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.

Level 3+; Conditional clauses [5]: real conditions (3) practice

[1]

Complete the Latin sentences with verbs from the list below.

(1) [A] If you do this, [B] you are wrong.

[A] Sī hoc __________ [B] __________

(2) [A] If you did this, [B] you were wrong.

[A] Sī hoc __________ [B] __________

(3) [A] If you (will) do this, [B] you will be wrong.

[A] Sī hoc __________ , [B] __________

(4) [A] If they were asked for help, [B] they gave it willingly.

[A] Sī auxilium __________ , [B] libenter id __________.

(5) [A] Unless you (will) give me the money, [B] I won’t be able to buy the horse.

[A] Nisi mihi pecūniam __________, [B] equum emere __________.

(6) [A] If you have not sent the letter, [B] he won’t know what has happened.

[A] Sī litterās __________, [B] __________ quid acciderit.

(7) [A] If we reach [will have reached] the camp, [B] we will be safe.

[A] Sī ad castra __________, [B] tūtī __________.

(8) [A] If they (will) take up arms against the country, [B] they will all be killed.

[A] Sī arma __________ contrā patriam, [B] omnēs __________.

(9) [A] If he saw a poor man, [B] he always tried to help him.

[A] Sī pauperem __________, [B] semper eum adiuvāre __________.

(10) [A] If we head straight for Rome, [B] we will dine on the Capitol tonight.

[A] Sī rēctō cursū Rōmam __________, [B] hāc nocte in Capitōliō __________.

[A]

dabis; faciēs; facis; fēcistī; nōn mīseris; pervēnerimus; petēmus; rogābantur; sument; vidēbat

[B]

cēnābimus; cōnābātur; dabant; erimus; errābis; errās; errāvistī; interficientur; nesciet; nōn poterō

[2]

In this exercise, look out for:

sī quandō: if ever

sī / nisi quis (nom.) / quem (acc.): if / unless anybody

sī quid: if anything

sī modo: if only; provided that; as long as …

(1) I never make a promise unless I can keep my word.

Numquam  __________ __________ fidem praestāre __________

(2) Do not leave the house unless I tell you to.

__________ domum __________ __________ __________

(3) They always gave money to the poor, if they seemed to need it.

Pauperibus, __________ indigēre __________, semper pecūniam __________.

(4) If anyone has wronged me, I take my revenge on him by law.

__________ mihi iniūriam __________, lēgibus poenās dē eō __________.

(5) Neverthless, I would like you to write to me, if there is anything, about Antony’s arrival.

__________ tamen, __________ est, dē Antōnī adventū … __________ ad mē

(6) If only [ = as long as / provided that] we have entered Italy, I will lead you straight to Rome.

__________ Ītaliam __________, rēctō itinere Rōmam vōs __________.

(7) Unless someone studies carefully, he understands nothing.

__________ dīligenter __________, nihil __________.

(8) If he saw anyone enduring wrongs, he always wanted to help him.

__________ indigna patientem vidēbat, eum semper adiuvāre volēbat.

(9) If ever I am reciting, she sits nearby separated by a curtain.

Eadem, __________ __________, in proximō discrēta vēlō __________ (Pliny)

(10) If ever our men … had tied up a ship, from every side (the enemy) ran to the aid of their struggling comrades.

__________ nostrī... nāvem __________, undique suīs labōrantibus __________ (Caesar)

nisi; nisi; nisi quis; sī; sī modo; sī quandō; sī quandō; sī quem; sī quid; sī quis

dedērunt; discit; dūcam; fēcit; intellegit; intrāverimus; iusserō; nōlī … relinquere; possum; prōmittō; recitō; religāverant; scrībās; sedet; succurrēbant; sūmō; velim; vidēbantur; vidēbat; volēbat

____________________

[1]

(1) [A] facis [B] errās

(2) [A] fēcistī [B] errāvistī

(3) [A] faciēs [B] errābis

(4) [A] rogābantur [B] dabant

(5) [A] dabis [B] nōn poterō

(6) [A] nōn mīseris [B] nesciet

(7) [A] pervēnerimus [B] erimus

(8) [A] sument [B] interficientur

(9) [A] vidēbat [B] cōnābātur

(10) [A] petēmus [B] cēnābimus

[2]

(1) Numquam prōmittō nisi fidem praestāre possum.

