10.09.26: Level 3+; Conditional clauses [8]: unreal conditions (2) present contrary-to-fact [ii] further examples

The translations are as close as possible to the original in order to show the subjunctive operating in contrary-to-fact conditionals. Always remember that translators of original works may well vary how ideas are expressed.

[i] Sed scrīberem ad tē dē hōc plūra, sī Rōmae essēs.

• But I would write [I would be writing] more to you about this if you were in Rome.

[ii] Dē tabellāriīs facerem, quod suādēs, sī essent ūllae necessāriae litterae

• About the letter-carriers I would do what you suggest, if there were any urgent letters.

[iii] Nec tibi essem molestus, sī per alium hoc agere possem.

• Nor would I be bothering you [literally: would I be troublesome to you], if I could manage this through somebody else.

[iv] Ferrem graviter, sī novae aegrimōniae locus esset.

• I would bear it heavily if there were a place for new sorrow.

[v] nec, sī possem, vellem

• nor would I, if I could / and if I could, I wouldn’t

[vi] Cicero receives an invitation to stay at Epirus:

Esset cōnsilium mihi quidem optātum, sī licēret ibi omne tempus cōnsūmere

• It would indeed be a pleasant plan for me, if I could [literally: if it would be permitted to] spend all the time there. 

[vii] Fierī nōn poterat, nec, sī posset, ego patī possem.

• It could not happen, nor, if it could, would I be able to permit it.

[viii] Ipse Rōmam venīrem … sī satis cōnsultum quādam dē rē habērem.

• I myself would be coming to Rome, if I had an adequate decision about a certain matter.

[ix] Nōn modo sī mihi tantum esset ōtiī, quantum est tibi, vērum etiam sī tam brevēs epistulās vellem mittere, quam tū solēs, facile tē superārem et in scrībendō multō essem crēbrior quam tū.

• Not only if I had as much leisure as you do, but even if I wanted to send letters as short as you are accustomed to, I would easily surpass you and would be far more frequent than you in writing.

[x] Where’s Brutus going, Cicero asks:

"Quid tū," inquam, "Brūte?" │ “What about you, Brutus,” I said.

"Rōmam," inquit, "sī tibi vidētur." │ “To Rome,” he said “if you think I should” [literally: if it seems to you]

"Mihi vērō minimē; tūtō enim nōn eris." │ “Not at all, for you won’t be safe.”

 "Quid? sī possem esse, placēretne?" │ “"Well, if I could be, would you approve?" 

10.09.26: Level 3+; Conditional clauses [7]: unreal conditions (2) present contrary-to-fact [i]

Known in grammar as either contrary-to-fact or counterfactual, these conditional clauses refer to:

[i] a condition that does not currently exist:

[Contrary-to-fact: If he were here now, we would be dining together.

[Fact: But he isn’t here now – we’re not dining together.]

[Contrary-to-fact: If you weren’t being so noisy, I could be reading in peace.

[Fact: But you are being noisy – I cannot read in peace.]

[ii] a condition that would have or could have existed in the past:

[Contrary-to-fact: If she had changed her mind, she could have driven back.

[Fact: But she didn’t change her mind – she didn’t drive back.]

[Contrary-to-fact: If Marion had not taken a wrong turning, she would not have stopped at the motel.

[Fact: But she did take a wrong turning – she did stop at the motel.]

Latin handles [i] and [ii] using different tenses of the subjunctive. Here, we will look at the first one.

Present contrary-to-fact: a condition that does not currently exist

Contrary-to-fact: If he were here now, we would be dining together.

Fact: But he isn’t here now – we’re not dining together.

What can seem misleading is that a present contrary-to-fact conditional uses the imperfect subjunctive in both clauses:

Contrary-to-fact: Sī hoc faceret [imperfect subjunctive], errāret [imperfect subjunctive].

Contrary-to-fact: If he were doing this (i.e. now), he would be making a mistake.

Fact: But he is not doing this now – he is not making a mistake.

