Level 3 (review); irregular verbs [10]: [i] volō, velle [ii] nōlō, nōlle [iii] mālō, mālle; perfect, pluperfect and future perfect tenses

volō, velle, [perfect tense] voluī

stem: volu-

nōlō, nolle, [perfect tense] nōluī

stem: volu-

mālō, mālle, [perfect tense] māluī

stem: mālu-

Images #1 - #3: as with any other verb, the perfect, pluperfect and future perfect tenses are formed from the perfect tense stem:

Perfect tense:

voluī: I (have) wanted

Pluperfect tense: [volu- + imperfect tense of esse]

volueram: I had wanted

Future perfect tense: [volu- + future tense of esse; note 3^rd person plural voluerint]

voluerō: I shall have wanted

Level 3 (review); irregular verbs [9]: [i] volō, velle [ii] nōlō, nōlle [iii] mālō, mālle; imperfect and future tenses

Ibi illa multa cum iocōsa fīēbant, / quae tū volēbās nec puella nōlēbat (Catullus) │ There where many playful things took place, which you wanted, nor did the girl refuse (nor was the girl unwilling)

Fortūnam temptāre Galbā nōlēbat (Caesar) │ Galba did not want to tempt Fortune.

Catō esse quam vidērī bonus mālēbat (Sallust) │ Cato preferred to be good rather than seem so

Loquar līberē ¦ quae volam (Plautus) │ I shall speak freely ¦ as I wish [literally: what I shall want]

Images #1 and #2: the three verbs form the imperfect and future tense in the same way as any other 3^rd conjugation verb although the endings are added to an irregular stem:

Imperfect

velle > volēbam, volēbās etc. │ I wanted / was wanting; used to want etc.

nōlle > nōlēbam, nōlēbās etc. │ I did not want / used to be unwilling / was refusing etc.

mālle > mālēbam, mālēbās etc. │ I used to prefer etc.

Future

velle > volam, volēs etc. │ I shall want etc.

nōlle > nōlam, nōlēs etc. │ I shall not want / shall refuse / shall be unwilling etc.

mālle > mālam, mālēs etc. │ I shall prefer etc.

Exercise: Complete the Latin quotation with the verbs listed below each section

[i] Imperfect tense

1. I wanted or rather longed that he should be with me. │  Ego __________ autem vel cupiēbam potius esse eum nōbīscum. (Cicero)
2. And, what you wanted to know, … │ Et, quod tū scīre __________, … (Cicero)
3. I was reluctant that so intimate an acquaintance of yours should come to you [ = I did not want … to come to you] │ hominem tibi tam familiārem … ad tē venīre __________. (Cicero)
4. For you yourself were unwilling to understand │ Nam ipse intellegere __________. (Pliny)
5. You preferred to be what you had been │ __________ quidem hoc esse quod fuerās (Pliny)
6. He wanted to marry her │ Eam in mātrimōnium dūcere __________.
7. He was unwilling for these matters to be discussed │ Eās rēs iactārī __________.
8. She preferred you to come here than (she) go to you │ Tē hūc venīre quam sē ad tē īre __________. (Cicero)
9. For the citizens did not want to have a conversation with him. │ __________ enim cīvēs sermōnem cum eō habēre.
10. The consuls preferred to wage war than make peace │ Cōnsulēs bellum gerere quam pācem facere __________.

mālēbant; mālēbās; mālēbat; nōlēbam; nōlēbant; nōlēbās; nōlēbat; volēbam; volēbās; volēbat

