Part 31

#unde quō vēnī?# H. 3, 27, 37, _whence whither am I come?_ #quot diēs quam frīgidīs rēbus absūmpsī#, Plin. _Ep._ 1, 9, 3, _how many days have I frittered away in utter vapidities_. #quantae quotiēns occāsiōnēs quam praeclārae fuērunt#, _Mil._ 38, _what great chances there were, time and again, splendid ones too_.

[Errata: 1526 ... Such words are: (_a._) #quis#, #quī#, #quoius# #quis# #quī#, 1527a ... #mē aspice, quīn aspicis?# quin]

SOME APPLICATIONS OF QUESTIONS.

1531. A question in the indicative present or future may be used to intimate command or exhortation, deliberation, or appeal: as,

(_a._) #abin hinc?# T. _Eu._ 861, _will you get out of this?_ #abin an nōn? :: abeō#, Pl. _Aul._ 660, _will you begone or not? :: I’ll go_. #quīn abīs?# Pl. _MG._ 1087, _why won’t you begone?_ or _get you gone_, _begone_. #nōn tacēs?# T. _Ph._ 987, _won’t you just hold your tongue?_ #ecquis currit pollinctōrem arcēssere?# Pl. _As._ 910, _won’t some one run to fetch the undertaker man?_ #quīn cōnscendimus equōs?# L. 1, 57, 7, _why not mount?_ or _to horse, to horse_. (_b._) #quid est, Crasse, īmusne sessum?# _DO._ 3, 17, _what say you, Crassus, shall we go and take a seat?_ #quoi dōnō lepidum novum libellum?# Cat. 1, 1, _unto whom shall I give the neat new booklet?_ #quid agō? adeō, maneō?# T. _Ph._ 736, _what shall I do? go up and speak, or wait?_ (_c._) #eōn? vocō hūc hominem? :: ī, vocā#, Pl. _Most._ 774, _shall I go, and shall I call him here? :: go call him_. See also 1623. Such indicative questions occur

## particularly in old Latin, in Catullus, in Cicero’s early works and

letters, and in Vergil.

1532. Some set forms occur repeatedly, especially in questions of curiosity, surprise, incredulity, wrath, or captiousness: as,

#sed quid ais?# T. _Andr._ 575, _but apropos_, or _but by the way_ (1500). #quid istīc?# T. _Andr._ 572, _well, well, have it your way_: compare #quid istīc verba facimus?# Pl. _E._ 141. #ain tū?# _Br._ 152, _no, not seriously?_ #itane?# T. _Eu._ 1058, _not really?_ Frequently #egone#: as, #quid nunc facere cōgitās? :: egone?# T. _Hau._ 608, _what do you think of doing now? :: what, I?_ In Plautus, threats are sometimes introduced by #scīn quō modō?# _do you know how?_ i.e. at your peril.

1533. A question is sometimes united with a participle, or an ablative absolute, or thrown into a subordinate sentence: as,

#quem frūctum petentēs scīre cupimus illa quō modō moveantur?# _Fin._ 3, 37, _with what practical end in view do we seek to know how yon bodies in the sky keep in motion?_ #quā frequentiā prōsequente crēditis nōs illinc profectōs?# L. 7, 30, 21, _by what multitudes do you think we were seen off when we left that town?_ #‘hominēs’ inquit ‘ēmistī.’ quid utī faceret?# _Sest._ 84, _‘you bought up men’ says he; with what purpose?_

[Erratum: 1532 ... T. _Andr._ 575, 575.]

THE INFINITIVE OF INTIMATION.

1534. The infinitive is principally used in subordination, and will be spoken of under that head. One use, however, of the present infinitive in main sentences, as a kind of substitute for a past indicative, requires mention here.

1535. In animated narration, the present infinitive with a subject in the nominative sometimes takes the place of the imperfect or perfect indicative: as,

#interim cōtīdiē Caesar Aeduōs frūmentum flāgitāre#, 1, 16, 1, _there was Caesar meantime every day dunning and dunning the Aeduans for the grain_. #Diodōrus sordidātus circum hospitēs cursāre, rem omnibus nārrāre#, _V._ 4, 41, _Diodorus kept running round in sackcloth and ashes from friend to friend, telling his tale to everybody_. #intereā Catilīna in prīmā aciē versārī, labōrantibus succurrere#, S. _C._ 60, 4, _Catiline meantime bustling round in the forefront of battle, helping them that were sore bestead_. #tum vērō ingentī sonō caelum strepere, et micāre ignēs, metū omnēs torpēre#, L. 21, 58, 5, _at this crisis the welkin ringing with a dreadful roar, fires flashing, everybody paralyzed with fear_. This infinitive occurs in almost all writers, for instance, Plautus, Terence, Cicero, Horace, and particularly Sallust, Livy, and Tacitus. Less commonly in Caesar. Usually two or more infinitives are combined, and infinitives are freely mixed with indicatives. The subject is never in the second person.

