Level 3+; Conditional clauses [10]: unreal conditions (2) / (3) practice

Complete the Latin sentences with the verbs listed below. The verbs are grouped according to [A] protasis, and [B] apodosis.

[1] Present contrary-to-fact

[i] If you had help, you would fare better / would be faring better.

Sī auxilium [A] __________, melius [B] __________.

[ii] If I were braver / stronger, the centurions would (be) honour(ing) me.

Sī fortior __________, centuriōnēs mē __________.

[iii] If it were permitted for you to leave, the judges would be afraid.

Sī __________ tibi discēdere, iūdicēs __________.

[iv] If he had power, things would (be) turn(ing) out better.

Sī ille potestātem __________, rēs melius __________.

[v] If you were in Italy, Catullus would dine / would be dining with you.

Sī in Italiā __________, Catullus tēcum __________.

[vi] If we were more powerful, the consuls would envy us.

Sī potentior __________, cōnsulēs nōbis __________.

[vii] If the prisoner were more famous, Augustus would envy him.

Sī captīvus __________ clārior, Augustus eī __________.

[viii] If he stayed / were staying at home, the children would (be) spend(ing) time with him.

Sī ille domī __________, līberī cum eō tempus __________.

[ix] If you (pl.) had freedom, you would fare / be faring better.

Sī lībertātem __________, melius __________.

[x] If we had power, we would fare / be faring better.

Sī potestātem __________, melius __________.

[A] essem; essēmus; essēs; esset; habērēmus; habērēs; habēret; habērētis; licēret; manēret

[B] agerent; cēnāret; ēvenīret; honōrārent; invidērent; invidēret; timērent; valērēmus; valērēs; valērētis

[2] Past contrary-to-fact

[i] If the general had gone away, the citizens would have been afraid.

Sī imperātor [A] __________, civēs [B] __________.

[ii] If the master had come home, the slave would have worked with him.

Sī dominus domum __________, servus cum eō __________.

[iii] If you had been braver, the gods would have praised you.

Sī audācior __________, deī tē __________.

[iv] If I had come to Rome, the enemies would have fought with me.

Sī Rōmam __________, inimīcī mēcum __________.

[v] If it had been permitted for the barbarian to speak, the general would have raged.

Sī __________ barbarō dīcere, imperātor __________.

[vi] If you (pl.) had been captured, you would have raged.

Sī __________, __________.

[vii] If I had been abandoned, I would have wept.

Sī __________, __________.

[viii] If we had been more fortunate, the consul would have approved of us.

Sī fēlīciōrēs __________, cōnsul nōs __________.

[ix] If you (pl.) had come to Troy, the soldiers would have waged war with you.

Sī Trōiam __________, mīlitēs vōbīscum bellum __________.

[x] If the boy had obtained water, he would have fared better.

Sī puer aquam __________, melius __________.

[A] abīsset; captī essētis; fuissēmus; fuissēs; impetrāvisset; licuisset; relicta essem; vēnissem; vēnisset; vēnissētis

[B] furuisset; furuissētis; gessissent; labōrāvisset; lacrimāvissem; laudāvissent; probāvisset; pugnāvissent; timuissent; valuisset

____________________

[1]

[i] Sī auxilium habērēs, melius valērēs.

[ii] Sī fortior essem, centuriōnēs mē honōrārent.

[iii] Sī licēret tibi discēdere, iūdicēs timērent.

[iv] Sī ille potestātem habēret, rēs melius ēvenīret.

[v] Sī in Italiā essēs, Catullus tēcum cēnāret.

[vi] Sī potentior essēmus, cōnsulēs nōbis invidērent.

[vii] Sī captīvus esset clārior, Augustus eī invidēret.

[viii] Sī ille domī manēret, līberī cum eō tempus agerent.

[ix] Sī lībertātem habērētis, melius valērētis.

[x] Sī potestātem habērēmus, melius valērēmus.

[2]

[i] Sī imperātor abīsset, civēs timuissent.