(2) Nōlī domum relinquere nisi iusserō.

(3) Pauperibus, sī indigēre vidēbantur, semper pecūniam dedērunt.

(4) Sī quis mihi iniūriam fēcit, lēgibus poenās dē eō sūmō.

(5) Velim tamen, sī quid est, dē Antōnī adventū … scrībās ad mē.

(6) Sī modo Ītaliam intrāverimus, rēctō itinere Rōmam vōs dūcam.

(7) Nisi quis dīligenter discit, nihil intellegit.

(8) Sī quem indigna patientem vidēbat, eum semper adiuvāre volēbat.

(9) Eadem, sī quandō recitō, in proximō discrēta vēlō sedet (Pliny)

(10) Sī quandō nostrī... nāvem religāverant, undique suīs labōrantibus succurrēbant.

Level 3; Reading (review); [34] [1] Scipio’s triumph

Scipio had managed to beat Rome’s most dangerous enemy, the Carthaginian Hannibal, in Africa. This is a description of his arrival in Rome afterwards:

Iam nōnnūllās hōrās magna multitūdō hominum victōrem legiōnēsque eius exspectat. Subitō ūnus ex multitūdine:

“Vidētisne agmen prīmum? Iam tubae, iam carmina mīlitum sonant! Āfricāne! Āfricāne!”

“Quid clāmant hominēs? Num Scīpiōnī novum nōmen datum est?”

“Certē! Victor Āfricānī bellī ā senātōribus nōmine Āfricānī honōrātus est, quod Poenōs foedere coercuit.”

“Spectā corpora elephantōrum! Quanta quamque firma sunt! Nōnne tū quoque terrēris?”

“Utrum mīlitēs nostrī magis rōbore eōrum an strīdōre territī sunt?”

“Ignōrō. Equidem et magnitūdine corporum et strīdōre terreor.”

“Ecce! Scīpiō ipse adest! Macte, Āfricāne! Ē summō discrīmine Rōmam servāvistī! Lūmen et decus populī Rōmānī es!”

“Bonīs cum ōminibus Rōmam intrās! Nunc tempora laeta erunt, nunc bellō et operibus Mārtis līberātī erimus!”

coerceō, -ēre, -uī, coercitus [2] (here) restrain; control; as in the English derivative coerce, /oe/ in the Latin verb are pronounced as separate vowels i.e. co-er-ceō

decus, -oris [3/n]: honour; glory

discrīmen, -inis [3/n]: (here) crisis; danger; risk

foedus, -eris [3/n]: treaty; alliance; agreement

rōbur, -oris [3/n]: [i] oak tree [ii] (here) strength; compare the English phrase “hearts of oak”

strīdor, -ōris [3/m]: harsh or shrill noise; (here) trumpeting (of the elephants)

macte: bravo! well done!

Careful reading needed:

Bonīs cum ōminibus Rōmam intrās!

Not a form of omnis, -e (all; every) but of ōmen, -inis [3/n]: omen

Notes:

[1] Iam nōnnūllās hōrās magna multitūdō hominum victōrem legiōnēsque eius exspectat.

Latin: expression of duration of time + present tense is conveyed by English present perfect continuous tense [has / have been doing something for a period of time]

For several hours now, a great crowd of people has been waiting.

[2] [i] Quanta [ii] quamque firma sunt!

quantus, -a, -um: how much, (pl.) how many; (here) how big i.e. quantus functions alone as an adjective specifically referring to size

quam (indeclinable) + other adjectives i.e. quam firma … sunt │ how strong they are

Both have an exclamatory function here, expressing a feeling e.g. wonderment in this context:

Spectā corpora elephantōrum! Quanta quamque firma sunt! │ Look at the bodies of the elephants! How big and (how) strong they are!