While they may not always be the most appropriate translation, the English progressive forms i.e. if he were doing … he would be making emphasise actions that are happening in the present and so they strongly convey the meaning of the subjunctive in this type of conditional clause.

Sī Marcus Iūliam amāret, ea eum amāret.

• If Marcus loved Julia [but he doesn't love her now], she would love him [but she doesn't love him now].

Sī magistrum laudārem, mē bene docēret.

• If I praised [if I were praising] my teacher, he would teach [he would be teaching] me well.

Sī adesset [imperfect subjunctive], ¦ bene esset [imperfect subjunctive]

• If he were present, ¦ it would be well.

Sī hoc facere possem, statim facerem.

• If I were able to do this, I would do it at once.

Sī vīveret, verba eius audīrētis. 

• If he were alive, you would hear his words.

Sī vīverent, mihi cum illīs nūlla contentiō iam manēret.

• If they were alive, no dispute would now remain between me and them.

Nostrī mīlitēs hostem vincerent sī eī acrēs essent.

• Our soldiers would conquer the enemy if they were fierce.

Meus sī frāter esset, nihilōminus eum damnārem.

• If / even if he were my brother, I would nevertheless condemn him.

Note the translation of this final example which emphasises the current nature of the scenario:

Ego sī somnum capere possem, tam longīs tē epistulīs nōn obtunderem (Cicero)

• If I could sleep, I would not be bothering you with such long letters.

09.09.26: Level 3; Reading (review); [35] [i] Manliāna Imperia I

This is a true story reported by Livius about the consul Manlius:

[1] Bellum erat inter Rōmānōs et Tusculānōs. Iusserat Mānlius cōnsul nēminem extrā ōrdinem cum Tusculānīs pugnāre. Tamen Titus Mānlius, cōnsulis fīlius, parvō cum agmine statiōnī eōrum appropinquāvit. Dux Tusculānōrum, vir nōmine Maecius, Titum Mānlium adiit eumque irrīsit:

[2] “Tam parvō agmine nōbīscum pugnābis? Utrum haec est multitūdō cōpiārum Rōmānārum, decus imperiī vestrī, an (sunt) cōpiolae dēspērātae?”

[3] Titus “Aderunt”, inquit, “in tempore cōnsulēs mīlitēsque, et cum illīs aderit Iuppiter, foederum ā vōbīs violātōrum testis.”

[4] Ad ea autem Maecius: “Tibi nōmen clārum est; nōnne mēcum armīs pugnābis? Num in corpore tam firmō timidus animus est?”

[5] Hīs verbīs incitātus Mānlius cum Maeciō pugnāvit brevīque eum superāvit.

extrā ōrdinem: outside of the troop’s battle order

cōpiolae: “bunch” (small number) of troops

[i] Which of sections [1] – [5] above first refers to:

accusations of cowardice

approaching an outpost

bearing witness

broken treaties

mocking the number of the Roman forces

help from a god

quick defeat

suggesting the Romans are desperate men

the consul’s orders

war between the Romans and the Tusculans

[ii] Hīs verbīs incitātus

Explain in your own words and with reference to the Latin text why Manlius would feel this way (15). Note the number of marks that reflect the number of points of information; the answer requires close reading and comments not only on content but also style and cultural background.

____________________

[i]

accusations of cowardice [4]

approaching an outpost [1]

bearing witness [3]

broken treaties [3]

mocking the number of the Roman forces [2]

help from a god [3]

quick defeat [5]

suggesting the Romans are desperate men [2]

the consul’s orders [1]

war between the Romans and the Tusculans [1]

[ii]

This is a suggested answer. Begin with a general statement and show that you understand the meaning of the quotation.

[1] “Hīs verbīs incitātus” Manlius is stirred up (1) by his sense of honour (1) owing to the provocative and mocking manner of Maecius (1).

Then go to specific text references that support your argument.