1536. This infinitive is used to sketch or outline persistent, striking, or portentous action, where description fails; and as it merely _intimates_ the action, without distinct declaration, and without notation of time, number, or person, it is called the _Infinitive of Intimation_. It cannot be adequately represented in English.

1537. The infinitive of intimation is sometimes used without a subject, when emphasis centres in the action alone; as,

#ubī̆ turrim procul cōnstituī vīdērunt, inrīdēre ex mūrō#, 2, 30, 3, _when they saw the tower planted some way off, jeer after jeer from the wall_. #tum spectāculum horribile in campīs patentibus: sequī fugere, occīdī capī#, S. _I._ 101, 11, _then a heartrending spectacle in the open fields: chasing and racing, killing and catching_.

1538. Terence and Petronius have it in questions: as, #rēx tē ergō in oculīs :: scīlicet :: gestāre? :: vērō#, T. _Eu._ 401, _your king then always bearing you :: of course, of course :: in eye? :: oh yes_. #quī morī timōre nisi ego?# Petr. 62.

1539. It may be mentioned here, that the infinitive of intimation is sometimes used from Sallust on in relative clauses and with #cum#, _when_. Also by Tacitus in a temporal protasis with #ubī̆#, #ut#, #dōnec#, or #postquam#, co-ordinated with a present or imperfect indicative protasis: as,

(_a._) #cingēbātur interim mīlite domus, cum Libō vocāre percussōrem#, Ta. 2, 31, _the house meantime was encompassed with soldiers, when Libo called for somebody to kill him_ (1869). (_b._) #ubī̆ crūdēscere sēditiō et ā convīciīs ad tēla trānsībant, inicī catēnās Flāviānō iubet#, Ta. _H._ 3, 10, _when the riot was waxing hot, and they were proceeding from invectives to open violence, he orders Flavian to be clapped in irons_ (1933).

THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

DECLARATIONS.

I. THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF DESIRE.

(A.) WISH.

1540. The subjunctive may be used to express a wish.

Wishes are often introduced by #utinam#, in old and poetical Latin also by #utī#, #ut#, and curses in old Latin by #quī#; these words were originally interrogative, _how_. Sometimes the wish is limited by #modo#, _only_. In negative wishes #nē# is used, either alone, or preceded by #utinam# or #modo#; rarely #nōn#, or the old-fashioned #nec#, _not_ (1446).

1541. (1.) The present and perfect represent a wish as practicable; although a hopeless wish may, of course, if the speaker chooses, be represented as practicable: as,

(_a._) #tē spectem, suprēma mihī cum vēnerit hōra#, Tib. 1, 1, 59, _on thee I’d gaze, when my last hour shall come_. #utinam illum diem videam#, _Att._ 3, 3, _I hope I may see the day_. (_b._) #utinam cōnēre#, _Ph._ 2, 101, _I hope you may make the effort_. (_c._) #dī vortant bene quod agās#, T. _Hec._ 196, _may gods speed well whate’er you undertake_. #quī illum dī omnēs perduint#, T. _Ph._ 123, _him may all gods fordo_. #ō utinam hībernae duplicentur tempora brūmae#, Prop. 1, 8, 9, _oh that the winter’s time may doubled be_. #utinam revīvīscat frāter#, Gell. 10, 6, 2, _I hope my brother may rise from his grave_. #nē istūc Iuppiter sīrit#, L. 28, 28, 11, _now Jupiter forefend_. The perfect is found principally in old Latin.

1542. The present is very common in asseveration: as,

#peream, nisi sollicitus sum#, _Fam._ 15, 19, 4, _may I die, if I am not worried_. #sollicitat, ita vīvam, me tua valētūdō#, _Fam._ 16, 20, _your state of health worries me, as I hope to live_. #ita vīvam, ut maximōs sūmptūs faciō#, _Att._ 5, 15, 2, _as I hope to be saved, I am making great outlays_. See also 1622.