[3] bellō et operibus Mārtis līberātī erimus

The ablative – sometimes with prepositions – is used when x is “separated” from y, that separation being physical or abstract, positive or negative.

We will be free / will have been freed from war and (from) the works of Mars!

17.06.25: Level 3; summary of the uses of the ablative case [15]: the ablative of separation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/170625-level-3-summary-of-of-uses-of.html

[4] Review: asking questions

[i] Nōnne tū quoque terrēris?

nōnne: surely …?; the question expects a positive reply

Surely, you’re frightened too? / You’re frightened too, aren’t you?

[ii] Num Scīpiōnī novum nōmen datum est?

num: surely …not?; the question expects a negative reply

Surely a new name hasn’t been given to Scipio? / A new name hasn’t been given to Scipio, has it?

Bear in mind, however, that translations may not distinguish these so precisely, and that, even if a question expects  either a positive or negative reply, it does not necessarily receive one.

Num Scīpiōnī novum nōmen datum est?│ A new name hasn’t been given to Scipio, has it?

Certē! Victor Āfricānī bellī ā senātōribus nōmine Āfricānī honōrātus est …”│“Certainly / of course (it has)! The victor of the African war has been honoured by the senators with the name ‘Africanus’”

[iii] Utrum mīlitēs nostrī magis rōbore eōrum an strīdōre territī sunt?”

utrum … an …: introduces an alternative or double question e.g. Is it X or Y? Do you have A or B? In this type of question utrum is not translated into English.

Were our soldiers more frightened [X] by their strength or [Y] by their trumpeting?”

25.07.25: Level 3; pronominal adjectives [6](2); utrum … an …; double questions

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/04/250725-level-3-pronominal-adjectives-62.html

[5] review: 3^rd declension neuter nouns; patterns

Remember that the term pattern does not imply that every noun is declined in the same way,  but note the common features of certain types of neuter nouns which do have consistent stem changes: there may be exceptions, but they are rare.

(a) -en > -inis

agmen, agminis

carmen, carminis

discrīmen, discrīminis

lūmen, lūminis

nōmen, nōminis

ōmen, ōminis

(b)   -us > -eris / -oris

corpus, corporis

decus, decoris

tempus, temporis

foedus, foederis

opus, operis

____________________

For several hours now, a great crowd of people has been waiting for the victorious general and his legions. Suddenly, one man from the crowd says:

“Do you see the first column? Already the trumpets, already the songs of the soldiers are sounding! Africanus! Africanus!”

“What are the people shouting? A new name hasn’t been given to Scipio, has it?”

“Certainly (it has)! The victor of the African war has been honoured by the senators with the name ‘Africanus,’ because he subdued the Carthaginians by a treaty.”

“Look at the bodies of the elephants! How large and how strong they are! Surely, you’re frightened too?”

“Were our soldiers more frightened by their strength or by their trumpeting?”

“I don’t know. I myself am frightened both by the size of their bodies and by their noise.”

“Look! Scipio himself is here! Well done, Africanus! You have saved Rome from the greatest danger! You are the light and glory of the Roman people!”

“With good omens you enter Rome! Now there will be happy times; now we will be free from war and the works of Mars!

Level 3+; Conditional clauses [4]: sī + quis, quid, quandō

[1] Conditional clauses can be indefinite, i.e. they do not refer to any specific person, thing, or time, but express general or open-ended reference.

[i]

(a) sī + quis (which can decline): if anyone / someone

Ac sī quis est tālis … nōn est ista mea culpa (Cicero)

• But if there is anyone of that sort … that’s not my fault.

Sī quī exīre volunt, cōnīvēre possum (Cicero)

• If anyone wishes to leave, I can look the other way.

(b) Similarly with nisi:

Nisi quis retinet, īdem suāsor auctorque cōnsiliī erō (Tacitus)

• Unless someone holds (me back), I shall be the proposer and instigator of the plan.

Quid igitur? quī nunc vocāre? / Nēmō nisi quem iusseris (Plautus)

• Well then — who am I to summon now? / No one, unless you order someone.

[ii]

(a) sī + quid: if anything / something

• Sī quid est ... prōvidendum est (Cicero)

If there is anything, it should be guarded against.