[2] Utrum haec est multitūdō cōpiārum Rōmānārum, decus imperiī vestrī, an (sunt) cōpiolae dēspērātae?”

Maecius insults the small number of the Roman forces (1), stating that they are a “desperate bunch” (1) that do not reflect Rome’s glory (1).

[3] Note here the wider cultural implications that can be included in the answer.

Manlius is the son of a consul (1) and is well known - Tibi nōmen clārum est – (1). However, Maecius suggests he is unwilling to fight (1). This is a slur on his personal reputation (1), a characteristic highly valued in Roman culture (1).

[4] Maecius taunts him that, while he is strong in body (1), he is weak in spirit (1): Num in corpore tam firmō timidus animus est?

Make a concluding statement:

[5] The cumulative effect (1) of mockery of the army and, by implication, mockery of Rome, accusations of cowardice and attacking personal reputation (1) incite Manlius to fight with Maecius.

There was a war between the Romans and the Tusculans. The consul Manlius had ordered that no one should fight with the Tusculans outside the ranks. Nevertheless, Titus Manlius, the consul’s son, approached their outpost with a small troop. The leader of the Tusculans, a man named Maecius, approached Titus Manlius and mocked him:

“Will you fight with us with so small a force? Is this the great number of Roman troops, the glory of your empire, or are they just a few desperate men?”

Titus said, “They will be here in time — the consuls and the soldiers — and with them Jupiter will be present, the witness of treaties violated by you.”

But to this Maecius replied: “You have a famous name; will you not fight with me in arms? Is there a cowardly spirit in so strong a body?”

Stirred by these words, Manlius fought with Maecius and quickly defeated him.

08.09.26: Level 2 (review); Carolus et Maria [33] (4) subordinate clauses [1]

Paucīs ante diēbus Iūlia epistulam accēpit. Amīca Iūliae quae in urbe habitat eam vidēre maximē vult. Itaque māter Carolī et Mariae ad tēctum amīcae invītātur. Laeta est quod diū amīcam nōn vīdit. Quamquam via est longa et paucōs diēs aberit, iter facere cōnstituit.

Tandem omnia sunt parāta et Iūlia ā casā discēdit et ad urbem prōcēdit. Nunc nēmō est in casā. Omnēs absunt. Pater in nāvigiō est. Per noctēs Carolus cum Cassiō, Maria cum Helenā manet. Itaque nocte nēmō domī est. “Eruntne omnia tūta?” rogat Maria. “Ita,” respondet māter, quod Claudius saepe hūc ex oppidō veniet et casam dēfendet. Nōn est necesse timēre. Deinde iānuam casae claudit.

In urbe amīca Iūliam salūtat. Laetae sunt hae amīcae ubi dē temporibus quibus erant puellae colloquium habent. Amīca urbem suam laudat et multa loca Iūliae mōnstrāre vult. In ūnō aedificiō sunt tēla et rēs antīquae bellī. Iūlia haec laudat et dē fīliō suō putat. Tēla quibus lēgātī et centuriōnēs, quī centum mīlitēs dūcēbant, sē et cīvitātem dēfendērunt, Iūlia laudat. Corōnam, quam dux fortis excēpit, videt. Diū inter rēs antīquās Iūlia et amīca manent. Deinde iterum per viās urbis īre volunt. Iūlia dōna ad fīlium fīliamque ferre vult. Dōna erunt grāta. Quod Carolus et comitēs eius bellum saepe in hortō gerunt, Iūlia hastās et quaedam alia tēla fert. Hīs tēlīs enim puerī sē ab hostibus dēfendent. Hastae sunt longae et gravēs, sed mīlitem bene dēfendunt. Difficile est hās iacere. Difficile est hās excipere et iterum ad hostēs mittere. Dē hīs omnibus Iūlia putat et laeta est.

Tandem “Valēte” Iūlia et amīca eius dīcunt, et Iūlia domum prōcēdit. Magnā cum laetitiā puer puellaque mātrem in oppidō accipiunt. Ubi omnēs casae appropinquant, Maria, “Aliquis ante iānuam nostram stat!” inquit. Omnēs ad casam currunt.

