Level 3+; Subjunctive [75] dependent uses [7] cum-clauses (5) concessive (ii) practice

Complete the Latin sentences with the verbs listed below:

[i] Although he is good, he is not wise.

Cum __________ bonus, nōn est sapiēns.

[ii] Although the old man does not have a lot of food, he nevertheless invites friends to dinner.

Cum senex multum cibum __________, amīcōs tamen ad cēnam invītat.

[iii] Although you do not want to come with me, nevertheless you have to do this.

Cum mēcum venīre __________, hoc tamen facere dēbēs.

[iv] Although you did not want to come with me, nevertheless you had to do this.

Cum mēcum venīre __________, hoc tamen facere dēbēbās.

[v] Although he knew about the affair, he nevertheless said nothing.

Cum dē rē __________, nihil tamen dīxit.

[vi] Although the farmer was poor, he was nevertheless pious and happy.

Cum agricola pauper __________, erat pius tamen et contentus.

[vii] He did nothing to help me, although he could / was able to.

Nihil mē adiūvit, cum __________. (Cicero)

[viii] Although the forces of the enemy were greater, the Romans nevertheless overcame them.

Cum cōpiae hostium __________ maiōrēs, Rōmānī tamen eās vīcērunt.

[ix] Turnus, although he was fighting very bravely, was nevertheless defeated.

Turnus, cum fortissimē __________, tamen victus est.

[x] But although I had done everything, I was not able to recover his goodwill.

Sed, cum omnia __________, … eam voluntātem eius … recūperāre nōn potuī. (Cicero)

[xi] Although I had been asked, nevertheless I did not reply.

Cum __________, tamen nōn respondī.

[xii] Cicero, although he was / had been born in a small town, nevertheless lived in Rome.

Cicerō, cum in oppidō parvō __________, Rōmae tamen vīvēbat.

essent; esset; fēcissem; nōn habeat; nātus esset; nōlīs; nōllēs; posset; pugnāret; rogātus essem; scīret; sit

____________________

[i] sit
[ii] nōn habeat
[iii] nōlīs
[iv] nōllēs
[v] scīret
[vi] esset
[vii] posset
[viii] essent
[ix] pugnāret
[x] fēcissem
[xi] rogātus essem
[xii] nātus esset

Level 3+; Subjunctive [74] dependent uses [7] cum-clauses (4) concessive (i)

Look at the following sentence.

[A] He is lazy ¦ but [B] he gets good results.

[A] He is lazy. [B] However / nevertheless / despite that, he gets good results.

There are two opposing ideas. [A] creates the expectation that he would not get good results, but [B] shows that, despite being lazy, this has not prevented him from achieving them.

This same idea can be expressed using what is known in grammar as a concessive construction. In English, concession can be expressed in several ways.

As a concessive clause:

• Although he is lazy, he gets good results.
• Even if he is lazy, he gets good results.
• Despite / in spite of the fact that he is lazy, he gets good results.

As a concessive phrase:

• Despite being lazy, he gets good results.

English may also reinforce concession by adding words such as nevertheless. In this example, the second part of the sentence overrides or qualifies the first.

• While we welcome the Prime Minister’s statement, we nevertheless feel that he has not gone far enough.

“Concession” refers to acceptance / recognition of a fact / admission that something is true:

While we welcome the Prime Minister’s statement …

…but that admission is then set aside in a specific way; here, it does not prevent a criticism from being made:

• … we nevertheless feel …

Latin conveys this idea in a number of ways. In this post we look at one:

Apart from expressing cause and circumstance, cum + subjunctive can also express although.

[a] Frequently this is reinforced with tamen (nevertheless), making the concessive sense clear.

Cum puellam amāret, tamen ex urbe abiit. │ Although he loved the girl, he nevertheless left the city.

Militēs, cum montēs vīdissent, tamen gāvīsī sunt. │ The soldiers, although they had seen the mountains, nevertheless rejoiced.

Cum prīmī ōrdinēs concidissent, tamen ācerrimē reliquī resistēbant. (Caesar) │ Though the first ranks had fallen, still the others resisted vigorously.