Ego ad tē, sī quid audierō citius, scrībam (Cicero)

• If I hear anything, I shall write to you first.

(b) Similarly with nisi:

Ego eō ad forum, nisi quid vīs (Plautus)

• I’m going to the forum unless you want anything.

Ego, nisi quid mē vīs, eō lavātum (Platusu)

• If you do not want me for anything / Unless you want me for something, I’m going to get washed.

[iii] sī + quandō: if ever

In senātū sī quandō praeclārē prō rē pūblicā dīxerō (Cicero)

• If I ever make a notable speech in the Senate on behalf of the republic

Sī quandō opus erit, … (Cicero)

• If there is ever a need …

Examples:

Sī quis ¦ quid reddit, magna habenda est grātia (Terence)

• If anyone gives anything back, one should be very grateful

Sī quid in tē peccāvī … ignōsce (Cicero)

• If I have wronged you in any respect, forgive me.

Dumtaxat rūmōrēs, vel etiam sī qua certa habēs dē Caesare, exspectō (Cicero)

• At the very least, I am waiting for rumours or even if you have any certain (news) about Caesar

Nec posthāc quisquam damnābitur, nisi quī hominem occīdent (Cicero)

• And from now on, no one shall be condemned, except those who kill a man.

Cicero referring to statues:

Illa omnia in Tusculānum dēportābō. Cāiētam, sī quandō abundāre coeperō, ōrnābō.

• I’ll bring all those to my place at Tusculum. If I ever start filling it too much [ = literally: if I ever start to overflow], I’ll decorate Caieta.

Level 3+; Conditional clauses [3]: nisī; sī … nōn

[1] A negative conditional clause is expressed in English “if … not” or “unless”

If you do not give me the money, I cannot buy the tickets.

Unless you give me the money, I cannot buy the tickets.

The equivalents in Latin are expressed by:

[i] sī … nōn; [ii] nisi

Eō sī ante eam diem nōn vēneris, ¦ Rōmae tē fortasse vidēbō (Cicero)

• If you do not get there before that date, perhaps I shall see you at Rome.

Velim, sī tibī grave nōn erit, certiōrem mē faciās (Cicero)

• I would like, if it is not [will not be] any trouble to you, you to let me know.

"Dēsilite", inquit, "mīlitēs, nisi vultis aquilam hostibus prōdere" (Caesar)

• '"Jump down, soldiers," he said, "unless you wish to betray the eagle to the enemies"'

“Nisi mē frūstrantur,” inquit, “oculī, māter tibī coniūnxque et līberī adsunt” (Livy)

• “unless my eyes are deceiving me,” he said, “your mother and wife and children are here”

Dēcēdēs, cum volēs, nisi forte iam dēcessistī (Cicero)

• You will depart when you wish — unless perhaps you have already departed / if you haven’t already departed.

Level 3; Reading (review); [33] [ii] The siren’s song

During his journey home, Odysseus also passes the island of the Sirens (Sīrēnēs), who lure sailors to the shore with their songs and then kill them.

In order to be able to listen to the singing without danger, Odysseus has his men tie him to the mast and orders them to obstruct their ears. He himself listens:

“Salvē, Ulixēs, imperātor et rēx! Tē, victōrem magnī bellī Ithacaeque rēgem, salūtāmus; et victōrī et rēgī iūstum honōrem tribuimus. Tū mīlitibus Graecīs bene suāsistī, tū multōs labōrēs sustinuistī. Tū es summus cūnctōrum ducum et imperātōrum, et beātus est ille senex, Lāertēs pater tuus. Magnum erit gaudium patrisque mātrisque, sī tē integrum salūtābunt, sī Ithaca rēge servātō gaudēbit! Proinde appropinquā et auscultā, nam nōbīs nihil ignōtum est: Nārrābimus tibi dē virīs clārīs, quōs superāvistī; nōn ignōrāmus tē magnam multitūdinem hominum prōstrāvisse. Cūnctae regiōnēs sunt plēnae tuae laudis.”

