03.07.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [64] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (2); tense sequences (i) primary

[1]

(1) Nescīs [present indicative] ¦ (2) quid sentiam [present subjunctive] │ (1) You don’t know ¦ (2) what I am thinking. Translations may well retain the subjunctive idea: You don’t know ¦ what I may be thinking.

[2]

(1) Rogābis [future indicative] mē ¦ (2) ubi sit [present subjunctive] (Plautus) │ (1) You’ll ask me ¦ (2) where he is.

[3]

(2) Tū quid agās, (2) ubi sīs, (2) cuius modī istae rēs sint [all present subjunctive] ¦ (1) fac [imperative] mē quam dīligentissimē certiōrem (Cicero)

(1) Please let me know as carefully as possible …

(2) … what you’re doing …

(2) … where you are …

(2) … of what manner these affairs are [ = how matters are progressing / the progress of our affairs]

Examples from Plautus:

• Sceleste, at etiam ¦ quid velim, ¦ id tū mē rogās│ Rascal! And you even ask me that —what I want?
• Neque ille scit ¦ quid det, ¦ quid damnī ¦ faciat│ And he doesn’t know ¦ what he is giving, ¦ what harm he’s causing.
• Nec ¦ quid dicātis ¦ scīre nec mē ¦ cūr lūdātis ¦ possum│ And I can neither know [ = understand]  ¦ what you are saying , nor ¦ why you’re playing with me.
• Mē miseram, ¦ quid agam ¦ nesciō│ Poor me! I don’t know ¦ what I should do.
• Nōn edepol nunc ¦ ubi terrārum sim ¦ sciō│ Good gracious, I don't know ¦ where in the world I am.
• Dēmīror ¦ ubi nunc ambulet Messēniō │ I wonder ¦ where Messenio is walking now.

Indicative and subjunctive of the same verb in the same sentence:

• Gaudeō, etsī ¦ nīl sciō ¦ quod gaudeam│ I am rejoicing, although I haven't the least idea ¦ why I am / should be rejoicing.

This very brief exchange from Plautus shows the same verb as both a direct question in the indicative and an indirect question in the subjunctive.

Quid negōtīst? [ = Quid negotī est?] │ What’s the matter?

Quid negōtī sit ¦ rogās? │ You ask me ¦ what the matter is?

[4]

The Latin subjunctive has no future tense. When a specific future intention is meant, the subjunctive of esse + a future participle is used:

Certum nōn habeō, ¦ ubi sīs [present] aut ¦ ubi futūrus sīs [future] (Cicero) │ I do not know ¦ where you are or ¦ where you are going to be.

primary sequence; practice

Complete the Latin sentences with the words listed below.

[i]

(1) I don’t know (2) why (3) I should be friendly with him [ = why we should love him].

(1) __________ (2) __________ eum (3) __________ (Cicero)

[ii]

I want (1) to know (2) what (3) is happening [ = what is being done] here

Scīre (1) __________ (2) __________ hīc (3) __________.

[iii] Now I cannot conceive (1) where or (2) when (3) I shall see you.

Nunc, nec (1) __________ (2) nec __________ tē (3) __________, possum suspicārī (Cicero)

[iv] You must (1) bear in mind only this: (2) how many cohorts Caesar (3) has at hand against you.

Dēbēs illud sōlum (1) __________, (2) __________ in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē (3) __________  Caesar (Cicero)

[v] (1) What portents (2) we read every day, (3) you will understand from this pamphlet.

Nōs (1) __________ mōnstra cotīdiē (2) __________, (3) __________ ex illō libellō (Cicero)

[vi] (1) I know both (2) whom (3) I should fear and (4) for what reason.

Ego (1) __________, et (2) __________  (3) __________ et (4) __________ (Cicero)

animadvertere; intellegēs; nesciō; sciō; scīre

cūr; quae; quam ob rem; quandō; quem; quid; quot; ubi

agātur; amēmus; habeat; legāmus; metuam; sim vīsūrus

____________________

[i] Nesciō, cūr illum amēmus.

[ii] Scīre volō quid hīc agātur.

[iii] Nunc, nec ubi nec quandō tē sim vīsūrus, possum suspicārī

[iv] Dēbēs illud sōlum animadvertere, quot in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē habeat Caesar.