[ii] Future tense

1. If I (will) want anything of you, where will you be? │ Sī quid tē __________, ubi eris? (Plautus)
2. But just as you please [ = as you will wish] │ Sed omnia, ut __________. (Cicero)
3. Understand this one thing, that that which is disagreeable [ = which you will not want] comes much more speedily than that which you wish for. │ sed ūnum hōc scītō: nimiō celerius veniet quod __________ quam illud, quod cupidē petās. (Plautus)
4. But if she is purchased for that certain person who gave you the commission, will he choose (want) it then? If I purchase her for that person who gave me the commission, will he then not choose (not want) it? │ Quid? illī quoidam quī mandāvit tibi sī emētur, tum __________, sī ego emō illī quī mandāvit, tum ille __________? (Plautus)
5. So we shall easily get what we (will) want through him. │ Per eum igitur, quod __________, facile auferēmus. (Cicero)
6. But  if  we  do  not  wish [ = will not wish]  to  use the  Direct  Opening,  we  must  begin  our  speech with  a  law,  a  written  document,  or  some  argument supporting  our  cause. │ Sīn  prīncipiō  utī  __________,  ab  lēge,  ab  scrīptūrā,  aut ab  aliquō  nostrae  causae  adiūmentō  prīncipium  capere oportēbit. (Cicero)
7. You will rather, O judges, retain at home, for yourselves and for your children, a man energetic in undertaking the toils of war │ iūdicēs, virum ad labōrēs bellī impigrum… domī vōbīs ac līberīs vestrīs retinēre __________. (Cicero)
8. The learned, as I said, will prefer to go to the Greeks │ Doctī, ut dīxī, ā Graecīs petere __________ (Cicero)

mālent; mālētis; nōlēmus; nōlēs; nōlet; volam; volēmus; volēs; volet

____________________

[i] Imperfect tense

1. Ego volēbam autem vel cupiēbam potius esse eum nōbīscum. (Cicero)
2. Et, quod tū scīre volēbās, … (Cicero)
3. hominem tibi tam familiārem … ad tē venīre nōlēbam. (Cicero)
4. Nam ipse intellegere nōlēbās. (Pliny)
5. Mālēbās quidem hoc esse quod fuerās (Pliny)
6. Eam in mātrimōnium dūcere volēbat.
7. Eās rēs iactārī nōlēbat.
8. Tē hūc venīre quam sē ad tē īre mālēbat. (Cicero)
9. Nōlēbant enim cīvēs sermōnem cum eō habēre.
10. Cōnsulēs bellum gerere quam pācem facere mālēbant.

[ii] Future tense

1. Sī quid tē volam, ubi eris? (Plautus)
2. Sed omnia, ut volēs. (Cicero)
3. sed ūnum hōc scītō: nimiō celerius veniet quod nōlēs quam illud, quod cupidē petās. (Plautus)
4. Quid? illī quoidam quī mandāvit tibi sī emētur, tum volet, sī ego emō illī quī mandāvit, tum ille nōlet? (Plautus)
5. Per eum igitur, quod volēmus, facile auferēmus. (Cicero)
6. Sīn  prīncipiō  utī  nōlēmus,  ab  lēge,  ab  scrīptūrā,  aut ab  aliquō  nostrae  causae  adiūmentō  prīncipium  capere oportēbit. (Cicero)
7. iūdicēs, virum ad labōrēs bellī impigrum… domī vōbīs ac līberīs vestrīs retinēre mālētis. (Cicero)
8. Doctī, ut dīxī, ā Graecīs petere mālent (Cicero)

Note:

[i] two examples of the imperfect tense used as an epistolary tense which was discussed here:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/011025-level-3-epistolary-tenses-brief.html

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/2025/06/level-3-epistolary-tenses-brief-note.html

Capuae Nōnīs Febr. esse volēbam │ I want [literally: I was wanting] to be at Capua on the 5th of February

deinde Arpīnum volēbāmus │ Then I intend [literally: we were wanting] to go to Arpinum

Cicero describes what he intends to do but uses the imperfect tense since he expresses it from the perspective of the recipient / the reader of the letter. They show, once again, that the epistolary tense is used to refer to events that are happening / going to happen at the time the letter was written i.e. a temporary situation at that point, but, by the time they are read, they are over.

[ii] A further point to note is Cicero’s use (at times) of the first person plural to refer to himself:

deinde Arpīnum volēbāmus │ Then I intend to go to Arpinum

Ego volēbam … esse eum nōbīscum. (Cicero) │ I wanted him to be with me.