[b] However, tamen may not be used in the sentence and so careful reading – and thinking – in context is needed to identify whether the clause is concessive:

Cum hostēs fortēs essent, Rōmānī vīcērunt. │ Although the enemy were brave, the Romans won.

A way of ‘testing’ whether the sentence is expressing a concessive idea is mentally to reword it:

• The enemies were brave, but the Romans won.
• The enemies were brave. However / nevertheless / despite that, the Romans won.

i.e. despite the fact that the enemies were brave, that did not prevent the Romans from winning.

Think about it: “When / since the enemies were brave, the Romans won” does not make sense!

Examples:

[i] Cum multum labōrāverit, parum profēcit.

Think: he has worked hard, ¦ but he has made little progress

> Although he has worked hard, he has made little progress.

[ii] Cum graviter vulnerātus esset, pugnāvit.

Think: he had been seriously wounded. However / nevertheless / despite that, he fought.

> Although he had been seriously wounded, he fought.

Would any other translation of those two examples make sense?

Since he has worked hard, he has made little progress.

Since he had been seriously injured, he fought.

No, they wouldn’t. 

Level 3+; Subjunctive [73] dependent uses [7] cum-clauses (3) practice

Complete the Latin quotations with the verbs listed below.

Notes: All of the quotations are from a narrow selection of Cicero’s letters to Atticus. This shows not only the frequency with which cum-clauses are used, gives practice in how different tense forms in cum-clauses are translated.  Literal translations are given in brackets.

[1] With the indicative

[a]

[i] Nevertheless, I am relieved when I talk with you despite being away, and even more when I read your letters.

Tamen adlevor, cum __________ tēcum absēns, multō etiam magis, cum tuās litterās __________.

[ii] You had only just left yesterday, when Trebatius came.

Commodum discesserās heri, cum Trebātius __________.

[iii] And you generally do it most carefully, when I have told you [literally: when it has been told to you by me]

Quod dīligentissimē facere solēs, cum ā mē tibi __________.

[b] All of the following quotations refer to future actions.

[i] And that long period of time, when I shall not be (here), moves me more.

Longumque illud tempus, cum nōn __________, magis mē movet.

[ii] You will write when you [will] know

Scrībēs ad mē, cum __________.

[iii] When I see [ = I shall have seen] you, you will know.

Cum __________ tē, sciēs.

[iv] Therefore, when you can [= you will be able], that is when you have attended to [= will have given attention to] Sextus’ auction, you will come back to see us.

Quārē, cum __________, id est cum Sextī auctiōnī operam __________, revīsēs nōs.

[v] When I arrive / have arrived there [ = will have arrived], and understand / have understood [ = will have understood] what the situation is …

Cum illūc __________ __________que, quid negōtiī sit, …

[vi] But you, when you [will] have read it, will judge for yourself.

Sed tū, cum __________, exīstumābis.

[vi] When I meet [ = will have met] Brutus, I shall write everything in detail.

Brūtum cum __________, perscrībam omnia.

convēnerō; dederis; dictum est; erō; intellēxerō; lēgeris; legō; loquor; poteris; sciēs; vēnerō; vēnit; vīderō

[2] With the subjunctive

[i] It is difficult since / when I am away.

Difficile est, cum __________.

[ii] It is enough, especially since these days are being spent by you in our important business.

Satis est, praesertim cum hī tibi diēs in magnō nostrō negōtiō __________.

[iii] But since they have done everything for your sake, I am afraid …

Cum enim tuā causā __________omnia, vereor, …

[iv] Since he is acting on [using] his mother’s advice … why should I intervene?

Mātris cōnsiliō cum __________ … quid mē interpōnam?

[v] Since I was sending Alexander on that business, I gave him this letter.

Ad eam rem cum __________ Alexandrum, hās eī dedī litterās.

[vi] But as I was reading the ‘Academics’ on the boat, I noticed my mistake.