[ii] Sī dominus domum vēnisset, servus cum eō labōrāvisset.

[iii] Sī audācior fuissēs, deī tē laudāvissent.

[iv] Sī Rōmam vēnissem, inimīcī mēcum pugnāvissent.

[v] Sī licuisset barbarō dīcere, imperātor furuisset.

[vi] Sī captī essētis, furuissētis.

[vii] Sī relicta essem, lacrimāvissem.

[viii] Sī fēlīciōrēs fuissēmus, cōnsul nōs probāvisset.

[ix] Sī Trōiam vēnissētis, mīlitēs vōbīscum bellum gessissent.

[x] Sī puer aquam impetrāvisset, melius valuisset.

Conditional clauses [9]: unreal conditions (3) past contrary-to-fact

Past contrary-to-fact: strongly marked in English by ‘had … could / would have …’, it refers to a condition that could have or would have existed in the past – but what actually happened is the opposite of that condition:

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.

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.

Latin marks such conditionals with the distinctive pluperfect subjunctive.

Contrary-to-fact: Sī magistrum laudāvissem [pluperfect subjunctive], mē bene docuisset [pluperfect subjunctive].

Contrary-to-fact: If I had praised my teacher, he would have taught me well.

Fact: But I did not praise my teacher – he did not teach me well.

Sī id fēcissēs, sapiēns fuissēs.

• If you had done it, you would have been wise.

Sī labōrāvisset, pecūniam optāvisset.

• If he had worked, he would have desired money.

Certō nūntium tibi ad tempus attulissem sī modo potuissem.

• I would certainly have brought the news to you in time if I had been able.

Sī illa cibum impetrāvisset, rēs melius ēvēnisset.

• If she had acquired food, the situation would have turned out better.

Sī vōs omnēs validiōrēs fuissētis, dūcēs vōbīs fāvissent.

• If you had all been stronger, the commanders would have favoured you.

Sī dēceptī essēmus, dēspērāvissēmus.

• If we had been deceived, we would have despaired.

Sī Rōmae fuissem, tē vīdissem cōramque grātiās ēgissem (Cicero)

• If I had been in Rome, I would have seen you and (would have) thanked you in person.

et fuisset ita, sī hominēs trānsitum tempestātis exspectāre potuissent (Cicero)

• and it would have been like that if people had been able to wait / could have waited for the storm to pass

This quotation from Quintilian is a good example that precisely shows how this conditional type is used:

Sī occīdisset [pluperfect subjunctive], rēctē fēcisset [pluperfect subjunctive]: sed nōn occīdit [perfect indicative]

• If he had killed him, he would have done so rightly; but he did not kill him.

Sī meō cōnsiliō pāruissēs, tuās dīvitiās servāssēs.

• If you had followed my advice, you would have kept your wealth.

This last example shows a feature that has been discussed before:

servāssēs is an example of a syncopated verb form: one or more sounds are omitted from a verb; the term ‘contraction’ is also used:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/syncopated%20verb%20forms

Syncopation can occur in a range of verb forms, but it is common with verbs that have a perfect stem in -v-, for example:

perfect: audīvī > audiī

pluperfect: audīveram > audieram

future perfect: audīverō > audierō

Here we have a pluperfect subjunctive:

servāvissēs (you would have kept) > servāssēs [i.e. the -vi- of the stem is dropped completely]

This feature is noticeable in Cicero’s writings:

Mānsissēs profectō, sī haec fore putāssēmus (Cicero) [note: syncopated verb form putā(vi)ssēmus]

• You would certainly have stayed if we had thought it was going to happen.

putāvissem (I should have thought) > putāssem [i.e. the -vi- of the stem is dropped completely]

putāvissēmus (we would have thought) > putāssēmus

Similarly:

labōrāvissem > labōrāssem

accūsāvisset > accūsāsset

nāvigāvissēmus > nāvigāssēmus

suspīrāvissent > suspirāssent

Image: compares the forms and translations of the present and past contrary-to-fact conditionals.

