you reach the point where you are not continually pausing to work out what is meant. When reading the original authors, you can find several subjunctives in the same sentence each performing different functions and using different tenses.

[1]

Possum scīre … ¦ (1) cuius sīs aut quid vēnerīs? (Plautus) │ Can I know … (1) whose you are (who you belong to) or (2) why you have come?

[2] From Cicero:

[i]

Tū (1) velim … tua cōnsilia ad mē (2) scrībās, ¦ (3) ut sciam, ¦ (4) quid agās, …  maximē ¦ (4) quandō Rōmae futūrus sīs (Cicero)

(1) I would like (2) you to write to me … about your plans, (3) so that I know ¦ (4) what you are doing, … especially (4) when you’re going to be in Rome.

(1) velim: I would like i.e. not a command, but a polite wish

(2) What Cicero would like the reader to do: scribās

(3) For what purpose? …ut sciam … │ …so that I (may) know …

(4) Indirect questions:

…quid agās …; …quandō Rōmae futūrus sīs

Similarly:

[ii]

Quid dē hīs cōgitēs … scīre velim (Cicero) │ I would like to know ¦ what you think about these things.

[iii]

Quandō tē proficīscī istinc pūtēs, fac ut sciam (Cicero) │ Let me know [ = See to it that I may know] ¦ when you’re thinking about setting out from there.

[iv]

Ac diem, ¦ quō Rōmā sīs exitūrus, ¦ cūrā ut sciam (Cicero) │ And  don’t forget to say [ = Take care that I know] the day ¦ on which you’re going to leave Rome.

[v]

Quid tibi pollicitus sit ¦ velim ¦ ad mē scrībās (Cicero) │I should like ¦ you to write to me ¦ what he has promised you.

Singing the subjunctive

And if you’re drowning your sorrows as a result of the subjunctive, then join the Mediaeval drunks, and sing along with them – because they know how to use it!

Excerpt from In Tabernā Quandō Sumus

Five subjunctives for the price of an ale …

In tabernā quandō sumus │ When we are in the tavern

Nōn cūrāmus ¦ quid sit humus │ We don’t care ¦ (literally) what the earth may be [i.e. what lies in the ground / what fate (death) awaits]

Sed ad lūdum properāmus │ But we hurry to the game (gambling)

Cui semper īnsūdāmus │ Over which we always sweat

Quid agātur in tabernā  │ (literally) What is being done = What is happening / going on in the tavern

Ubi nummus est pincerna │ Where a coin is the wine-waiter [i.e. if you have the money, the wine will be poured]

Hoc est opus ¦ ut qu(a)erātur │ (literally) This is the task ¦ that is to be investigated  = This is what needs to be investigated [i.e. the subjunctive expresses purpose]

Sed quid loquar, ¦ audiātur │ But what I am saying ¦ let / may it be heard.