Cum autem in nāvī __________ Acadēmicōs, adgnōvī errātum meum.

[vii] We seemed to be talking to one another, when I was at Tusculum.

Conloquī vidēbāmur, in Tusculānō cum __________.

[viii] This I have written while sailing, as I was getting near to Pompeii, Aug. 19.

Haec scrīpsī nāvigāns, cum prope Pompēiānum __________, XIIII Kal.

[ix] For on the 17th, when / after I had reached Velia, Brutus heard (of it).

Nam, XVI Kal. Sept. cum __________ Veliam, Brūtus audīvit;

[x] And when / after I had heard these things …

Quae cum __________ …

[xi] After a postman had arrived without any letters from you …

Tabellārius ad mē cum sine litterīs tuīs __________…

[xii] On the 9th after I (had) got up before daybreak to go on from Sinuessa, and before dawn I had reached the Tirenian bridge at Menturnae, …

V Īdūs cum ante lūcem dē Sinuessānō __________ __________que dīlūculō ad pontem Tirēnum, …

[xiii] Your uncle, Caecilius, since he was (being) cheated out of a large sum of money by P. Varius, …

Caecilius, avunculus tuus, ā P. Variō cum magnā pecūniā __________ …

[xiv] And since these things had been done …

Quae cum __________ …

[xv] Earlier, when / since I had been informed [ = I had been made more certain] by our (friend) Atticus’ letter about your great generosity …

Anteā cum litterīs Atticī nostrī dē tuā summā līberālitāte … __________ …

absim; accēderem; audīssem; certior factus essem; cōnsūmantur; essem; essent ācta; fēcerint; fraudārētur; legerem; mitterem; surrēxissem; ūtātur; vēnissem; vēnissem; vēnisset

____________________

[1]

[a]

[i] loquor; legō

[ii] vēnit

[iii] dictum est

[b]

[i] erō

[ii] sciēs

[iii] vīderō

[iv] poteris; dederis

[v] vēnerō; intellēxerō

[vi] lēgeris

[vii] convēnerō

[2]

[i] absim

[ii] cōnsūmantur

[iii] fēcerint

[iv] ūtātur

[v] mitterem

[vi] legerem

[vii] essem

[viii] accēderem

[ix] vēnissem

[x] audīssem

[xi] vēnisset

[xii] surrēxissem; vēnissem

[xiii] fraudārētur

[xiv] essent ācta

[xv] certior factus essem

Level 3+; Subjunctive [72] dependent uses [7] cum-clauses (2) cause; circumstance

When cum is used with the subjunctive, it has two meanings. In this post we will look at one.

When used with the subjunctive, cum does not primarily indicate time. Instead, it introduces a clause that provides background information against which the main action is to be understood.

That background information may convey:

[1] the reason why something happened: causal; the translation will frequently render cum + subjunctive as “since” or “as” in the sense of “because”

[i] A phrase commonly found in Cicero’s speeches:

Quae cum ita sint [present subjunctive], ¦ iste homō āmēns ac perditus aliā mēcum ratiōne pugnat.

And as this is the case, ¦ that senseless and profligate man attempts to combat me in another manner.

Literally: since these things are so, but can be rendered in various ways e.g. ‘that being the case’

[ii] Similarly:

Quae cum ita essent [imperfect subjunctive], … (Cicero) │ Since these things were so …

[iii] Cum tam diū nāvigārent [imperfect subjunctive], nautae cupere coepērunt domum petere │ Since they were sailing for such a long time, the sailors began to desire to go home.

[2] the circumstances in which something happened: circumstantial; the translation will frequently render cum + subjunctive as “when” or “while”

Cum essem ōtiōsus in Tusculānō, accēpī tuās litterās.

When / while I was at leisure in my house at Tusculum, I received your letter.

• This statement does not infer a cause: Cicero did not receive the letter because of where he was, but what he was doing / the circumstances he was in when he received it. Although ‘when’ is used, the focus is not on time.

Cum Rōmae essem ... cotīdiē tamen hōrae ... longae vidēbantur. (Cicero) │ When I was at Rome … still the hours every day … seemed long.

