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 nārret, quō animō sē dēstitūtum ferat, et quī cōnsulēs parentur, utrum, 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.

Level 3+; Subjunctive [69] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (6); utrum … an …

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

[1] The construction utrum … an … is used in direct questions to create an alternative or double question:

Utrum ēsūrīs an sītīs? │ Are you hungry or thirsty?

Utrum [i] nescīs, … an [ii] prō nihilō id putās (Cicero) │ Is it that [i] you don’t know or [ii] do you think nothing of it?

[2] an may be repeated if more than two points are being questioned:

Utrum [i] hostem an [ii] vōs an [iii] fortūnam utrīusque populī īgnōrātis (Livy) │ Is it the [i] enemy, [ii] or yourselves, [iii] or the fortune of the two peoples, that you do not know?

[3] a combination of -ne attached to the first word being questioned together with an:

Ēsūrīsne an sītīs? │ Are you hungry or thirsty?

[4] an without utrum may occur:

Dīcam huic, an nōn dīcam? │ Shall I tell him, or not tell him?

[5] These same constructions can be used in indirect questions and, again, the verb of the indirect question is in the subjunctive.

Quaerō, ¦ … [i] utrum is clēmēns ac misericors [ii] an inhūmānissimus et crūdēlissimus esse videātur (Cicero) │ I ask, ¦ [i] whether he might appear to be clement and merciful [ii] or most inhuman and cruel? 

[6] Look out for: necne and an nōn (annōn), both of which mean ‘or not’ and can be used to form the second part of the double question:

Nesciō, ¦ utrum domī sit, annōn. │ I don’t know ¦ whether he’s [ = he might be] at home or not.

[7] Examples

The first two examples below show both an indirect question introduced by an interrogative word and a double question:

(1) Are you as confused as Plautus?

Nunc mī incertumst ¦ abeam an maneam, an adeam an fugiam, ¦ quid agam edepol nesciō (Plautus)

Now I’m uncertain ¦ whether I should go away or I should stay, whether I should approach or whether I should flee—by Pollux, I don’t know ¦ what I should do.

In the first part of the quotation, there is no interrogative word, but simply alternative courses of action being debated:

Nunc mī incertumst ¦ [i] abeam an [ii] maneam …│ I’m uncertain ¦ whether [i] I should go away [ii] or stay …

In the second part of the quotation, an interrogative is used:

quid agam ¦ edepol nesciō │ by Pollux, I don’t know ¦ what I should do.

(2) Similarly, two quotations from Cicero:

Nesciō [1] quid intersit, ¦ [2] utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annōs (Cicero)

I don’t know [1] what difference it might make, ¦ [2] whether I should come now,  or after ten years.

Mihi mehercule nihil vidēbātur esse, ¦ [1] in quō tantulum interesset ¦ [2] utrum per prōcūrātōrēs agerēs ¦ an per tē ipsum (Cicero)

For the life of me I cannot see any reason ¦ why it should make the least little bit of difference ¦ [2] whether you act by proxy ¦ or in person.

(1)    Here we have two groups of alternative questions:

Mīrāminī satis habuisse eōs quī hoc iūdicium dedērunt id quaerī, ¦ [1] utrum haec tam acerba, tam indigna, tam atrocia facta essent necne, nōn [2] utrum iūre facta an iniūriā? (Cicero)

And do you wonder that those who assigned this trial thought it sufficient that it should be inquired ¦ [1] whether these cruel, and scandalous, and atrocious actions had been done or not; not [2] whether they had been done rightly or wrongfully?

(2)   In this final example, necne appears alone:

Quaesīvī ā Catilīnā in conventū apud M. Laecam fuisset necne (Cicero)│ I asked Catiline whether he had been at the meeting at Marcus Laeca's or not.

In other words, alternative indirect questions can be expressed in different ways, but look for the signal words: utrum / an / annōn / necne.

[8] Note: English can use ‘if’ in indirect questions such as this:

Do you know if he speaks English?

I don’t know if he’s English or not.

It would be possible to translate constructions with utrum etc. using ‘if’:

Nesciō, ¦ utrum domī sit, annōn. │ I don’t know if he’s at home or not.

However, the English conjunction if is also used to construct a completely different clause, namely a conditional clause e.g. “If it rains, we won’t go out.” That is not an indirect question, and Latin does not use utrum, an, or necne (annōn) to form clauses of that type.

Level 3+; Subjunctive [68] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (5); num

[1] So far, we have looked at indirect questions that are introduced by an interrogative word e.g.