Level 3; Reading (review); [35] [i] Manliāna Imperia II

Post victōriam Titus Mānlius statim patrem, quī nōn sōlum cōnsul, sed etiam vir summae auctōritātis erat, adiit eīque dē pugnā nūntiāvit:

“Prōvocātus”, inquit, “ā Maeciō Tusculānō cum eō pugnāvī eumque virtūte et armīs superāvī; victor ad tē redeō.”

Statim pater cūnctōs mīlitēs advocārī iussit, fīlium in iūs vocāvit, factī ratiōnem postulāvit. Neque iuventūtis neque virtūtis ratiōnem habuit.

 “Quod,” inquit, ”imperātōris imperium et auctōritātem patris nōn cūrāvistī neque disciplīnae ratiōnem habuistī, quā adhūc cūnctās calamitātēs superāvit cīvitās Rōmāna, suppliciō poenās solvēs.”

Iam ipse līctōrem iussit fīlium caedere. Tam dūrō animō fuit ille vir. Cūnctī autem horrēbant haec Mānliāna Imperia.

līctor, -ōris [3/m]: a Roman civil servant who was an attendant and bodyguard to a magistrate

[i] Translate from “Post victoriam …” to “… ad tē redeō.” (10)

[ii] In your own words explain the father’s extreme reaction (16). Again, look at the mark allocation, refer to specific content and, where necessary, quote the Latin. Similarly, include brief information on Roman culture and attitudes.

____________________

[i] After the victory (1), Titus Manlius immediately approached his father (1) —who was not only consul (1) but also a man of the highest authority (1) and reported the fight to him (1):

“Having been challenged,” he said (1), “by Maecius the Tusculan (1), I fought with him (1) and overcame him (1) by courage and arms; as victor I return to you. (1)”

Suggested answer:

[1] The passage reflects key aspects of Roman thinking (1) in terms of discipline and obedience to authority (1).

[2] Manlius is shown no favouritism by his father (1).

[3] The son’s courage and victory are not mitigating factors (1), and the father does not take his son’s youth into consideration (1): Neque iuventūtis neque virtūtis ratiōnem habuit

[4] Manlius is condemned in the presence of all the soldiers (1): Statim pater cūnctōs mīlitēs advocārī iussit, fīlium in iūs vocāvit.

This is a public display, indicating that nobody – not even his own son – is above the law (1). Moreover, it serves as a deterrent to the other soldiers against acting in the same way (1). That the father’s actions are immediate indicates he needs no time for reflection (1).

[5] “Quod,” inquit, ”imperātōris imperium et auctōritātem patris nōn cūrāvistī neque disciplīnae ratiōnem habuistī, quā adhūc cūnctās calamitātēs superāvit cīvitās Rōmāna, suppliciō poenās solvēs.”

There are key charges in this statement:

Manlius has without justification disobeyed the commander’s order: imperātōris imperium (1), and the authority of his own father: auctōritātem patris (1).

Furthermore, he has undermined the mōs maiōrum the ancestral traditions of Rome itself (1), which the Romans believed were the foundation of their success (1): quā adhūc cūnctās calamitātēs superāvit cīvitās Rōmāna.

[6] The enormity of Manlius’ actions warrant the death penalty which is carried out in the father’s presence (1): Iam ipse līctōrem iussit fīlium caedere.

[7] While the father’s actions show his personal and frightening harshness - Tam dūrō animō fuit ille vir – (1) the scene culminates in a symbolic display that the collective good is prioritised over individual heroism (1).

Immediately the father ordered all the soldiers to be summoned, brought his son to trial, and demanded an account of the deed. He showed no regard either for his youth or for his bravery.

“Because” he said, “you did not respect the command of your general nor the authority of your father, and did not observe discipline, by which the Roman state has up to now overcome all disasters, you will pay the penalty with punishment.”

At once he himself ordered the lictor to execute his son. That man was of such a harsh spirit. However, they all shuddered in fear at these Manlian commands.