“Claudius sum,” inquit vir; “casam tuam, Iūlia, dēfendō. Herī nocte in viā ambulābam. Subitō lūcem in casā vīdī et aliquem ibi esse scīvī. Quod latrōnēs timēbam, fīnitimōs celeriter vocāvī. Ego et paucī fīnitimī latrōnēs ē casā expulimus. Quīdam ē latrōnibus vulnerātī sed nōn interfectī sunt. Posteā paucī captī sunt. Per reliquam noctem hīc mānsimus, quod iānua claudī nōn potest. Heu! Paucae rēs ē casā portātae sunt.”

Iūlia Claudiō grātiās agit ubi ille ā casā discēdit. Pecūnia quae erat in mēnsā reperīrī nōn potest. Latrōnēs hanc habent, sed parva est et māter nōn est maesta. Iterum omnēs sunt laetī quod nunc omnēs domī sunt.

Key points for review:

[1] a clause is group of words that contains a finite verb i.e. a verb that has a subject and tense and expresses either (a) a complete or (b) a partial idea:

[i] simple and compound sentences

I live in Rome

This is a complete idea; it can be fully inderstood and can stand alone as a complete sentence with no additional information required; in grammar this is known as a simple sentence.

Paucīs ante diēbus Iūlia epistulam accēpit.

• A few days previously Julia received a letter.

[ii] Two or more complete ideas, i.e. they could stand alone as separate sentences, can be combined:

(1) I live in Rome. (2) I work in a bank.

> (1) I live in Rome, ¦ and (2) I work in a bank.

In grammar this is known as a compound sentence, the two sentences combined by a coordinating conjunction.

(1) Amīca urbem suam laudat ¦ (2) et multa loca Iūliae mōnstrāre vult.

• Her friend praises the city ¦ (2) and wants to show Julia many places.

(1) Latrōnēs hanc habent, (2) sed parva est (3) et māter nōn est maesta.

• (1) The thieves have it, (2) but it is small (3) and the mother is not sad.

[2] Complex sentences:

[i] … because I work there: this is a partial idea; it cannot be fully understood nor can it stand alone, but must be related to some other clause in the sentence e.g. I live in Rome ¦ because I work there.

• … quod diū amīcam nōn vīdit │ … because she has not seen her friend for a long time.

Standing alone, it makes no sense; it needs another clause to clarify the meaning:

(1) Laeta est ¦ (2) quod diū amīcam nōn vīdit.

• (1) She is happy ¦ (2) because she has not seen her friend for a long time.

[ii] A sentence that contains (1) a complete idea and (2) a partial idea is divided into (1) a principal / main clause, and (2) a subordinate clause; in grammar this is known as a complex sentence:

(1) I live in Rome [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) because I work there [subordinate clause].

• (1) Laeta est [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) quod diū amīcam nōn vīdit [subordinate clause].

(1) She is happy [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) because she has not seen her friend for a long time [subordinate clause].

(1) Iterum omnēs sunt laetī [main, or principal clause]  ¦ (2) quod nunc omnēs domī sunt [subordinate clause].

• They are all happy again [main, or principal clause]  ¦ (2) because they are now all at home [subordinate clause].

[3] Subordinate clauses have grammatical names that define the information they give. In general they are easy to identify since they have distinctive “markers” that introduce them:

[A] subordinating conjunctions; they do not decline

[i] Subordinate clause of time (also known as a temporal clause) indicates when something takes place:

(1) Iūlia Claudiō grātiās agit [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) ubi ille ā casā discēdit [subordinate clause of time].

• Julia thanks Claudius [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) when he leaves the house [subordinate clause of time].

[ii] Subordinate clause of reason (also known as a causal clause) indicates why something takes place:

(1) Laeta est [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) quod diū amīcam nōn vīdit [subordinate clause of reason].