Nōn intellegō quid dīcat. │ I don’t understand what he is saying.

Nemō scīt quandō adveniat. │ Nobody knows when he may arrive.

Scīsne ubi templum sit? │  Do you know where the temple is?

Eum rogābō quis hoc fēcerit. │ I’ll ask him who did this.

Eum rogāvī cūr hoc fēcisset. │ I asked him why he had done this.

[2] Both in English and Latin, however, we can have a “yes-no” question:

Is he at home? The answer: Either, yes he is, or no he isn’t.

That same concept is expressed in Latin with num + the subjunctive:

Nesciō ¦ num domī sit. │ I don’t know ¦ whether / if he is at home.

Num quid vellem, ¦ rogāvit (Cicero) │ He asked me ¦ whether I wanted anything.

Ad tē scrībam, ¦ num quid ēgerim (Cicero) │ I will write to you ¦ whether I have accomplished anything.

Sānē velim scīre, ¦ num cēnsum impediant tribūnī (Cicero) │ I should much like to know ¦ whether the tribunes are hindering the census.

[3] Look at the indirect questions asked by Cicero in this extract where two forms of indirect question are used:

Volō etiam exquīrās … [1] quid Lentulus noster agat, ¦ quid Domitius agat, ¦ quid āctūrus sit, ¦ quem ad modum nunc sē gerant, [2] num quem accūsent, ¦ num cui suscēnseant …

I also want you to find out [1] what our Lentulus is doing, what Domitius is doing, what he is about to do, how they are now conducting themselves, [2] whether they accuse anyone, whether they are angry with anyone.

They fall into two groups:

(a) Indirect questions with interrogative words:

• quid Lentulus noster agat
• quid Domitius agat
• quid āctūrus sit
• quem ad modum nunc sē gerant

(b) Two distinct indirect yes/no questions introduced by num:

• num quem accūsent
• num cui suscēnseant

Level 3+; Subjunctive [66] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (4); tense sequences (iii) practice

Complete the Latin with the words listed below.

[1] Primary Sequence

[i] The boys ask each other [literally: among themselves] what they should do.

Puerī __________ inter sē __________ __________.

[ii] The old man does not know where he lives.

Senex __________ __________ __________.

[iii] We want to find out who has arrived.

__________ volumus __________ __________.

[iv] He asks the boy on what day he found the gold.

Ā puerō __________ __________ diē aurum __________.

[v] I will ask him when he will / is going to / intends to set out.

Eum __________ __________ __________.

[vi] I do not know how long he is going to stay in the countryside.

__________ __________ rūrī __________.

[vii] Do you know how much money was / has been found?

__________ __________ pecūnia __________?

[viii] We know why the prisoners were / have been killed.

__________ __________  captīvī  __________.

cognōscere; nesciō; nescit; quaerit; rogābō; rogant; scīmus; scīsne

cūr; quamdiū; quandō; quanta; quid; quis; quō; ubi

advēnerit; faciant; habitet; interfectī sint; invēnerit; inventa sit; mānsurus sit; profectūrus sit

[2] Historic Sequence

[i] I asked the boys what they were doing in the field.

Puerōs __________ __________ in agrō __________.

[ii] I understood what kind of man he was.

__________ __________ vir __________.

[iii] All the citizens knew why the consul had come to Rome.

Omnēs cīvēs __________ __________ cōnsul Rōmam __________.

[iv] They asked the commander how many soldiers he had led into battle.

Imperātōrem __________ __________ mīlitēs in proelium __________.

[v] The boys were asking each other what they would / were going to do.

Puerī inter sē __________ __________  __________.

[vi] We were asking the king who would / was going to kill the enemies.

Ā rēge __________ __________  inimīcōs __________.

[vii] The slave told his master how much money had been stolen.

Servus dominō __________ __________  pecūnia __________.

[viii] We did not know where the gold had been hidden.

__________ __________  aurum __________.

dīxit; intellēxī; nesciēbāmus; quaerēbāmus; rogābant; rogāvērunt; rogāvī; sciēbant

cūr; quālis; quanta; quid; quid; quis; quot; ubi

ablāta esset; advēnisset; cēlātum esset; dūxisset; esset; facerent; factūrī essent; interfectūrus esset

____________________

[1]

[i] Puerī rogant inter sē quid faciant.

[ii] Senex nescit ubi habitet.

[iii] Cognōscere volumus quis advēnerit.

[iv] Ā puerō quaerit quō diē aurum invēnerit.

[v] Eum rogābō quandō profectūrus sit.