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?" 

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.

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.

Level 3+; Conditional clauses [6]: unreal conditions (1) introduction; future less vivid

Unreal conditions refer to :

[1] hypothetical or ideal situations i.e. imagining a scenario that, in the speaker’s mind, is unlikely to happen. They are sometimes referred to as improbable conditions:

(Psycho)

Wouldn't it be better if you put her in... someplace...?

Sam, if you owned a useless business like this motel... what would you need to get away?

It might save me a lot of leg-work if I could just talk to your mother.

(Wizard of Oz)

SCARECROW

Oh, I'm a failure, because I haven't got a brain.

DOROTHY

Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one?

(Fiddler on the Roof)

Would it spoil some vast eternal plan
If I were a wealthy man?

(Cabaret)

Go on, tell me
I will listen

What would you do
If you were me?

All of the conditions quoted above refer to an imagined or ideal future scenario.

Equally, unreal conditions can refer to the present or to the past:

If he were here now, we would be drinking wine together.

If he had arrived sooner, we could have gone to the cinema.

Latin conveys all these ideas using the subjunctive. We will look at them separately:

future less vivid

[1] In the previous posts, the term future more vivid was discussed. The terms future more vivid and future less vivid, although rather clumsy, are the ones commonly used in Latin grammar books.

Compare:

[i] Future more vivid: If you give me the money, I’ll buy a cake; Latin: indicative mood

[ii] Future less vivid: If you gave me the money, I would buy a cake; Latin: subjunctive mood

Even if English does not use a subjunctive form, it changes tense forms to convey the different perspectives of the speaker.

Both sentences describe a possible result, but the shift in verb forms shows that the speaker sees the situation in [i] as more likely than [ii].

[i] the speaker treats the scenario as open / likely = real condition

[ii] the speaker conveys an ideal scenario that is underpinned by doubt = unreal condition

In other words, as soon as doubt creeps in, so does the subjunctive!

[2] The future less vivid conditional is expressed by the present subjunctive:

Sī vīcīnus tuus equum meliorem habeat [present subjunctive] quam tuus est, tuumne equum mālīs [present subjunctive] an illīus? (Cicero)

• If / supposing your neighbour had a better horse than yours, would you prefer your horse or his?

i.e. this is a hypothetical scenario, Cicero supposing a situation that may occur in the future, but which he considers is unlikely to happen.

If your neighbour had a better horse …

In English, the simple past (‘had’) can often be replaced by were to (do something) or should (do something). Although it can sound rather formal or archaic, it is useful to remember that as a way of “testing” what type of conditional is being used:

If you gave / were to give / should give me the money, I would buy a cake.

Sī nunc mē suspendam [present subjunctive], meīs inimīcīs voluptātem creāverim [perfect subjunctive] (Plautus)

• If I were to hang myself now, I would simply have created pleasure for my enemies.

i.e. the character in the play refers to an action in the future – even if it is imminent – but his use of the subjunctive shows that he has no real intentions of doing it!

Examples

Note that translations may convey the subjunctive idea in different ways.

Sī crās adsit, hanc rogātiōnem suādeat

• If he were / should be present tomorrow, he would speak for this bill.

Sī quis eum cōnspiciat, comprehendātur.

• If anyone caught sight / should catch sight / were to catch sight of him, he would be arrested.

Sī auxilium Poenīs submittāmus odium Rōmānōrum subeāmus.

• If we were to send help to the Carthaginians we would incur the hatred of the Romans.

 Sī ille eō dēscendat, contrā dīcī nihil possit (Cicero)

• If he were to condescend, nothing could be said against it.

Quod ille sī faciat, iam iam ā bonīs omnibus summam ineat grātiam (Cicero)

• And if he were to do that, he would win the highest favour from all the best men.

Sī illinc beneficium nōn sit, rēctius putem quidvīs domī perpetī (Cicero)

• If there should be no favour from that side, I should think it better to endure whatever comes at home.