Dum virginēs sīc cantant, Ulixēs comitēs vocat; nam diūtius auscultāre studet. Illī autem rēmōs dūcere pergunt.

Sīrēn, -is [3/f]: (Greek mythology) Siren

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(mythology)

Images #1 and #2: 370 BC; 1^st century BC

Image #3: the Sirens may be equally depicted as having the features of fish, such as this example from the Bestiary of AD 1235

pergō, pergere, perrēxī, perrectus [3]: continue, proceed, go on

rēmus, -ī [2/m]: oar

Note: apposition

Appposition refers to two or more words – nouns or pronouns – which are adjacent to one another and refer to the same person / thing:

I live in Paris. I live in the capital of France.

> I live in [i] Paris, [ii] the capital of France. In the sentence ‘Paris’ and ‘the capital of France’ are in apposition.

[i] Henry the Eighth, [ii] the King of England ¦ at that time, …

[i] You, [ii] Joe, are a great athlete.

When this occurs, both parts of the apposition are in the same case:

Salvē, [i] Ulixēs, [ii] imperātor et [iii] rēx! │ “Greetings, [i] Ulysses, [ii] commander and [iii] king!

• All are in the vocative case, addressing Ulysses directly.

[i] Tē, [ii] victōrem magnī bellī Ithacaeque [iii] rēgem, salūtāmus; │ We greet [i] you as [ii] victor of the great war and [iii] king of Ithaca;

• All are in the accusative case, the direct object of salūtāmus

beātus est ille [i] senex, [ii] Lāertēs [iii] pater tuus │ blessed is that [i] old man, [ii] Laertes [iii] your father.

• All are in the nominative case, the subject of the sentence

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/230824-level-2-practice-in-reading_18.html

Exercises

[1] Give the nominative singular of the nouns from the text:

[i] ducum

[ii] hominum

[iii] laudis

[iv] mīlitibus

[v] multitūdinem

[vi] regiōnēs

[vii] virginēs

[2] Identify the word type in bold and explain why it is being used:

[i] Proinde appropinquā et auscultā

[ii] nōn ignōrāmus tē magnam multitūdinem hominum prōstrāvisse

[4] What tense is being used and how does that differ from English usage?

Magnum erit gaudium patrisque mātrisque, sī tē integrum salūtābunt, sī Ithaca rēge servātō gaudēbit!

____________________

[1]

[i] dux

[ii] homō

[iii] laus

[iv] mīles

[v] multitūdō

[vi] regiō

[vii] virgō

[2]

[i] imperative; giving a command

[ii] perfect active infinitive in an indirect statement

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/120126-level-3-indirect-statement.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/150126-level-3-indirect-statement.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/180126-level-3-indirect-statement.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/11/210126-level-3-indirect-statement.html

[iii] future tense; in the conditional clause, English would normally use the present

It will be a great joy for both father and mother if they (will) greet you safe and whole, if Ithaca rejoices [will rejoice] …

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“Greetings, Ulysses, commander and king! We greet you as victor of the great war and king of Ithaca; and to both victor and king we grant just honour. You have served the Greek soldiers well; you have endured many hardships. You are the greatest of all leaders and commanders, and blessed is that old man, your father Laertes. It will be a great joy for both father and mother if they greet you safe and whole, if Ithaca rejoices now that the king has been saved! Therefore, come nearer and listen, for nothing is unknown to us: we will tell you about the famous men whom you have defeated; we are not unaware that you have overthrown a great multitude of men. All regions are full of your praise.”

While the maidens sing thus, Ulysses calls his companions; for he wishes to listen longer. But they continue to row the oars.

Level 3+; Conditional clauses [2]: real conditions (2) further examples

In these clause types, English and Latin writers vary the indicative tenses, and there are numerous permutations. They may choose a specific tense since they have a particular idea in mind that they wish to convey, for example:

If you read that book, you will love it.

If you haven’t read that book, then I’m disappointed.

