14.05.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [36] dependent uses; tense sequences [i]

The term tense sequence can also be applied to English although usage is different. It means that the tense of the verb in the main clause can affect the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause. Although not expressing a subjunctive, we can see this in English indirect speech:

I tell him every day that I need to leave at 5pm.

I told him this morning that I would need to leave at 5pm.

I had told him yesterday that I needed to leave at 5pm.

There are other variations, but the point is that the verb in the main clause (tell / told / had told) affects the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause.

This is an important feature when dealing with the Latin subjunctive because the tense of the main verb will determine the subjunctive tense in the subordinate clause. Possibly without realising it, you have already seen this in operation in the posts on purpose clauses.

[1] and [2] below are referred to in grammar as:

[1] PRIMARY sequence

[2] SECONDARY or HISTORICAL sequence

The verbs in the main clause of [1] are described as primary.

The verbs in the main clause of [2] are described as secondary or historical.

[1] Primary sequence

Ad urbem eō [present indicative] ut pānem emam [present subjunctive].

• I’m going to the city to buy bread / in order that I may buy bread.

Ad Caesarem ībimus [future indicative] ut pācem rogēmus [present subjunctive].

• We shall go to Caesar to ask for peace / in order that we may ask for peace.

Manē [imperative] in urbe ut tūtus sīs [present subjunctive].

• Stay in the city to be safe / so that you may be safe.

[1] The primary tenses are:

[i] Present

• Ad Āsiam redeō ut hostēs vincam│ I’m returning to Asia to defeat / so that I may defeat the enemy.
• Scrībit, ut nōs moneat │ He writes to warn us.
• Magister discipulum hortātur ut crās reveniat │ The teacher encourages the pupil to return / so that he may return tomorrow.
• Labōrāmus ut dīvitēs fīāmus │ We work in order to become rich.
• Bellum gerimus ¦ nē urbem capiātis │ We are waging war so that you do not capture the city.

[ii] Future

• Clamābō ut cēterī audiant │ I shall shout so that the others may hear.
• Scrībet, ut nōs moneat │ He will write to warn us.
• Ducentōs  mittēmus ut hostium iter impediāmus │ We will send 200 (men) so that we may hinder the enemy’s march.
• Bellum gerēmus nē urbem capiātis. │ We shall wage war so that you do not capture the city.

[iii] Imperative (although not a tense, the imperative also creates a primary sequence)

• Scrībe, ut nōs moneās │ Write to warn us [ = in order that / so that you may warn us]

[iv] and [v] are far less common but still form part of this primary sequence:

[iv] Perfect [ = present perfect i.e. ‘have / has done’ something]

• Hoc fēcit ut glōriam habeat │ He has done this to have glory / so that he may have glory.
• Vēnērunt ut arma nōs rogent │ They have come to ask us for weapons.
• Domum īvimus ut amīcōs videāmus │ We have gone home to see (our) friends.
• Equum ēmī nē fessus sim │ I have bought a horse so that I won’t be tired.

[v] Future perfect

• Mox epistulam scripserō ut imperātōrem dē perīculō moneam │ I will soon have written the letter to warn / so that I may warn the commander about the danger.

[2] Secondary sequence

Ad urbem īvī [perfect indicative] ut pānem emerem [imperfect subjunctive].

• I went to the city to buy bread / in order that I might buy bread.

Hoc fēcimus [perfect indicative] nē copiās Rōmānās vincerēs [imperfect subjunctive].

• We did this so that you would not conquer the Roman troops.

Rōmānī bellum gerēbant [imperfect indicative] nē hostēs patriam invāderent [imperfect subjunctive].

• The Romans were waging war so that the enemy would not invade the homeland.

Ad Aegyptum vēnerat [pluperfect indicative] ut captīvōs līberāret [imperfect subjunctive].

• He had come to Egypt in order to free / so that he would free the slaves.

[2] The secondary / historic tenses are:

[i] perfect [= did something]

Scrīpsit, ut nōs monēret │ He wrote (in order) to warn us.

Note: the term ‘perfect’ appears in [1] and [2] because the perfect tense in Latin has a double function which, in English, has two separate forms;  it is the tense which overlaps i.e. in [1] it is the equivalent of the English present perfect [have/ has done something], whereas in [2] – and very commonly – it is the equivalent of the English simple past [did something] i.e. the entire event is over; there is no sense of it being ongoing. Depending upon context:

[1] Hoc fēcit ut cōnsul fīat │ He has done this so that he may become consul.

[2] Hoc fēcit ut cōnsul fieret │ He did this so that he would / might become consul.

[ii] imperfect

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.

[iii] pluperfect

Scrīpserat, ut nōs monēret │ He had written to warn us / in order that he might warn us.