1543. The perfect subjunctive sometimes refers to past action now completed: as, #utinam abierit malam crucem#, Pl. _Poen._ 799, _I hope he’s got him to the bitter cross_ (1165). #utinam spem implēverim#, Plin. _Ep._ 1, 10, 3, _I hope I may have fulfilled the expectations_.

1544. (2.) The imperfect represents a wish as hopeless in the present or immediate future, the pluperfect represents it as unfulfilled in the past: as,

(_a._) #tēcum lūdere sīcut ipsa possem#, Cat. 2, 9, _could I with thee but play, e’en as thy mistress’ self_, to Lesbia’s sparrow. #utinam ego tertius vōbīs amīcus adscrīberer#, _TD._ 5, 63, _would that I could be enrolled with you myself, as the third friend_, says tyrant Dionysius to Damon and Phintias. (_b._) #utinam mē mortuum prius vīdissēs#, _QFr._ 1, 3, 1, _I wish you had seen me dead first_. (_c._) #utinam nē in nemore Pēliō secūribus caesa accēdisset abiēgna ad terram trabēs#, E. in Cornif. 2, 34, _had but, in Pelion’s grove, by axes felled, ne’er fallen to the earth the beam of fir_, i.e. for the Argo. #utinam ille omnīs sēcum cōpiās ēdūxisset#, _C._ 2, 4, _I only wish the man had marched out all his train-bands with him_.

1545. In old or poetical Latin, the imperfect sometimes denotes unfulfilled past action, like the usual pluperfect; as, #utinam in Siciliā perbīterēs#, Pl. _R._ 494, _would thou hadst died in Sicily_. #utinam tē dī prius perderent#, Pl. _Cap._ 537, _I wish the gods had cut thee off before_. See 2075.

1546. In poetry, a wish is sometimes thrown into the form of a conditional protasis with #sī# or #ō sī#: as, #ō sī urnam argentī fōrs quae mihi mōnstret#, H. _S._ 2, 6, 10, _oh if some chance a pot of money may to me reveal_.

(B.) EXHORTATION, DIRECTION, STATEMENT OF PROPRIETY.

1547. The subjunctive may be used to express an exhortation, a direction, or a statement of propriety.

The subjunctive of exhortation is sometimes preceded in old Latin by #utī# or #ut#, originally interrogative. In negative exhortations or directions, #nē#, #nēmō#, #nihil#, or #numquam#, &c., is used, rarely #nōn#.

1548. (1.) The present expresses what is to be done or is not to be done in the future: as,

(_a._) #hoc quod coepī prīmum ēnārrem#, T. _Hau._ 273, _first let me tell the story I’ve begun_. #taceam nunc iam#, Pl. _B._ 1058, _let me now hold my tongue_. #cōnsīdāmus hīc in umbrā#, _Leg._ 2, 7, _let us sit down here in the shade_. #nē difficilia optēmus#, _V._ 4, 15, _let us not hanker after impossibilities_. (_b._) HAICE · VTEI · IN · COVENTIONID · EXDEICATIS, CIL. I, 196, 23, _this you are to proclaim in public assembly_. (_c._) #nōmina dēclīnāre et verba in prīmīs puerī sciant#, Quintil. 1, 4, 22, _first and foremost boys are to know how to inflect nouns and verbs_. #utī adserventur magnā dīligentiā#, Pl. _Cap._ 115, _let them be watched with all due care_. #nē quis tamquam parva fastīdiat grammaticēs elementa#, Quintil. 1, 4, 6, _let no man look down on the rudiments of grammar fancying them insignificant_.

1549. (2.) The perfect subjunctive is rare: as, #idem dictum sit#, Quintil. 1, 1, 8, _the same be said, once for all_. Mostly in prohibitions: as, #morātus sit nēmō quō minus abeant#, L. 9, 11, 13, _let no man hinder them from going away_.

1550. In positive commands, the second person singular often has a definite subject in old or epistolary Latin, and particularly #sīs#, for the imperative #es# or #estō#. Usually however an indefinite subject (1030): as,

(_a._) #eās#, Pl. _R._ 519, _be off_. #hīc apud nōs hodiē cēnēs#, Pl. _Most._ 1129, _dine here with us today_. #cautus sīs, mī Tirō#, _Fam._ 16, 9, 4, _you must be careful, dear Tiro_. (_b._) #istō bonō ūtāre, dum adsit#, _CM._ 33, _enjoy this blessing while you have it with you_.