Level 3 (review); irregular verbs [8]: [i] volō, velle [ii] nōlō, nōlle [iii] mālō, mālle; present tense

Mē absente nēminem volō intrō mittī (Plautus)│ During my absence, I want nobody to be allowed inside.

Nōlunt discere quī numquam didicērunt (Seneca Iunior) │ Those who never learned do not want to learn.

Īre per hanc nōlī, quisquis es (Ovid) │ Do not go through that (way), whoever you are.

Catō enim ipse iam servīre quam pugnāre māvult (Cicero) │ Cato himself prefers to be a slave rather than to fight.

These three verbs are related to each other:

[i] volō, velle: want

[ii] nōlō, nōlle: not want; be unwilling; refuse [ne- (not)* + volō (want) > nōlō: I don’t want / I refuse]

*compare: sciō (I know) / nesciō (I don’t know)

Note that in the 2^nd and 3^rd person singular, and the 2^nd person plural, the verb does not have its own forms but is merely the negative of velle: nōn vīs, nōn vult, nōn vultis

[iii] mālō, mālle: prefer; want more; [magis (more) + volō (want) > mālō: I prefer; I want more]

Image #1: present tenses

Neither velle nor mālle have imperative forms; nōlle, however, does have imperative forms:

nōlī! (singular); nōlīte! (plural)

These are regularly used to form negative imperatives i.e. Don’t [literally: be unwilling to] do something:

Nōlī mē tangere! │ Don’t touch me!

Nōlī timēre! │ Don’t be afraid!

Nōlīte spēluncās intrāre! │ Don’t go in the caves!

Nōlīte mē vexāre! │ Don’t annoy me!

Exercise: complete the Latin quotations with the appropriate present tense of velle, nōlle and mālle listed below.

1. I want that to be said │ id dīcī __________ (Plautus)
2. Do you want me to hug you, and you me? │ __________ ego tē ac tū mē amplectāre? (Plautus)
3. I don't wish her to have an excuse │ __________ illam habēre causam (Plautus)
4. I speak the truth, but in vain, for you do not want to believe │ Vēra dīcō, sed nēquīquam, quoniam nōn vīs __________. (Plautus)
5. But do you now prefer yourself to be single and a free man, or, as a married man … │ sed utrum nunc tū caelibem tē esse __________ līberum an marītum (Plautus)
6. For no one wishes laws to be upheld merely for their own sake │ Nēmō enim lēgēs lēgum causā salvās esse __________  (Cicero)
7. Now she is not willing, you too, powerless, must not want [ = be unwilling i.e. imperative]│ nunc iam illa __________: tū quoque, impotēns, __________ (Catullus)
8. If someone prefers medicine … │ Sī medicāmentum aliquis __________ … (Celsus)
9. Spectators, we wish you farewell and that you will grant us loud applause. │ Spectātōrēs, vōs valēre __________ et clārē adplaudere. (Plautus)
10. We are unwilling to depart │ Abīre __________ (Plautus)
11. We prefer to be feared rather than to be dear and to be loved │ Metuī quam cārī esse et dīligī __________. (Cicero)
12. If you (pl.) do not wish to fight, you can flee │ Sī pugnāre __________, licet fugere (Seneca)
13. Unless you (pl.) prefer perishing with Philip to conquering with the Romans │nisi perīre cum Philippō quam vincere cum Rōmānīs __________ (Livy)
14. Do not [talking to a group], in the name of the immortal gods, compel the allies … │ __________, per deōs immortālīs, cōgere sociōs (Cicero)
15. Hurray! Hurray! the Gods want me to be safe and preserved!│ Eugē, eugē, dī mē salvom et servātum __________. (Plautus)
16. They have no wish to feed a gluttonous man │ Alere __________ hominem edācem (Terence)
17. since the tribunes prefer a Roman citizen to be scourged with rods before their eyes than themselves be murdered in their beds by you │ quoniam tribūnī cīvem Rōmānum in cōnspectū suō virgīs caedī __________ quam ipsī in lectō suō ā vōbīs trucīdārī (Livy)

mālumus; mālunt; māvīs; māvult; māvultis; nōlī; nōlīte; nōlō; nōlumus; nōlunt; nōn vīs; nōn vult; nōn vultis; vīsne; volō; volumus; volunt; vult