[v] Nōs quae mōnstra cotīdiē lēgāmus, intellegēs ex illō libellō.

[vi] Ego sciō, et quem metuam et quam ob rem.

03.07.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [63] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (1)

[1] Direct question: “What are you doing?”

[a] A direct question is an independent sentence introduced by interrogative words and phrases e.g. who? what? where? what time?

• Who is that man?
• Where is the station?
• Why did you do that?
• What time is it?

[b] A direct question in an independent sentence may also be expressed by inversion of the subject and verb or with the inclusion of do / does?

• Is he English?
• Does he speak French?

[2] Indirect question: I want to know what you are doing.

[a] An indirect question is introduced by a principal clause, the question itself contained within the subordinate clause:

• I want to know ¦ who that man is.
• Do you know ¦ where the station is?
• Can you tell me ¦ why you did that?
• Does anybody have any idea ¦ what time it is?

[b] Direct questions introduced by inversion or do / does:

• Do you know if he’s English? Do you know whether he’s English (or not)?
• Do you know if he speaks French? Do you know whether he speaks French (or not)?

[3] An important point to remember is that, although we use the term indirect question, no question is necessarily being asked:

• I’ve no idea ¦ where the library is.
• I know ¦ how the magician does that trick.
• The teacher told me ¦ how often John hadn’t done his homework.
• I’m not sure ¦ if he’s English.
• I don’t know ¦ whether or not he speaks French.

[4] The constructions laid out above are very similar to the way in which Latin distinguishes between direct and indirect questions. In Latin, however, all indirect questions use the subjunctive.

[5] We’ll begin with the way in which Latin most often introduces indirect questions – with a question word. Not all question words are included, but more than enough to see how the subjunctive is operating in the indirect question. Remember that, although we call them ‘indirect questions’, this rule applies to any subordinate clause introduced by a question word: the verb is subjunctive.

cūr: why

• Nesciō ¦ cūr nōn possint (Cicero) │ I don’t know ¦ why they can’t.

quārē: why

• Quārē id faciam fortasse requīris? (Catullus) │ Do you ask ¦ why I do this ¦ perhaps?

quis / quae / quid: who, which, what

• Quaerō ¦ quis sit nocēns (Cicero) │ I ask ¦ who is guilty.
• Quid ipse sentiam ¦ expōnam (Cicero) │ I will explain ¦ what I think.
• Rogat mē ¦ quid sentiam (Cicero) │ He asks me ¦ what I think.
• At ille cautior perītōs locōrum rogat, ¦ quis aestus sit, ¦ quae signa dent nūbēs (Seneca the Younger) │ But he, more cautious, asks the experts of the place, ¦ what the tide is like, ¦ what signs the clouds give.

ubi: where

• Ubi sit ¦ ego sciō (Plautus) │ I know ¦ where she is.
• Quaerunt ā mē ¦ ubi sit pecūnia (Cicero) │ They are asking me ¦ where the money is.

quō: to where

• Quō eat ¦ nōn cōgitat (Honoratus) │ He does not think about ¦ where he is going (to)

quandō: when

• Nesciō ¦ quandō rogem (Seneca the Elder) │ I do not know ¦ when I will ask.

quōmodo: how

• Quōmodo hinc abeam ¦ nesciō (Terence) │ I don't know ¦ how I may get away from here.

quam: how

• Quam sīs audāx ¦ omnēs intellegere potuērunt (Cicero) │ All could understand ¦ how bold you are.

quot: how much / many

• Scīre equidem volō ¦ quot mihi sint dominī (Terence) │ For my part, I should like to know ¦ how many masters I have [literally: there are to me]

[6] In the quotations above, a number of different verbs were used to introduce the indirect question, for example:

cōgitō: I think

expōnō: I explain

intellegō: I understand

nesciō: I do not know

rogō: I ask

sciō: I know

The image shows a fuller, but still not exhaustive list of verbs of asking, knowing, saying, perceiving, or considering that may signal an indirect question.

02.07.26: Level 3(+) (review); weather (4); hot and cold running Romans [2]

[5]

ārdeō, -ēre [2]: burn (consumed by fire); the verb is a good example of conveying both literal and figurative meaning

Domus ārdēbat in Palātiō nōn fortuitō, sed oblātō incendiō (Cicero)

• The house was burning on the Palatine, not by chance, but because the fire had been deliberately set.