1551. When a prohibition is expressed in the subjunctive, the second person of the present is often used in old Latin, sometimes the perfect. Later, however, the perfect is generally prevalent. In the classical period, the present is almost confined to poetry. For the imperative in prohibitions, see 1581-1586.

(_a._) #nē illum verberēs#, Pl. _B._ 747, _you mustn’t thrash the man_. Once in Horace: #nē sīs patruos mihī#, _S._ 2, 3, 88, _don’t play stern governor to me_. (_b._) #nē trānsierīs Ibērum#, L. 21, 44, 6, _do not cross the Iberus_. #quod dubitās nē fēcerīs#, Plin. _Ep._ 1, 18, 5, _what you have doubt about, never do_.

1552. (3.) The imperfect or (but not in old Latin) pluperfect subjunctive is sometimes used to express past obligation or necessity: as,

(_a._) Imperfect: #quae hīc erant cūrārēs#, T. _Hec._ 230, _thou shouldst have looked to matters here_. #paterētur#, T. _Hau._ 202, _he should have stood it_. #quod sī meīs incommodīs laetābantur, urbis tamen perīculō commovērentur#, _Sest._ 54, _well, if they did gloat over my mishaps, still they ought to have been touched by the danger to Rome_. #crās īrēs potius#, Pl. _Per._ 710, _you’d better have gone tomorrow_, i.e. have resolved to go tomorrow. #poenās penderēs#, Pl. _B._ 427, _thou hadst to pay a penalty_. (_b._) Pluperfect: #restitissēs, rēpugnāssēs, mortem pugnāns oppetīssēs#, Poet. in _Sest._ 45, _thou shouldst have made a stand, fought back, and fighting met thy fate_. #quid facere dēbuistī? frūmentum nē ēmissēs#, _V._ 3, 195, _what ought you to have done? you should not have bought any wheat_. Usually, however, past obligation or necessity is expressed by the gerundive construction, or by some separate verb meaning _ought_ (1496).

[Errata: 1548a ... Quintil. 1, 4, 22, 22. #utī adserventur magnā dīligentiā#, . for , Quintil. 1, 4, 6 . invisible]

(C.) WILLINGNESS, ASSUMPTION, CONCESSION.

1553. The subjunctive of desire may be used to denote willingness, assumption, or concession: as,

#ōderint dum metuant#, Poet. in Suet. _Cal._ 30, _they are welcome to hate, as long as they fear_. #nē sit sānē summum malum dolor, malum certē est#, _TD._ 2, 14, _grant for aught I care that pain is not the worst evil, an evil it certainly is_. #nīl fēcerit, estō#, J. 6, 222, _he may be guiltless, be it so_.

[Erratum: 1553 ... #nē sit sānē summum malum dolor, malum certē est#, #certē est#.]

II. THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF ACTION CONCEIVABLE.

1554. The subjunctive is often used to represent action as conceivable, without asserting that it actually takes place.

In some of its applications, this subjunctive is often more exactly defined by an expression of doubt or of assurance: as, #fors fuat an# in Plautus, #forsitan# from Terence on (rarely #forsan#, #fors#), #fortasse#, _may be_, _perhaps_; #opīnor#, #haud sciō an#, _I fancy_; #facile#, _easily_, #sine ūllā dubitātiōne#, _unhesitatingly_, &c., &c. The negative used with this subjunctive is #nōn#.

1555. This subjunctive is particularly common in guarded or diffident statements: thus, #velim#, _I could wish_, #nōlim#, _I should not be willing_, #mālim#, _I would rather_, #dīxerim#, _I should say_, are often preferred to a blunter #volō#, _I insist_, #nōlō#, _I won’t_, #mālō#, _I prefer_, or #dīcō#, _I say_.