____________________

1. id dīcī volō (Plautus)
2. Vīsne ego tē ac tū mē amplectāre? (Plautus)
3. nōlō illam habēre causam (Plautus)
4. Vēra dīcō, sed nēquīquam, quoniam nōn vīs crēdere. (Plautus)
5.  sed utrum nunc tū caelibem tē esse māvīs līberum an marītum (Plautus)
6. Nēmō enim lēgēs lēgum causā salvās esse vult (Cicero)
7. nunc iam illa nōn vult: tū quoque, impotēns, nōlī (Catullus)
8. Sī medicāmentum aliquis māvult  … (Celsus)
9. Spectātōrēs, vōs valēre volumus et clārē adplaudere. (Plautus)
10. Abīre nōlumus (Plautus)
11. Metuī quam cārī esse et dīligī mālumus. (Cicero)
12. Sī pugnāre nōn vultis, licet fugere (Seneca)
13. nisi perīre cum Philippō quam vincere cum Rōmānīs māvultis (Livy)
14. Nōlīte, per deōs immortālīs, cōgere sociōs (Cicero)
15. Eugē, eugē, dī mē salvom et servātum volunt. (Plautus)
16. Alere nōlunt hominem edācem (Terence)
17. quoniam tribūnī cīvem Rōmānum in cōnspectū suō virgīs caedī mālunt quam ipsī in lectō suō ā vōbīs trucīdārī (Livy) 

level 3: literature (David Amster); Cicero, Oratio Pro Archia Poeta, IV

Quod sī mihi ā vōbīs tribuī concēdīque sentiam, perficiam profectō ut, hunc A. (Aulum) Licinium nōn modo nōn sēgregandum—cum sit cīvis—ā numerō cīvium, vērum etiam, sī nōn esset, putētis ascīscendum fuisse.

Quod sī mihi ā vōbīs TRIbuī concēDĪque SENtiam, perFIciam proFECtō ut, hunc aulum liCInium nōn modo nōn sēgreGANdum—cum sit cīvis—ā NUmerō CĪvium, vērum Etiam, sī nōn esset, puTĒtis ascīsCENdum fuISse.

Cicero, Oratio Pro Archia Poeta, IV (please see note below)***

1. Read the Latin aloud 2-3 times, trying to understand as much as you can.

2. Then read my notes. 

3. Read the Latin a few more times, focusing on good pronunciation and reading fluently, without translating.

4. If 3 or more syllables, the stressed syllable is capitalized. 

Quod: which, with regard to which; acc sing neut (qui), refers to the request in the previous paragraph (please see my note at the end) 

sī: if 

SENtiam: I feel, sense; 1st p sing future (sentio) 

TRIbuī: (it) is granted, conceded, allowed; passive infinitive (tribuo) 

-que: and 

concēDĪ(-que): allowed, granted, conceded; passive infinitive (concedo) 

mihi: to me; dative 

ā: by + ablative 

vōbīs: by you; dative plural (vos) 

proFECtō: indeed, certainly

perFIciam: I will bring it about, accomplish, cause; 1st p sing future (perficio) 

ut: that; + subjunctive 

puTĒtis: you think, believe, judge; 2nd p plural future (puto) 

hunc: (that) this; acc sing masc, acc subject of infinitive in indirect statement (hic) 

A. = Aulum: Aulus; acc sing 

liCInium: Licinius; acc sing; Aulus Licinius Archias, the poet Cicero is defending 

nōn: not 

modo: only 

nōn: (should) not 

sēgreGANdum (esse): (should) be  removed, separated; acc sing masc GERUNDIVE, future passive participle = is (not) to be removed; esse is understood; this is the “passive periphrastic construction” (segrego)

ā: from; + ablative 

NUmerō: the number; abl sing masc (numerus) 