[vi] Nesciō quamdiū rūrī mānsūrus sit.

[vii] Scīsne quanta pecūnia inventa sit?

[viii] Scīmus cūr captīvī interfectī sint.

[2]

[i] Puerōs rogāvī quid in agrō facerent.

[ii] Intellēxī quālis vir esset.

[iii] Omnēs cīvēs sciēbant cūr cōnsul Rōmam advēnisset.

[iv] Imperātōrem rogāvērunt quot mīlitēs in proelium dūxisset.

[v] Puerī inter sē rogābant quid factūrī essent.

[vi] Ā rēge quaerēbāmus quis inimīcōs interfectūrus esset.

[vii] Servus dominō dīxit quanta pecūnia ablāta esset.

[viii] Nesciēbāmus ubi aurum cēlātum esset.

Level 3+; Subjunctive [65] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (3); tense sequences (ii) primary and historic

 Compare [1] the primary sequence with [2] the historic sequence

Note that English and Latin operate in a similar way, except that the indirect question in Latin uses the subjunctive.

[1] Primary Sequence (Image part #1):

[i] The present subjunctive is used when the action is happening at the time of the main verb.

I ask him ¦ what he is doing. │ Eum rogō ¦ quid faciat.

I will ask him ¦ what he is doing. │ Eum rogābō ¦ quid faciat.

I have asked him ¦ what he is doing. │ Eum rogāvī ¦ quid faciat.

Ask him ¦ what he is doing. │ Rogā eum ¦ quid faciat.

[ii] The perfect subjunctive refers to an action that happened / has happened before the time of the main verb.

I will ask him ¦ what he did / has done. │ Eum rogābō ¦ quid fēcerit.

• Ego illud sciō ¦ quam doluerit ¦ cordī meō (Plautus) │ I know one thing – how (much) it has grieved my heart.
• Ex mē quaeris ¦ quid dēlīquerīs (Plautus) │ And you ask from me ¦ what you have done wrong.
• Possum scīre … quid vēnerīs? (Plautus) │ Can I know … ¦ why you have come?

Look out for passive and deponent forms:

• Nunc iam summātim expōnam ¦ quibus crīminibus Oppianicus damnātus sit (Cicero) │ Now I shall briefly set out ¦ on what charges Oppianicus was convicted.
• Sed lege indicium et vidē ¦ quem ad modum nōminātus sit (Cicero) │ But read the evidence and see ¦ in what manner he was named.
• 'Nōn indicās' inquit 'quid locūtus sīs.' (Quintilian) │ ‘You do not make known,” he said “What you have said.’

[iii] the construction with the future participle + the subjunctive of esse is used when the action is going to / will happen after the time of the main verb

I ask him ¦ what he is going to / will do. │ Eum rogō ¦ quid factūrus sit.

• Hinc intellegimus, quālis futūrus sīs (Scrīptōrēs Historiae Augustae) │ From this we understand ¦ what kind of man you will be.

[2] Historic Sequence (Image part #2):

[i] The imperfect subjunctive is used when the action was happening at the time of the main verb.

I asked him ¦ what he was doing. │ Eum rogāvī ¦ quid faceret.

• Interrogāvit ¦ quid esset (Seneca the Elder) │ He asked ¦ what it was.
• Interrogāvitque, ¦ quis esset (Vitruvius) │ And he asked ¦ who he was.
• Eum interrogāvit ¦ quid significāret verbum (Gellius) │ He asked him ¦ what the word meant.

[ii] The pluperfect subjunctive is used when the action had already happened before the time of the main verb. Focus, in particular, on the English use of had to emphasise that an action was already completed.

I asked him ¦ what he had done. │ Eum rogāvī ¦ quid fēcisset.

• Interrogāvit, ¦ quis id lignum ita composuisset (Gellius)│ He asked ¦ who had arranged that wood like that.
• Interrogāvit eum pater ¦ ā quō vulnerātus esset (Quintilian) │ The father asked him ¦ by whom he had been injured.

Look out for passive and deponent forms:

• Interrogāvit eum pater ¦ ā quō vulnerātus esset (Quintilian) │ The father asked him ¦ by whom he had been injured.
• At ille etiam proximus torō sēdit, ¦ quō diē quā hōrā nāta esset ¦ interrogāvit (Cicero) │ But he also sat down close to the bed and asked ¦ on what day and at what hour she had been born.

[iii] the construction with the future participle + the imperfect subjunctive of esse is used when the action would  / was going to happen after the time of the main verb

I asked him ¦ what he would do. │ Eum rogāvī ¦ quid factūrus esset.