1556. The present denotes action in an indefinite future: as,

(_a._) #ego forsitan in grege adnumerer#, _RA._ 89, _as for me, I might perhaps be counted in the common herd_. #mūtuom argentum rogem#, Pl. _Tri._ 758, _money I might borrow_. #haud sciō an rēctē dīcāmus#, _Sest._ 58, _I rather think we may say with propriety_. (_b._) The second person singular generally has an imaginary subject (1030): as, #dīcās hīc forsitan#, J. 1, 150, _here peradventure thou mayst say_, i.e. anybody may say. #rogēs mē quid sit deus, auctōre ūtar Simōnidē#, _DN._ 1, 60, _you may ask me what god is; I should follow the lead of Simonides_. #migrantīs cernās#, V. 4, 401, _thou canst descry them on the move_ (1635). Often with some generalizing word, such as #saepe#, #numquam#, #plūrēs#: as, #saepe videās#, H. _S._ 1, 4, 86, _thou oft canst see_. #Fortūnam citius reperiās quam retineās#, Publil. Syr. 168, _dame Fortune thou mayst sooner find than bind_. (_c._) #nunc aliquis dīcat mihi#, H. _S._ 1, 3, 19, _now somebody may say to me_ (more commonly #dīcet aliquis#, #dīcēs#, 1620). #forsitan aliquis dīcat#, L. 5, 52, 5, _perhaps somebody may say_. #hoc vōbīs incrēdibile videātur#, _V._ 3, 109, _this may seem incredible to you_.

1557. (1.) The perfect seldom occurs in old Latin. Later, it is rarely used of past time. In this use it resembles the perfect of concession (1553): as,

(_a._) #forsitan temere fēcerim#, _RA._ 31, _peradventure I may have acted rashly_. #errāverim fortasse#, Plin. _Ep._ 1, 23, 2, _I may have been mistaken perhaps_. (_b._) #concēdō; forsitan aliquis aliquandō eius modī quippiam fēcerit#, _V._ 2, 78, _I grant it; perhaps somebody, at some time or other, may have done something of the sort_. #haec ipsa forsitan fuerint nōn necessāria#, _Br._ 52, _even this may perhaps have been superfluous_.

1558. (2.) The perfect is oftenest used with a future meaning, and

## particularly the first person singular active of verbs meaning _think_

or _say_: as,

(_a._) #nōn facile dīxerim#, _TD._ 5, 121, _I could not readily say_. #hoc sine ūllā dubitātiōne cōnfirmāverim#, _Br._ 25, _this I can assert without any hesitation_. #pāce tuā dīxerim#, _TD._ 5, 12, _by your leave I would say_. The first person plural occurs first in Cornificius, and is rare: as, #hunc deum rīte beātum dīxerīmus#, _DN._ 1, 52, _such a god we should be right in pronouncing happy_. (_b._) #plānē perfectum Dēmosthenem facile dīxerīs#, _Br._ 35, _you would readily pronounce Demosthenes absolutely perfect_ (1030). #tū vērō eum nec nimis valdē umquam nec nimis saepe laudāverīs#, _Leg._ 3, 1, _oh no, rest assured you never can praise him too emphatically nor too often_. #conluviem istam nōn nisi metū coērcuerīs#, Ta. 14, 44, _such a motley rabble you can only keep under by terrorism_. (_c._) #forsitan quispiam dīxerit#, _Off._ 3, 29, _perhaps somebody may say_.

1559. (1.) The imperfect properly denotes action which might have taken place in the past: as,

(_a._) #nōn ego hoc ferrem calidus iuventā cōnsule Plancō#, H. 3, 14, 27, _this I should not have brooked in my hot youth, in Plancus’ consulate_. (_b._) The second person singular, particularly of verbs meaning _see_, _make out_, _think_, _say_, generally has an imaginary subject (1030): as, #vidērēs#, H. _S._ 2, 8, 77, _thou mightst have seen_. #cernerēs#, L. 22, 7, 12, _you might have descried_. #nescīrēs#, L. 3, 35, 3, _you could not have told_. #tē columen rē̆ī pūblicae dīcerēs intuērī#, _Sest._ 19, _you would have sworn you were gazing on a pillar of the state_. (_c._) #quī vidēret, urbem captam dīceret#, _V._ 4, 52, _anybody who saw it, would have said it was a captured city_. #dīcī hoc in tē nōn potest, posset in Tarquiniō, cum rēgnō esset expulsus#, _TD._ 1, 88, _this cannot be said in your case; it might have been said in Tarquin’s, when he was driven from the throne_. #numquam faceret#, T. _Ph._ 121, _he never would have done it_.