[i] There is often a parallel between the Latin verb usage and the English translations, for example:

Sī mē amās [present], ¦ cūrā [imperative], ut ... (Cicero)

• If you love me [present], ¦ [imperative] see to it that …

Tū sī litterās ad Sicyōniōs habēs [present], advolā [imperative] in Formiānum (Cicero)

• If you have [present], a letter to send to the Sicyonians, hasten [imperative] to Formiae.

Quid faciēmus [future], sī aliter nōn possumus [present]? (Cicero)

• What shall we do [future], if we cannot (do) otherwise [present]?

Sī fuit [perfect] invidiōsa senātūs potentia… quid iam cēnsēs [present] fore? (Cicero)

• If the power of the Senate was [simple past] unpopular … what do you think [present] it will be like now?

[ii] Where it differs most is when the conditional clause refers to the future. The distinction between the future and the future perfect in the conditional clause is whether the speaker is focussing on the action being carried out [future], or on the completion of the action [future perfect].

Mihi crēde, ¦ sī legēs [future] haec, ¦ dīcēs [future] mīrābilis vir est (Cicero)

• Trust me, if you read [present; La: will read] them, ¦ you will say “The man is a wonder.”

Latīnum sī perfēcerō [future perfect], ¦ ad tē mittam [future] (Cicero)

• [Latin (literally): If I shall have finished the Latin version, I shall send it to you.]
• If I finish [present] / If I have finished [present perfect] the Latin version, ¦ I shall send [future] it to you.

[iii] A subjunctive verb may be used in the apodosis:

Sī quid habēs certius, velim scīre (Cicero)

• If you have anything more certain, I would like to know.

The subjunctive in this context is not affecting the conditional clause but is simply being used independently to convey a polite request.

In this next example, a jussive subjunctive is used:

Quī hominēs quam prīmum, sī stāre nōn possunt, corruant (Cicero)

• If these men cannot stand, let them fall as soon as possible.

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Below are further examples; compare and contrast the verb usage.

Nunc, sī quid in eā epistulā, quam ante diem XVI Kal. Maiās dedistī, fuit historia dignum, scrībe quam prīmum (Cicero)

• So, if there was anything worth saying in the letter of the 16th of April, write at once.

Sī quī Graecī iam Rōmam ex Asiā … vēnērunt … (Cicero)

• If any Greeks have already come to Rome from Asia …

Quid iīs fīet, sī hūc Paulus vēnerit (Cicero)

• What will happen to them if Paulus comes [will have come] here?

Sī quid rēs feret, cōram inter nōs cōnferēmus (Cicero)

• If any point arises [will arise], we will discuss it together face-to-face.

Aliī sī scrīpserint, mittēmus ad tē (Cicero)

• If others (will) have written (about it), we shall send them to you.

Tū, sī tibi placuerit liber, cūrābis ut … (Cicero)

• If the book pleases [will have pleased] you, you will see to it that …

Eō sī ante eam diem nōn vēneris, Rōmae tē fortasse vidēbō (Cicero)

• If you do not get [will not have come] there before that date, perhaps I shall see you at Rome.

Sī dīxerō mendācium, solēns meō mōre fēcerō (Plautus)

• If I tell [shall have told] a lie, I shall have done so as I usually do according to my custom.

Tū, sī ūnō in locō es futūrus, crēbrās ā nōbīs litterās exspectā (Cicero)

• If you are going to be in one place, expect many letters from us.

Intereā scrībās [subjunctive], sī quid intellegēs (Cicero)

• Meanwhile, if you learn anything, you should write to me

Sī iam es Rōmae … velim [subjunctive] mittās … (Cicero)

• If you are already in Rome, I would like you to send …

An overdose of conditional clauses:

Quam ob rem, sī mē amās tantum, quantum profectō amās, sī dormīs, expergīscere, sī stās, ingredere, sī ingrederis, curre, sī curris, advolā. (Cicero)

Quam ob rem, sī mē amās tantum, quantum profectō amās, … │ Therefore, if you love me as much as you really love me …

sī dormīs, expergīscere │ if you are sleeping, wake up

sī stās, ingredere │ if you are standing, get moving

sī ingrederis, curre │ if you are moving, run

sī curris, advolā │ if you are running, fly