• It is not a reference to a specific point in time, but rather to the situation / circumstances Cicero was in when he felt this way.

… inventus est senātor quī, cum iūdex esset, in eōdem iūdiciō et ab reō pecūniam acciperet (Cicero) │ A senator was found who, while he was a judge, received money from the defendant in the same trial

• It isn’t that the senator became a judge and, when he did, the defendant walked into the courtoom and gave him money! The imperfect subjunctive describes the circumstances in which he received the money.

The pluperfect subjunctive in this context may be translated as ‘after’ emphasising circumstances that had taken place before the action of the main verb:

Cum lūmen cōnspexissent nautae intellēxērunt sē īnsulam invēnisse.  │ After they had observed the light, the sailors understood that they had found the island.

Note: the causal and circumstantial clauses are not two different constructions. In practice, there is no distinction in the Latin sentences and, when translating, it is often a matter of interpretation of context as to which word(s) would be the most appropriate.

Sometimes the meaning is explicit. Here, both sentences clearly convey cause:

Id difficile nōn est cum tantum equitātū valeāmus [present subjunctive] │ This is not difficult since we are so strong with our cavalry.

Turnō fugiendum erat cum pār Aenēae pār nōn esset [imperfect subjunctive] │ Turnus, since he was not equal to Aeneas, had to flee.

However, the distinction can be blurred:

Cum mīlitēs oppidō appropinquārent, hostēs aggressī sunt. │ When / since the soldiers were approaching the town, the enemy attacked.

The cum-clause shows the circumstances in which the enemy attacked, or the cause that led to it.

It would be unproductive to ponder too much on whether one word was more appropriate than the other. Unless the text is absolutely explicit, there can be more than one possibility.

The key point to remember is that the emphasis is not on time, but on the situation, conditions, or reasoning that form the background to the main clause.

The examples given below offer alternative translations of cum and show a range of subjunctive tenses:

[i] Nimis abes diū, praesertim cum sīs [present subjunctive] in propinquīs locīs (Cicero) │ You are away too long, especially when / since you are in nearby places.

[ii] Puerī, cum pater iānuam cūstōdīret [imperfect subjunctive], mūrōs ascendērunt. │ The boys, since their father was guarding the door, climbed the walls.

[iii] Cum Rōmae habitārēs [imperfect subjunctive] nōnne cibum bonum emere poterās? │ When / while / since you were living in Rome, surely you were able to buy good food?

[iv] Ignōsce mihi, quod, cum anteā accūrātissimē … ad tē scrīpserim [perfect subjunctive], eādem dē rē saepius scrībam (Cicero) │ Pardon me for writing again on the same subject, when I have already written very fully to you …

[v] Sed tamen nōn possum reprehendere cōnsilium tuum, praesertim cum egomet in prōvinciam nōn sim profectus [perfect subjunctive; deponent verb] (Cicero) │ But nevertheless I cannot criticise your decision, especially ¦ since I myself have not gone to a province.

[vi] Militēs, cum montēs vīdissent [pluperfect subjunctive], gavīsī sunt. │ The soldiers rejoiced since they had seen the mountains.

[vii] Quod cum tam multī hominēs honestissimī audīssent [pluperfect subjunctive], statim ad mē dēfertur (Cicero) │ And since / when so many very honest men had heard it, it was [literally: it is] immediately reported to me.

[viii] Equidem ut dē mē cōnfitear, iūdicēs, ¦ cum multae mihi ā C. Verre īnsidiae terrā marīque factae sint [perfect subjunctive; passive] … (Cicero) │ Indeed, judges, if I may make a confession about myself, since many attacks have been made against me by Gaius Verres both on land and at sea …

[ix] Quod cum esset factum [pluperfect subjunctive; passive], adiimus ad Caesarem (Cicero) │ Since / when that was / had been done we approached Caesar…

[x] Cum hostēs urbem intrāvissent, cīvēs fugiēbant. │ After the enemy had entered the city, the citizens began to flee.