• (1) She is happy [main, or principal clause] ¦ (2) because she has not seen her friend for a long time [subordinate clause of reason].

[iii] concessive clause = English “although”

(2) Quamquam via est longa et (b) paucōs diēs aberit [concessive clauses], ¦ (1) iter facere cōnstituit [main, or principal clause].

• Although the way is long and (although) he will be away for a few days [concessive clauses] ¦ (1) she decided to make the journey [main, or principal clause]. 

[B] relative pronouns: quī, quae, quod (which / that)

These introduce relative / adjectival clauses that most often relate to / describe something or someone that has been previously mentioned; what has been previously mentioned is known as the antecedent:

(1) Amīca Iūliae [antecedent] ¦ (2) quae in urbe habitat [relative / adjectival clause]¦ (1) eam vidēre maximē vult.

• (1) Julia’s friend [antecedent] ¦ (2) who lives in the city [relative / adjectival clause] ¦ (1) very much wants to see her.

(1) Pecūnia [antecedent]  ¦ (2) quae erat in mēnsā [relative / adjectival clause] ¦ (1) reperīrī nōn potest.

• The money [antecedent] ¦ (2) which / that was on the table [relative / adjectival clause] ¦ (1) cannot be found.

Relative pronouns decline; they agree in gender and number with the antecedent, but decline according to their use in the relative clause:

(1) Pecūnia [antecedent]  ¦ (2) quae erat in mēnsā [relative / adjectival clause]  ¦ (1) reperīrī nōn potest.

• The money [antecedent] ¦ (2) which was on the table [relative / adjectival clause]  ¦ (1) cannot be found.

(1) Tēla [antecendent] ¦ (2) quibus lēgātī et centuriōnēs… sē et cīvitātem dēfendērunt [relative / adjectival clause], (1) Iūlia laudat.

• Julia praises the weapons [antecendent] ¦ (2) with which the lieutenants and centurions defended themselves and the state [relative / adjectival clause].

[4] As this is heading towards the end of the entire book, the author introduces more complex sentences to prepare you for original Roman writing where a sentence can comprise a number of clauses. Compare carefully the numbering of the Latin and English translations. Both in English and in Latin a clause can be separated, with another clause embedded within it.

[i]

(1) Laetae sunt hae amīcae ¦ (2) ubi dē temporibus ¦ (3) quibus erant puellae ¦ (2) colloquium habent.

• (1) These friends are happy ¦ (2) when they have a conversation about the times ¦ (3) when / in which they were girls.

[ii]

(1) Tēla ¦ (2) quibus lēgātī et centuriōnēs, ¦ (3) quī centum mīlitēs dūcēbant, ¦ (2) sē et cīvitātem dēfendērunt, (1) Iūlia laudat.

• (1) Julia praises the weapons ¦ (2) with which the envoys and centurions, ¦ (3) who led a hundred soldiers, ¦ (2) defended themselves and the state.

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/relative%20clauses%3B%20qui%20quae%20quod

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/sentence%20structure

07.09.26: Level 1 (review); vocabulary [13]: actions (4)

[1] Pair the verbs that are typically used together.

abeō

accipiō

aperiō

ascendō

canō

claudō

dēscendō

discō

dō

doceō

emō

redeō

respondeō

rogō

saltō

sedeō

stō

vēndō

[2] Label the images

dō, -are [1]

rogō, -āre [1]

saltō, -āre [1]  

stō, -āre [1]

doceō,  -ēre [2]

respondeō, -ēre [2]    

sedeō, -ēre [2]

ascendō, -ere [3]        

canō, -ere [3] 

claudō, -ere [3]          

dēscendō, -ere [3]

discō, -ere [3] 

emō, -ere [3]  

vendō, -ere [3]

accipiō, -ere [3-iō]

aperiō, -īre [4]

abeō, -īre [irr.]

redeō, -īre [irr.]

____________________

[1]

[2]