CĪvium: of the citizens; gen pl m/fem (civis) 

cum: since; + subjunctive 

sit: he is; 3rd p sing present subjunctive (sum) 

cīvis: a citizen; nom sing 

vērum: but, but truly; adverb 

Etiam: even 

sī: if 

nōn: not 

esset: he were (not); 3rd p sing imperfect SUBJUNCTIVE 

(puTĒtis): you would think (understood) after “perficiam ut” above

ascīsCENdum fuISse: (that he) should have been received,  admitted (as a citizen); acc sing masc gerundive + perfect infinitive = passive periphrastic = “was to be admitted”; acc + infinitive in indirect statement (ascisco) 

***Cicero is defending the citizenship of the Greek poet Archias (Aulus Licinius), accused of illegally enjoying the rights of a Roman citizen (for the past 27 years!!) 

Here’s the previous paragraph, which explains what Cicero is requesting: 

“I entreat you in this case to grant me this indulgence, suitable to this defendant, and as I trust not disagreeable to you,—the indulgence, namely, of allowing me, when speaking in defence of a most sublime poet and most learned man, before this concourse of highly-educated citizens, before this most polite and accomplished assembly, and before such a praetor as him who is presiding at this trial, to enlarge with a little more freedom than usual on the study of polite literature and refined arts, and, speaking in the character of such a man as that, who, owing to the tranquillity of his life and the studies to which he has devoted himself, has but little experience of the dangers of a court of justice, to employ a new and unusual style of oratory.”

Level 3; epistolary tenses; a brief note

Here again is the answer to the last question in the previous post:

https://adckl2.blogspot.com/2025/06/level-3-review-irregular-verbs-7-possum.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/06/011025-level-3-review-irregular-verbs-7.html

[i] Yesterday, [ii] to the best of my ability [= in whatever way I could] [iii] I myself wrote a letter containing predictions, which I hope may prove false.

Nam [i] prīdiē quidem, quōquō modō [ii] potueram, [iii] scrīpseram ipse eās litterās, quārum vāticinātiōnem falsam esse cupiō. (Cicero)

[Literally: [i] The day before [ii] in whatever way I had been able [iii] I myself had written … ]

Take a close look at both the Latin original and the translation

[i] Yesterday [ii] I myself wrote a letter │ [i] prīdiē quidem … [ii] scrīpseram ipse eās litterās

• The translation is ‘yesterday’; the original is prīdiē (the day before)
• The translation is ‘I wrote’; the original is scrīpseram (I had written)

in whatever way I could │ quōquō modō potueram

• The translation is ‘I could / was able to’; the original is potueram (I had been able)

These are examples of epistolary tenses i.e. used in letter writing. It is a feature to be aware of when, for example, reading Cicero’s letters.

Very few people nowadays write postcards, but here’s an example: “We’re in Majorca and the kids are having a lovely time.  I’m sitting by the pool as I write this, and yesterday we all went to the beach.”

The content is from the time perspective of the writer. On the basis that a reliable postal service will get the postcard to its recipient within a few days, the sequence of tenses presents an ‘ongoing’ situation where events are happening or have recently happened: We’re in Majorca; the kids are having a lovely time; I’m sitting by the pool as I write this; yesterday we all went to the beach.

One theory – which is reasonable enough – is that, given the length of time it would take in Ancient Rome for any correspondence to reach its recipient, a considerable time lapse would ensure that events described in a letter would be well and truly over by the time the recipient reads about them. Therefore, you will come across a shift in tenses where the writer describes the events from the time perspective of the recipient i.e. the content ‘moves back’ in time like a past tense narrative with no sense of ‘now’.  In other words, imagine that the postcard took several weeks to arrive: “We were in Majorca and the kids had a lovely time. I was sitting by the pool as I wrote this, and the day before we had all gone to the beach.”

Neque tamen, haec cum scrībēbam, eram nescius quantīs oneribus premerēre (Cicero) │ Nor while I write this am I ignorant under what burdens you are weighed down.