[xi] Heri, cum ex aliōrum litterīs cognōvissem dē Antōnī adventū … (Cicero) │ Yesterday, when  / after I (had) learned about Anthony’s arrival from other people’s letters …

Level 3+; Subjunctive [71] dependent uses [7] cum-clauses (1) temporal (not with the subjunctive)

The word cum has two separate functions:

[1] It is a preposition with the ablative case meaning ‘(together) with’

[2] It is a conjunction which, depending upon context, can mean ‘when’, ‘since’ or ‘although’

Here, we are looking at its use as a conjunction introducing subordinate clauses.

Cum may be followed either by an indicative verb, or a subjunctive verb. In this post, we will focus only on its use with an indicative verb.

indicative

When used with the indicative, cum means ‘when’; it introduces a temporal clause that focusses on the time / period when the action in the main clause occurs:

[i] Cum nimis dolēmus [present indicative], ¦ lacrimās fundimus. │ When we grieve too much, ¦ we shed tears.

[i] Militēs, ¦ cum montēs vīdērunt [perfect indicative], ¦ gāvīsī sunt. │ The soldiers, when they saw the mountains, ¦ rejoiced.

[ii] Maximā sum laetitiā adfectus ¦ cum audīvī [perfect indicative] cōnsulem tē factum esse (Cicero) │ I was very much pleased ¦ when I heard that you had been made a consul.

[iii] Ea, quae iam tum, ¦ cum aderās [imperfect indicative], ¦ offendere eius animum intellegēbam … (Cicero) │ Those things which I already understood at the time, ¦ when you were present, ¦ to be offending his feelings …

[iv] … tum, ¦ cum in Asiā rēs māgnās permultī āmīserant [pluperfect indicative] (Cicero)│ at that time, ¦ when many had lost great fortunes in Asia

In Latin, unlike in English, future tenses are used in the clause of time:

[v] Signa nostra … cum commodissimē poteris [future indicative], velim impōnās (Cicero) │ I would like you to ship the statues when you can [literally: when you will be able to] do so most conveniently.

When reading the letters of Cicero, note that, when he writes about when something will happen, he very frequently uses the future perfect i.e. indicating what will have happened. English translation can be looser, whereas the Latin is precise, indicating the completion of the future action.

[vi] Est igitur animus in hortīs; quōs tamen īnspiciam, cum vēnerō (Cicero) │ So my mind is set on the gardens: however I'll have a look at them, when I arrive [literally: when I shall have arrived].

[vii] Ex mē, cum vēneris, cognōscēs (Cicero) │ You will find out from me when you arrive / you have arrived [literally: when you will have arrived]

[viii] Quid sit, sciēmus, cum vēneris (Cicero) │ We shall know what it is, when you arrive / you have arrived.

The English translations of the following two quotations do emphasise that sense of completion. In both of them Cicero is distinctly looking ahead to actions that he will have done.

[ix] Luccēius quid agat, scrībam ad tē, cum Caesarem vīderō, quī aderit bīduō (Cicero) │ How Lucceius is getting on I will write and tell you, when I have seen [literally: when I shall have seen] Caesar, who will be here in a couple of days’ time.

[x] Cum perspexerō voluntātēs nōbilium, scrībam ad tē (Cicero) │ When I have grasped / discovered the intentions of the nobles, I shall write to you.

The future perfect tense was discussed here:

23.10.24: Level 2; reading; dē porculō [4]; future perfect tense [1]; introduction

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/231024-level-2-reading-de-porculo-4.html

25.10.24: Level 2; future perfect tense [2]; forms of the future perfect tense

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/251024-level-2-future-perfect-tense-2.html

25.10.24: Level 2; future perfect tense [3]; practice [1]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/251024-level-2-future-perfect-tense-3.html

27.10.24: Level 2; future perfect tense [4]: practice [2]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/271024-level-2-future-perfect-tense-4.html

27.10.24: Level 2; future perfect tense [5]: practice [3]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/271024-level-2-future-perfect-tense-5.html