Thursday, March 19, 2026

Level 3+; Subjunctive [70] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (7); indirect questions in context; Cicero’s seven questions to Atticus

The following quotation from Cicero is a good example of an extended series of indirect questions which are introduced by interrogative words, or yes-no questions or double / alternative questions

Dē istīs rēbus exspectō tuās litterās, quid Arrīus nārretquō animō sē dēstitūtum ferat, et quī cōnsulēs parenturutrum, ut populī sermō, Pompēius et Crassus an, ut mihi scrībitur, cum Gabīniō Servius Sulpicius, et num quae novae lēgēs et num quid nōvī omnīnō, et, quoniam Nepōs proficīscitur, cuinam augurātus dēferātur;

Dē istīs rēbus exspectō tuās litterās, │ I am awaiting your letter about these matters:

[i] quid Arrīus nārret │ what Arius is saying
[ii] quō animō sē dēstitūtum ferat │ in what state of mind he bears his abandonment
[iii] et quī cōnsulēs parentur, │ and which men are being prepared as consuls

[iv] utrum, ut populī sermō, Pompēius et Crassus, an, ut mihi scrībitur, cum Gabīniō Servius Sulpicius,

whether, as popular talk has it, Pompey and Crassus, or, as is written to me, Servius Sulpicius with Gabinius [i.e. two consuls were elected each year, and so Cicero refers to two alternatives for the joint consulship]

[v] et num quae novae lēgēs │ and whether (there are) any new laws,
[vi] et num quid nōvī omnīnō, │ and whether (there is) anything new at all,

[vii] et, quoniam Nepōs proficīscitur, cuinam augurātus dēferātur; │ and, since Nepos is setting out, to whom the office of augur is to be assigned.