Cicero is writing the letter in his present time, but he shifts it to past tenses because, by the time the recipient reads it, the events have already happened. Therefore, what he literally writes is: “Nor while I was writing this was I ignorant …”

Similarly:

Nunc eram plānē in mediō marī. │ At present I am far out at sea. [i.e. by the time the recipient reads the letter, Cicero is no longer far out at sea, but that’s where he was at the time the letter was written]

Ā Brundisiō nūlla adhūc fāma vēnerat, et erat hic diēs VII Īdūs │ From Brundisium no news has come yet, and to-day is the 9^th of March. [i.e. he is writing the letter on March 9^th and, at the time of writing, no news has come, but, again, by the time the recipient read it, the day was March 9^th and no news had come]

Hīc nōs C. Mārcellum habēmus, eadem vērē cōgitantem aut bene simulantem; quamquam ipsum nōn vīderam, sed ex familiārissimō eius audiēbam.  │ Here I have C. Marcellus, who holds the same views as myself or makes a good pretence of doing so. Although I have not met him I hear it from one of his most intimate friends. 

Capuae Nōnīs Febr. esse volēbam, quia cōnsulēs iusserant. │ I want [literally: I was wanting] to be at Capua on the 5th of February, as the consuls have ordered [literally: had ordered].

Therefore:

[i] Yesterday [ii] I myself wrote a letter …│ [i] prīdiē quidem … [ii] scrīpseram [pluperfect] ipse eās litterās Literally: [i] the day before (I was writing this) [ii] I myself had written a letter …

in whatever way I could │ quōquō modō potueram [literally: in whatever way I had been able]

Further examples from Cicero, all of which use a pluperfect tense whereas English translates them as perfect or simple past tenses:

Dē Caesare vīcīnō scrīpseram ad tē │ I wrote to you about your neighbour Caesar

Ad Hirtium dederam epistulam ..., quam scrīpseram proximē in Tusculānō. │ I have given / sent a letter to Hirtius ... which I wrote lately at Tusculum.

Philotimō dederam ad tē litterās │ I gave Philotimus a letter to you.

Nūllās enim adhūc accēperam │ I’ve received no <letter> so far.

Ad tuās omnīs [epistulās] rescrīpseram ¦ prīdiē. │ I answered all your letters ¦ yesterday [literally: the day before].

This use of epistolary tense, however, is not consistent and tends to be used when referring to temporary situations i.e. events happening at the time the letter was written. It is not an aspect of the language that needs much focus, but simply awareness that it exists.

Level 3 (review); irregular verbs [7]: possum, posse [iii]: practice; answers

[A]

[i] Can you (sg.) show me the way? │ Potesne mihi viam mōnstrāre?

[ii] He was unable to summon help because he wasn’t strong enough. │ Auxilium vocāre nōn poterat quod nōn satis validus erat.

[iii] I can send you the money. │ Possum tibi pecūniam mittere.

[iv] I couldn’t do this alone.│ Nōn sōlus hoc facere poteram.  

[v] I shall soon be able to play │ Mox lūdere poterō.     

[vi] Indeed, you (pl.) will never be able to help me. │ Mē quidem numquam poteritis adiuvāre.

[vii] Is he able? │ Potestne?

[viii] Nobody will be able to sleep. │ Nēmō dormīre poterit.

[ix] They cannot go with you. │ Tēcum īre nōn possunt.

[x] They were able to see the ships, but saw nobody. │ Nāvēs vidēre poterant sed nēminem vidēbant.

[xi] They won’t be able to pay the money. │ Pecūniam solvere nōn poterunt.

[xii] We can’t. │ Nōn possumus.

[xiii] We were not able to wait. │ Exspectāre nōn poterāmus.

[xiv] We’ll be able to do everything. │ Omnia facere poterimus.

[xv] Were you (pl.) able to conquer the enemy? │ Poterātisne hostēs vincere?

[xvi] Were you (sg.) able to go out the house this morning?│Poterāsne domō exīre hodiē manē?

[vxii] Who can do this? │ Quis hoc facere potest?

[xviii] Will you be able to come tomorrow? │ Poterisne crās venīre?