Ārdent oculī (Plautus)

• His eyes are glowing.

Ārdēbat amōre illīus hospitae (Cicero)

• He was burning with love for that hostess.

[6]

aestus, -ūs [4/m]: [i] heat / fire [ii] tide [iii] passion

aestuōsus, -a, -um:  [i] hot / sultry [ii] agitated

aestuō, -āre [1]: [i] (of fire) burn; (as a result of fire) be hot / glow [ii] burn (with desire) [iii] be in agitation (or other similar upset or turmoil)

Aestuat ut clausīs rapidus fornācibus ignis (Vergil)

• As the rapacious fire blazes in a sealed furnace.

Vēnit enim tempus, quō torridus aestuat āēr, incipit et siccō fervēre terra Cane (Propertius)

• For the season has come when the scorching air seethes with heat, and the earth begins to burn beneath the dry Dog-star.

Exustus ager morientibus aestuat herbīs (Vergil)

• The scorched land burns with withering grasses.

Aestuat unda mināx (Lucan)

• The threatening wave seethes.

Quod ubi audītum est aestuāre illī quī pecūniam dederant (Cicero)

• And when this was known, they began to fret who had paid the money.

Sīc anceps inter utrumque animus aestuat (Quintilian)

• Consequently, the mind wavers in doubt between the two alternatives.

[7] ferveō, -ēre [2] or fervō, -ere [3]: [i] be hot / burn / boil [ii] be inflamed / agitated

aqua fervēns: boiling water

opere omnis sēmita fervet (Vergil)

• The whole trail swarms with activity.

Fōns mediā nocte fervet, mox et paulātim tepēscēns fit lūce frīgidus, tunc ut sōl surgit ita subinde frīgidior per merīdiem maximē riget, sūmit dein tepōrem iterum, et prīmā nocte calidus, atque ut illa prōcēdit ita caldior rūrsus cum est media perfervet (Pomponius Mela)

Fōns mediā nocte fervet, │ The spring boils at midnight;

mox et paulātim tepēscēns fit lūce frīgidus, │ soon, and gradually growing tepid, it becomes cold at dawn

tunc ut sōl surgit ita subinde frīgidior per merīdiem maximē riget, │ then, as the sun rises, it grows successively colder and is at its most numb / chilled about midday

sūmit dein tepōrem iterum, │ it then takes warmth again,

et prīmā nocte calidus │ and is warm in the first part of the night,

atque ut illa prōcēdit ita caldior rūrsus cum est media perfervet │ and as it (the night) goes on, it becomes warmer; then, when it is the middle (of the night) / midnight, it grows very hot.

02.07.26: Level 3(+) (review); weather (3); hot and cold running Romans [1]

The vocabulary listed here and in the next post is not confined to weather; some words are also used to convey people’s emotions e.g. burning with passion, or in specific contexts e.g. fire.

At this level you should begin to differentiate between literal / physical and figurative meaning. Compare:

• She’s been out in the snow. She’s cold (literal / physical).
• I don’t like her. She’s very cold (figurative) towards me.

[1]

algus, -ūs [4/m]: feeling of cold / coldness

algidus, -a, -um: cold

algeō, -ēre [2]: feel cold

algēscit: it’s getting cold

Verbs with the infix -sc- are known as inchoative or inceptive verbs denoting the beginning or intensification of an action, for example:

liquēre [2]: to be fluid / liquid > nix liquēscit: the snow is melting

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/inchoative%20verbs

[2]

frīgus, -oris [3/n]: cold(ness)

frīgidus, -a, -um: cold

frīgidulus, -a, -um: a little cold; chilly

frīgeō, -ēre: be cold / chilly; freeze

frīgēscit: it’s getting cold

[3]

tepor, -ōris [3/m]: (gentle) warmth

tepidus, -a, -um: warm

tepeō, -ēre [2]: be warm / lukewarm / tepid

tepēscit: it’s getting (moderately) warm

[4]

calor, -ōris / caldor, -ōris [3] warmth; heat

calidus, -a, -um / caldus, -a, -um: hot

caleō, -ēre [2]: be warm / hot; glow

calēscit: it’s getting warm / hot

Hīc Sīrius alget, brūma tepet (Statius)

• Here Sirius (the Dog Star) is cold, midwinter is warm.

