Level 3+; Subjunctive [19] independent uses [3] deliberative [v] Latin tutorial

KEY POINTS: deliberative subjunctive

• from dēlīberō, -āre [1]: weigh carefully, consider, debate
• Used in direct questions to express mental weighing or hesitation about what action should be (or should have been) taken.
• Present subjunctive: deliberation occurring now (current or future consideration)
• Imperfect subjunctive: deliberation that occurred then (consideration in the past)
• The perfect subjunctive is not used for deliberation, because dēlīberāre describes a mental process that happens before an action, not after it.

Level 3+; Subjunctive [18] independent uses [3] deliberative [iv] with the imperfect subjunctive; practice

Example: Quid scrīberēmus? │ What were we (supposed) to write? / What should we have written?

1. Quid dīcerem?
2. Quid illī facerent?
3. Quō festīnārem?
4. Quem praeficeret Catullus?
5. Cui crēderēmus?
6. Quō illa fugeret?
7. Quid facerent rēgīnae?
8. Fugerēmusne?
9. Quem illī vītārent?
10. Quid facerēmus?

____________________

1. What was I to say? / What should I have said?
2. What were they (supposed) to do? / What should they have done?
3. To where was I (supposed) to hurry? / Where should I have hurried to?
4. Whom should Catullus have put in charge? / Whom was Catullus (supposed) to put in charge?
5. Whom were we (supposed) to trust? / Whom should we have trusted?
6. Where should she have fled to? / To where was she (supposed) to flee?
7. What were the queens (supposed) to do? / What should the queens have done?
8. Were we to flee? / Should we have fled?
9. Whom should they have avoided? / Whom were they (supposed) to avoid?
10. What were we (supposed) to do? / What should we have done?

Level 3+; Subjunctive [17] independent uses [3] deliberative [iii] with the imperfect subjunctive

So far, we have only seen examples of the deliberative subjunctive usage with the present subjunctive. Here, we can see how the imperfect subjunctive is used:

Compare:

[i] Present subjunctive:

Quid dīcam? │ What am I (supposed) to say? / What should I say?

[ii] Imperfect subjunctive:

Quid dīcerem? (Cicero) │ What was I to say? / What should I have said?

An ego nōn venīrem? (Cicero) │ Should I not have come?

Quid facerem? │ What was I to do? / What should I have done?

Quid facerēmus? │ What were we to do? / What should we have done?

i.e. the imperfect subjunctive is used for past deliberation, often with a sense of frustration, helplessness, or hindsight.

Although such questions are often translated into English using “should have,” the perfect subjunctive is not used for deliberation in Latin, since deliberation takes place before an action is carried out, not after it.

Therefore, Latin chooses:

Present subjunctive: deliberation now

Imperfect subjunctive: deliberation then

Level 3+; Subjunctive [16] independent uses [3] deliberative [ii] practice

Example: Quem cōnsulat Tiberius? │ Whom should Tiberius consult? / Who is Tiberius (supposed) to consult?

1. Quō ambulem?
2. Quid scrībam?
3. Quid faciat Neptūnus?
4. Quō illa fugiat?
5. Quid dīcat eques?
6. Quem audiāmus?
7. Temptēmusne?
8. Fugiāmusne?
9. Quem illī iuvent?
10. Quō nāvigent mercātōrēs?

____________________

1. Where should I / am I (supposed) to walk?
2. What should I / am I (supposed) to write?
3. What is Neptune (supposed) to do? / What should …?
4. Where is she (supposed) to flee to?
5. What should the knight / is the knight (supposed) to say?
6. Whom should we / are we (supposed) to listen to?
7. Should we / are we (supposed) to try?
8. Should we / are we (supposed) to flee?
9. Whom should they / are they (supposed) to help?
10. Where should the merchants / are the merchants (supposed) to sail to?

Level 3+; Subjunctive [15] independent uses [3] deliberative [i]

From deliberō, -āre [1]: consider carefully; deliberate.

When we say, “What am I (supposed) to do?” or “What should / ought I to do?”, we are deliberating — that is, we express doubt or uncertainty about the correct course of action. The speaker may be addressing him- or herself, genuinely asking for guidance, or framing a rhetorical question (e.g. “What am I supposed to do?”). In Latin this kind of deliberation is expressed by the subjunctive.

Indicative: Quid facimus? │ What are we doing?

Subjunctive: Quid faciāmus? │ What are we to do / should we do?

Quid dīcam? │ What am I to say?

Quid faciam? │ What am I to do?

Huic cēdāmus! hūius condiciōnēs audiāmus! (Cicero)│ Are we to bow to him! Are we to listen to his terms!

Quid agam, iūdicēs? Quō mē vertam? (Cicero) │ What am I to do, judges? Where am I to turn to?

Etiamne eam salūtem? (Plautus) │ Am I to greet her?

Quid hōc homine faciās? Quod supplicium dīgnum libīdinī eius inveniās? │ What are you to do with this man? What fit penalty can you devise [lit: are you to find] for his wantonness?

The negative deliberative is constructed with nōn:

Hunc ego nōn dīligam? (Cicero) │ Should I not cherish this man?