[xix] You (pl.) cannot understand what I’m saying to you. │ Intellegere nōn potestis quod vōbīs dīcō.

[xx] You (sg.) will barely be able to escape misfortune. │Vix poteris effugere īnfortūnium.

[B]

[i] He could not ring a word out of anybody │ vōcem exprimere nōn potuit.

[ii] I (have) stirred up Brutus out of his dejection as much as I could [ = have been able]. │ Brūtum abiectum, quantum potuī, excitāvī.

[iii] and you were the person best qualified to do so [ = because you alone were especially able to do this] │ quod ūnus tū facere maximē potuistī

[iv] Nothing could be [could have been] more delightful. │ Nihil potuit esse iucundius.

[v] I have done everything that I could accomplish in my own province │Omnia fēcī, quae potuī  aut in meā prōvinciā perficere

[vi] There was no alternative [ = it could not have become otherwise] │ fierī nōn potuit aliter

[vii] I' faith, that's the very reason why we, wretched creatures, have never been able to find you out here. │ Istoc pol nōs tē hīc invenīre miserae numquam potuimus. (Terence)

[viii] But you (referring to more than one person) were able to see clearly [understand] │ sed intellegere potuistis

[ix] They were unable to bear the attack │ impetum ferre nōn potuērunt (Caesar)

[x] You’ll say “So, you haven’t seen the man?” How could I fail to [ = was I able not to] see (him)  …? │“Nōn vīdistī igitur hominem?” inquiēs. Quī potuī nōn vidēre …?

[C]

[D]

[i] The few honest folk among them, that he had not managed [ = been able] to remove in his selection … │ Paucī tamen bonī inerant, quōs reiectiōne fugāre ille nōn potuerat …

[ii] …nor had the woman been able to keep quiet │ … nec mulier tacēre potuerat

[iii] and now this (disaster) of which ¦ we had been in daily fear [ = we had been able to fear] has suddenly happened │  ea … quam cotīdiē timēre potuerāmus, subitō exorta est.

[iv] Couldn’t you have said so at first? [ = Had you not been able to say … ?] │  Nōn potuerās hoc igitur ā principiō … dīcere?

[v] Therefore, after they had not been able to take (possession of) the camp …  │ Itaque posteāquam castra nōn potuerant potīrī (Caesar)

[vi] Yesterday I wrote myself to the best of my ability [in whatever way I had been able] a letter containing predictions, which I hope may prove false. │ Nam prīdiē quidem, quōquō modō potueram, scrīpseram ipse eās litterās, quārum vāticinātiōnem falsam esse cupiō. (Cicero)

Level 3 (review); irregular verbs [6]: possum, posse [ii]: practice

Answers are in the second post

[A]  present, imperfect, future tenses of possum, posse

Complete the Latin sentences with the appropriate form of possum, posse

[i] Can you (sg.) show me the way? │ __________ mihi viam mōnstrāre?

[ii] He was unable to summon help because he wasn’t strong enough. │ Auxilium vocāre nōn __________ quod nōn satis validus erat.

[iii] I can send you the money. │ __________ tibi pecūniam mittere.

[iv] I couldn’t do this alone.│ Nōn sōlus hoc facere __________.   

[v] I shall soon be able to play │ Mox lūdere __________.

[vi] Indeed, you (pl.) will never be able to help me. │ Mē quidem numquam __________ adiuvāre.

[vii] Is he able? │ __________?

[viii] Nobody will be able to sleep. │ Nēmō dormīre __________.

[ix] They cannot go with you. │ Tēcum īre nōn __________.

[x] They were able to see the ships, but saw nobody. │ Nāvēs vidēre __________ sed nēminem vidēbant.

[xi] They won’t be able to pay the money. │ Pecūniam solvere nōn __________.

[xii] We can’t. │ Nōn __________.

[xiii] We were not able to wait. │ Exspectāre nōn __________.

[xiv] We’ll be able to do everything. │ Omnia facere __________.

[xv] Were you (pl.) able to conquer the enemy? │ __________ hostēs vincere?