Dum calet, dēvorārī decet iam (Plautus)

• While he's warm, it’s now proper for him to be gobbled up

atque etiam maria agitāta ventīs … tepēscunt (Cicero)

• and even the seas, stirred by the winds, grow warm

Per aestātem caelum merīdiānum sōle exoriente calēscit, merīdiē ārdet; item quod spectat ad occidentem, sōle exortō tepēscit, merīdiē calet, vespere fervet (Vitruvius)

• During the summer the southern sky, when the sun rises, grows warm; at midday it burns. Likewise that which faces west, when the sun has risen, becomes warm; at midday it is hot; in the evening it is blazing.

01.07.26: Level 2 (review); weather (2); Comenius (1658) [2]; VIII: The Clouds│Nūbēs

A vapour  ascendeth from the water. │ Vapor ascendit ex aquā.

From it a cloud is made, and a white mist, near the earth. │ Inde nūbēs fit, et nebula prope terram.

Rain and a small shower distilleth out of a cloud, drop by drop.│ Pluvia et imber stillat ē nūbe guttātim.

Which being frozen, is hail, half frozen is snow, being warm is mel-dew.│ Quæ gelāta, grandō, semigelāta, nix, calefacta, rūbīgō est.

In a rainy cloud, set over against the sun, the rainbow appeareth.│ In nūbe pluviōsā, opposita sōlī, īrīs appāret.

A drop falling into the water maketh a bubble, many bubbles make froth. │ Gutta incīdēns in aquam, facit bullam, multæ bullæ faciunt spūmam.

Frozen water is called ice, dew congealed is called a white frost.│ Aqua congelāta glaciēs, rōs congelātus dīcitur pruīna.

Thunder is made of a brimstone-like vapour, which breaking out of a cloud with lightning, thundereth and
striketh with lightning.│ Tonitrus fit ex vapōre sulphurēō, quod ērumpēns ē nūbe cum fulgure, tonat & fulminat.

[1] Nouns

First Declension

aqua, -ae [1/f]: water

bulla, -ae [1/f]: bubble

gutta, -ae [1/f]: drop

nebula, -ae [1/f]: mist, fog

pluvia, -ae [1/f]: rain

pruīna, -ae [1/f]: hoarfrost, white frost

spūma, -ae [1/f]: froth, foam

terra, -ae [1/f]: earth, land

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%201st%20%2F%202nd

Third Declension

imber, imbris [3/m]: rain-shower, storm

rōs, rōris [3/m]: dew

sōl, sōlis [3/m]: sun

vapor, -ōris [3/m]: vapor, steam

grandō, -inis [3/f]: hail

īris, -idis [3/f]: rainbow

nix, nivis [3/f]: snow

nūbēs, -is [3/f]: cloud

rūbīgō, -inis [3/f]: mildew, rust

fulgur, -uris [3/n]: lightning

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%203rd

Fourth Declension

tonitrus, -ūs [4/m]: thunder

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%204th

Fifth Declension

glaciēs, -ēī [5/f]: ice

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%205th

[2] Verbs

First Conjugation

congelō, congelāre [1]: freeze, congeal

• congelātus, -a, -um: (having been) frozen

gelō, gelāre [1]: freeze

• from: gelū, -ūs [4/n]: frost, cold, chill
• (semi-)gelātus: (half) frozen

fulminō, fulmināre [1]: strike with lightning

stillō, stillāre [1]: distill, drip

tonō, tonāre [1]: thunder

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/conjugations%3A%201st

Second Conjugation

appāreō, appārēre [2]: appear

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/conjugations%3A%202nd

Third Conjugation

ascendō, ascendere [3]: ascend, rise

dīcō, dīcere [3]: say, call

• dīcitur: (s)he / it is called

Third Conjugation -iō

calefaciō, calefacere [3]: warm, heat

• calefactus, -a, -um: (having been) heated

faciō, facere [3]: make

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/conjugations%3A%203rd%20%26%203-io

Irregular

fīō, fierī [irreg.]: become, be made

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/07/161025-level-3-irregular-verbs-17-fio.html

[3]

guttātim: drop-by-drop

gutta + -ātim

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/08/200924-adverbs-8-tim-atim.html