• Exspectābant hominēs ¦ quidnam āctūrus esset (Cicero) │ People were waiting (to see) ¦ what he intended to do / would do.
• Metellus Pius in Hispāniā interrogātus, ¦ quid posterā diē factūrus esset, ¦ "tunicam meam..." inquit, "combūrerem." (Frontinus) │ Metellus Pius, having been questioned in Spain ¦ about what he would do the next day, said “I would burn … my tunic.’

Bear the image in mind, because it clearly shows how English translates each of the different subjunctive uses. Translators may not always maintain this pattern, but at this stage it is better to keep the translations of each use distinct. You need to take time - and plenty of reading - to "absorb" these constructions. Go slowly and - unlike Metellus Pius - don't burn your tunic!

Level 3+; Subjunctive [64] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (2); tense sequences (i) primary

[1]

(1) Nescīs [present indicative] ¦ (2) quid sentiam [present subjunctive] │ (1) You don’t know ¦ (2) what I am thinking. Translations may well retain the subjunctive idea: You don’t know ¦ what I may be thinking.

[2]

(1) Rogābis [future indicative] mē ¦ (2) ubi sit [present subjunctive] (Plautus) │ (1) You’ll ask me ¦ (2) where he is.

[3]

(2) Tū quid agās, (2) ubi sīs, (2) cuius modī istae rēs sint [all present subjunctive] ¦ (1) fac [imperative] mē quam dīligentissimē certiōrem (Cicero)

(1) Please let me know as carefully as possible …

(2) … what you’re doing …

(2) … where you are …

(2) … of what manner these affairs are [ = how matters are progressing / the progress of our affairs]

Examples from Plautus:

• Sceleste, at etiam ¦ quid velim, ¦ id tū mē rogās│ Rascal! And you even ask me that —what I want?
• Neque ille scit ¦ quid det, ¦ quid damnī ¦ faciat│ And he doesn’t know ¦ what he is giving, ¦ what harm he’s causing.
• Nec ¦ quid dicātis ¦ scīre nec mē ¦ cūr lūdātis ¦ possum│ And I can neither know [ = understand]  ¦ what you are saying , nor ¦ why you’re playing with me.
• Mē miseram, ¦ quid agam ¦ nesciō│ Poor me! I don’t know ¦ what I should do.
• Nōn edepol nunc ¦ ubi terrārum sim ¦ sciō│ Good gracious, I don't know ¦ where in the world I am.
• Dēmīror ¦ ubi nunc ambulet Messēniō │ I wonder ¦ where Messenio is walking now.

Indicative and subjunctive of the same verb in the same sentence:

• Gaudeō, etsī ¦ nīl sciō ¦ quod gaudeam│ I am rejoicing, although I haven't the least idea ¦ why I am / should be rejoicing.

This very brief exchange from Plautus shows the same verb as both a direct question in the indicative and an indirect question in the subjunctive.

Quid negōtīst? [ = Quid negotī est?] │ What’s the matter?

Quid negōtī sit ¦ rogās? │ You ask me ¦ what the matter is?

[4]

The Latin subjunctive has no future tense. When a specific future intention is meant, the subjunctive of esse + a future participle is used:

Certum nōn habeō, ¦ ubi sīs [present] aut ¦ ubi futūrus sīs [future] (Cicero) │ I do not know ¦ where you are or ¦ where you are going to be.

primary sequence; practice

Complete the Latin sentences with the words listed below.

[i]

(1) I don’t know (2) why (3) I should be friendly with him [ = why we should love him].

(1) __________ (2) __________ eum (3) __________ (Cicero)

[ii]

I want (1) to know (2) what (3) is happening [ = what is being done] here

Scīre (1) __________ (2) __________ hīc (3) __________.

[iii] Now I cannot conceive (1) where or (2) when (3) I shall see you.

Nunc, nec (1) __________ (2) nec __________ tē (3) __________, possum suspicārī (Cicero)

[iv] You must (1) bear in mind only this: (2) how many cohorts Caesar (3) has at hand against you.

Dēbēs illud sōlum (1) __________, (2) __________ in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē (3) __________  Caesar (Cicero)

[v] (1) What portents (2) we read every day, (3) you will understand from this pamphlet.

Nōs (1) __________ mōnstra cotīdiē (2) __________, (3) __________ ex illō libellō (Cicero)

[vi] (1) I know both (2) whom (3) I should fear and (4) for what reason.