[xvi] Were you (sg.) able to go out the house this morning?│ __________ domō exīre hodiē manē?

[vxii] Who can do this? │ Quis hoc facere __________?

[xviii] Will you be able to come tomorrow? │ __________ crās venīre?

[xix] You (pl.) cannot understand what I’m saying to you. │ Intellegere nōn __________ quod vōbīs dīcō.

[xx] You (sg.) will barely be able to escape misfortune. │Vix __________ effugere īnfortūnium.

possum; possumus; possunt; poteram; poterāmus; poterant; poterāsne; poterat; poterātisne; poterimus; poteris; poterisne; poterit; poteritis; poterō; poterunt; potesne; potest; potestis; potestne

[B]  perfect tense of possum, posse

Complete the Latin texts with single verbs or phrases listed below

(1) I have sometimes included [in brackets] very literal translations where appropriate to show the different tenses

(2) In some these sentences, the translation ‘could have [done]’ is possible. However, Latin has other ways in which that concept can be expressed (i.e. using the subjunctive) and so, for the moment, simply recognise that, for example, id facere potuit can mean, depending upon context, “he could have done it” rather than “he was able to / could do it” i.e. it is a statement of potential rather than fact.

(3) Most of the quotations are from Cicero; other authors are indicated

[i] he could not ring a word out of anybody │ vōcem exprimere _______________

[ii] I (have) stirred up Brutus out of his dejection as much as I could [ = have been able]. │ Brūtum abiectum, _______________, excitāvī.

[iii] and you were the person best qualified to do so [ = because you alone were especially able to do this] │ quod ūnus tū facere _______________

[iv] Nothing could be [could have been] more delightful. │ Nihil _______________ iucundius.

[v] I have done everything that I could accomplish in my own province │Omnia fēcī, _______________  aut in meā prōvinciā perficere

[vi] There was no alternative [ = it could not have become otherwise] │ _______________ aliter

[vii] I' faith, that's the very reason why we, wretched creatures, have never been able to find you out here. │ Istoc pol nōs tē hīc invenīre miserae _______________. (Terence)

[viii] But you (referring to more than one person) were able to see clearly [understand] │ sed intellegere _______________

[ix] They were unable to bear the attack │ impetum ferre _______________ (Caesar)

[x] You’ll say “So, you haven’t seen the man?” How could I fail to [ = was I able not to] see (him)  …? │“Nōn vīdistī igitur hominem?” inquiēs. Quī _______________ vidēre …?

fierī nōn potuit; maximē potuistī; nōn potuērunt; nōn potuit; numquam potuimus; potuī nōn; potuistis; potuit esse; quae potuī; quantum potuī

[C] Image: Crossword; Distinguish between [i] the future and [ii] the future perfect

[D] Pluperfect tense

Again, focus not only on the forms of the verb, but also the way in which it is translated, the pluperfect in Latin emphasising that something had been done before something else happened. English may not specifically use ‘had’, but I have included it in all of the translations.

[i] The few honest folk among them, that he had not managed [ = been able] to remove in his selection … │ Paucī tamen bonī inerant, quōs reiectiōne fugāre ille _______________…

[ii] …nor had the woman been able to keep quiet │ … nec mulier tacēre _______________

[iii] and now this (disaster) of which ¦ we had been in daily fear [ = we had been able to fear] has suddenly happened │  ea … quam cotīdiē timēre _______________, subitō exorta est.

[iv] Couldn’t you have said so at first? [ = Had you not been able to say … ?] │  _______________ hoc igitur ā principiō … dīcere?

[v] Therefore, after they had not been able to take (possession of) the camp …  │ Itaque posteāquam castra _______________ potīrī (Caesar)

[vi] Yesterday I wrote myself to the best of my ability [in whatever way I had been able] a letter containing predictions, which I hope may prove false. │ Nam prīdiē quidem, quōquō modō _______________, scrīpseram ipse eās litterās, quārum vāticinātiōnem falsam esse cupiō. (Cicero)

nōn potuerant; nōn potuerās; nōn potuerat; potueram; potuerāmus; potuerat