1560. (2.) The imperfect often denotes action not performed at the present time; so especially #vellem# (#nōllem#, #māllem#): as,

(_a._) #nimis vellem habēre perticam#, Pl. _As._ 589, _I wish so much I had a stick_. #vellem adesse posset Panaetius; quaererem ex eō#, _TD._ 1, 81, _I only wish Panaetius could be with us: I should ask him_ (Panaetius was dead). #cuperem voltum vidēre tuum#, _Att._ 4, 16, 7, _I should like to see the expression of your face_. #māllem Cerberum metuerēs#, _TD._ 1, 12, _I would rather you stood in dread of Cerberus_. #possem idem facere#, _TD._ 1, 84, _I could do the same_. (_b._) #melius sequerēre cupīdine captam#, O. 14, 28, _better for thee it were a loving bride to woo_. (_c._) #in hāc fortūnā perūtilis eius opera esset#, _Att._ 9, 17, 2, _in the present pinch his services would be extremely valuable_.

1561. The pluperfect represents action which did not take place in the past: as,

(_a._) #vellem quidem licēret: hoc dīxissem#, _RA._ 138, _I only wish it were allowed; I should have said so and so_. (_b._) #dedissēs huic animō pār corpus, fēcisset quod optābat#, Plin. _Ep._ 1, 12, 8, _you might have given this spirit a body to match; he would have done what he craved to do_. (_c._) #urbēs et rēgna celeriter tanta nēquitia dēvorāre potuisset#, _Ph._ 2, 67, _such colossal prodigality might have been capable of swallowing down cities and kingdoms speedily_. #vīcissent inprobōs bonī; quid deinde?# _Sest._ 43, _the good might have overpowered the bad; what next?_

1562. It may be mentioned here, that the subjunctive of action conceivable often extends to subordinate sentences: see 1731.

QUESTIONS.

1563. I. The subjunctive is often used to ask what action or whether any

## action is desired, commanded, proper, or necessary.

In many instances a negative answer or no answer at all is expected The negative is #nē#, sometimes #nōn#.

(_a._) #quō mē vertam?# _Scaur._ 19, _which way shall I turn?_ #quid faciam, praescrībe :: quiēscās :: nē faciam, inquis, omnīnō versūs?# H. _S._ 2, 1, 5, _lay down the law, what I’m to do :: keep still :: wilt have me write, sayst thou, no verse at all?_ #quid igitur faciam? nōn eam?# T. _Eu._ 46, _what then am I to do? not go?_ #quid nī meminerim?# _DO._ 2, 273, _why should not I remember?_ or _of course I remember_. #huic cēdāmus? huius condiciōnēs audiāmus?# _Ph._ 13, 16, _shall we bow the knee to him? shall we listen to his terms?_ (_b._) #quid tandem mē facere decuit? quiēscerem et paterer?# L. 42, 41, 12, _what in the world ought I to have done? keep inactive and stand it?_

1564. Such questions sometimes have the alternative form: as, #Corinthiīs bellum indīcāmus, an nōn?# _Inv._ 1, 17, _are we to declare war against Corinth, or not?_ #utrum indicāre mē e͡i thēnsaurum aequom fuit, an ego alium dominum paterer fierī hīsce aedibus?# Pl. _Tri._ 175, _should I have pointed out the hoard to him, or should I have allowed another to become the owner of this house?_ here #paterer# is equivalent to #aequom fuit patī# (1495).

1565. II. The subjunctive is often used to ask whether action is conceivable: as,

(_a._) #quis putet celeritātem ingenī L. Brūtō dēfuisse?# _Br._ 53, _who can suppose that Brutus lacked ready wit?_ i.e. #nēmō putet# (1556), #putābit# (1620), or #putāre potest#. #sī enim Zēnōnī licuit, cūr nōn liceat Catōnī?# _Fin._ 3, 15, _for if it was allowed Zeno, why should not it be allowed Cato?_ (_b._) #hoc tantum bellum quis umquam arbitrārētur ab ūnō imperātōre cōnficī posse?# _IP._ 31, _who would ever have dreamed that this stupendous war could be brought to a close by a single commander?_ The imperfect sometimes denotes action not performed at the present time (1560): #quis enim cīvis rēgī nōn favēret?# _D._ 6, _for what Roman would not feel for the king?_ (_c._) #ego tē vidēre nōluerim?# _QFr._ 1, 3, 1, _I have objected to seeing you?_

1566. The subjunctive is often used in interrogative outbursts of surprise, disapprobation, indignation, or captious rejoinder. In such questions a pronoun, #ego#, #tū# (#ille#), is usually expressed. The negative is #nōn#.

This subjunctive occurs in Plautus and Terence, in Cicero, oftenest the letters, in Horace, Vergil, and Livy. Not in Caesar nor Sallust.

1567. (1.) The question may have no interrogative word, or may have #-ne#, especially in comedy: as,