Ego (1) __________, et (2) __________  (3) __________ et (4) __________ (Cicero)

animadvertere; intellegēs; nesciō; sciō; scīre

cūr; quae; quam ob rem; quandō; quem; quid; quot; ubi

agātur; amēmus; habeat; legāmus; metuam; sim vīsūrus

____________________

[i] Nesciō, cūr illum amēmus.

[ii] Scīre volō quid hīc agātur.

[iii] Nunc, nec ubi nec quandō tē sim vīsūrus, possum suspicārī

[iv] Dēbēs illud sōlum animadvertere, quot in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē habeat Caesar.

[v] Nōs quae mōnstra cotīdiē lēgāmus, intellegēs ex illō libellō.

[vi] Ego sciō, et quem metuam et quam ob rem.

Level 3+; Subjunctive [63] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (1)

[1] Direct question: “What are you doing?”

[a] A direct question is an independent sentence introduced by interrogative words and phrases e.g. who? what? where? what time?

• Who is that man?
• Where is the station?
• Why did you do that?
• What time is it?

[b] A direct question in an independent sentence may also be expressed by inversion of the subject and verb or with the inclusion of do / does?

• Is he English?
• Does he speak French?

[2] Indirect question: I want to know what you are doing.

[a] An indirect question is introduced by a principal clause, the question itself contained within the subordinate clause:

• I want to know ¦ who that man is.
• Do you know ¦ where the station is?
• Can you tell me ¦ why you did that?
• Does anybody have any idea ¦ what time it is?

[b] Direct questions introduced by inversion or do / does:

• Do you know if he’s English? Do you know whether he’s English (or not)?
• Do you know if he speaks French? Do you know whether he speaks French (or not)?

[3] An important point to remember is that, although we use the term indirect question, no question is necessarily being asked:

• I’ve no idea ¦ where the library is.
• I know ¦ how the magician does that trick.
• The teacher told me ¦ how often John hadn’t done his homework.
• I’m not sure ¦ if he’s English.
• I don’t know ¦ whether or not he speaks French.

[4] The constructions laid out above are very similar to the way in which Latin distinguishes between direct and indirect questions. In Latin, however, all indirect questions use the subjunctive.

[5] We’ll begin with the way in which Latin most often introduces indirect questions – with a question word. Not all question words are included, but more than enough to see how the subjunctive is operating in the indirect question. Remember that, although we call them ‘indirect questions’, this rule applies to any subordinate clause introduced by a question word: the verb is subjunctive.

cūr: why

• Nesciō ¦ cūr nōn possint (Cicero) │ I don’t know ¦ why they can’t.

quārē: why

• Quārē id faciam fortasse requīris? (Catullus) │ Do you ask ¦ why I do this ¦ perhaps?

quis / quae / quid: who, which, what

• Quaerō ¦ quis sit nocēns (Cicero) │ I ask ¦ who is guilty.
• Quid ipse sentiam ¦ expōnam (Cicero) │ I will explain ¦ what I think.
• Rogat mē ¦ quid sentiam (Cicero) │ He asks me ¦ what I think.
• At ille cautior perītōs locōrum rogat, ¦ quis aestus sit, ¦ quae signa dent nūbēs (Seneca the Younger) │ But he, more cautious, asks the experts of the place, ¦ what the tide is like, ¦ what signs the clouds give.

ubi: where

• Ubi sit ¦ ego sciō (Plautus) │ I know ¦ where she is.
• Quaerunt ā mē ¦ ubi sit pecūnia (Cicero) │ They are asking me ¦ where the money is.

quō: to where

• Quō eat ¦ nōn cōgitat (Honoratus) │ He does not think about ¦ where he is going (to)

quandō: when

• Nesciō ¦ quandō rogem (Seneca the Elder) │ I do not know ¦ when I will ask.

quōmodo: how

• Quōmodo hinc abeam ¦ nesciō (Terence) │ I don't know ¦ how I may get away from here.

quam: how

• Quam sīs audāx ¦ omnēs intellegere potuērunt (Cicero) │ All could understand ¦ how bold you are.

quot: how much / many

• Scīre equidem volō ¦ quot mihi sint dominī (Terence) │ For my part, I should like to know ¦ how many masters I have [literally: there are to me]

[6] In the quotations above, a number of different verbs were used to introduce the indirect question, for example:

cōgitō: I think

expōnō: I explain

intellegō: I understand

nesciō: I do not know

rogō: I ask

sciō: I know

The image shows a fuller, but still not exhaustive list of verbs of asking, knowing, saying, perceiving, or considering that may signal an indirect question.