Note: Some blanks will need to be filled with verbs that aren’t imperfect subjunctive (but at least one blank per exercise requires an imperfect subjunctive verb).
Most of them recommended that they should travel by night.
More literally: Most recommended that they should make the journey by night.
Plērīque is the masculine nominative plural form of plērusque/plēraque/plērumque (1/2): most; very many. Cēnsēbant is the third person plural imperfect from of cēnseō, cēnsēre, cēnsuī, cēnsum (2): to hold or declare as one’s opinion; judge, deem, think, suppose; recommend; register at a census; assess. Ut (conj.): that, so that. Noctū (adv.): at night, by night, during the night. Iter is the accusative singular form of iter, itineris (3n): journey; way. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect command).
We would have had no leftovers!
More literally: We would have nothing of leftovers!
(If you had invited me to your dinner.) Reliquiae, (1f, plural only): remains; remnants of food, leftovers. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing; no amount (of). is the first person plural imperfect subjunctive form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have (imperfect subjunctive because it’s in a present contrary-to-fact statement).
She’s an old woman. I might be willing, if she were older.
More literally: . . . I would be willing, if she were more old (or more of an old woman, more truly an old woman).
(He’s talking about marrying a woman, which he might have considered if she were closer to death because then he would inherit.) Anus, anūs (4f): old woman; the word can also be used as a feminine adjective meaning old. Est: she is. is the first person singular imperfect subjunctive form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want; be willing (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Sī (conj.): if. Magis (adv.): more. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Anus, anūs (4f): old woman; the word can also be used as a feminine adjective meaning old.
I waited for a long time to see if the tyrant would get thrown out.
More literally: I waited a long time for whether the tyrant would get thrown out.
Diū (adv.): long, for a long time. Expectō, expectāre, expectāvī, expectātum (1): to wait for, await; expect. An (interrog. particle): whether (starting an indirect question); or (in a question); it can also start a direct question. is the third person singular imperfect passive subjunctive form of ēiciō, ēicere, ēiēcī, ēiectum (3, –iō): to expel, throw out, drive out (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Tyrannus, tyrannī (2m): tyrant; ruler.
To this end were you born—to lose, to perish. . .
Alt. : You (m. sg.) were born for this, to suffer loss, to perish. . .
(. . . to hope, to fear, to upset others and yourself; i.e., life is hard.) Ad (prep.): to; at; for (takes the accusative). Hoc is the neuter accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this, this one; he, she, it. is the second person masculine singular perfect passive form of gignō, gignere, genuī, genitum (3): to beget; give birth to; create; cause; produce; (in the passive) be born. Ut (conj.): that, so that. is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of perdō, perdere, perdidī, perditum (3): to destroy; waste; lose (subjunctive because it’s in a purpose clause). is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of pereō, perīre, periī, peritum (irreg.): to become lost, disappear; be destroyed, perish, die (subjunctive because it’s in a purpose clause).
Even if I knew, I would not say.
More literally: Even if I knew, I would not reveal (it).
Etiamsī (conj.): even if. is the first person singular imperfect subjunctive form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Nōn: not. is the first person singular imperfect subjunctive form of indicō, indicāre, indicāvī, indicātum (1): to point out; reveal; betray (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
Would that they were indeed following you!
(He’s talking about emotions, and saying they don’t follow you; you carry them.) Utinam (particle): if only, I wish that, would that, may. . . ! Quidem (particle): at any rate; indeed. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of sequor, sequī, secūtus sum (3, deponent): to follow (imperfect subjunctive because it’s a present contrary-to-fact wish).
I was as afraid of his drinking the poison as of his giving it to me.
More literally: I feared just as much that he would drink the poison as that he would give (it).
Aequē (adv.): equally, just as (much). Timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid. Nē (conj. , with subjunctive): lest, that not, so that not; that (a feared thing will happen). is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of bibō, bibere, bibī, bibitum (3): to drink (subjunctive because it’s in a fear clause). Venēnum is the accusative singular form of venēnum, venēnī (2n): poison. Quam (rel. adv.): than; as. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give (subjunctive because it’s in a fear clause).
I didn’t deceive you about my character.
More literally: I did not deceive you of what kind I was.
Nōn: not. Fallō, fallere, fefellī, falsum (3): to deceive. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Quālis /quālis/quāle (3, interrog. adj.): of what kind? is the first person singular imperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
You have achieved your own immunity from fear of any citizen.
More literally: You (pl.) have achieved that you not fear any citizen.
Vōs: you (pl.). is the second person masculine plural perfect form of adipīscor, adipīscī, adeptus sum (3, deponent): to catch up with; reach; get, obtain, acquire; achieve. Nē (conj. , with subjunctive): lest, that not, so that not. Quem is the masculine accusative singular form of quī/qua/quod (indef. adj.): (in certain types of clauses, especially after sī, nisi, num and nē) any. Cīvem is the accusative singular form of cīvis, cīvis (3m/f): citizen. is the second person plural imperfect subjunctive form of metuō, metuere, metuī, metūtum (3): to fear, be afraid, dread.
They would have been delighted to hear it.
More literally: They would have heard (it) gladly.
Illī is the masculine nominative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. Libenter (adv.): willingly, gladly. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear (subjunctive because it describes potential action).
Too long we have kept our feelings hidden.
More literally: Too long we have hidden what we felt.
Nimium (adv.): too (much), excessively. Diū (adv.): long, for a long time. is the first person plural perfect form of tegō, tegere, tēxī, tēctum (3): to cover; hide. Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the first person plural imperfect subjunctive form of sentiō, sentīre, sēnsī, sēnsum (4): to feel; think (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
If he were going to come, he would utter no threats.
More literally: . . . he would not threaten.
Sī (conj.): if. Ventūrus /ventūra/ventūrum (1/2) is the future active participle of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Nōn: not. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of minor, minārī, minātus sum (1, deponent): to threaten (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
Would that I could say that they were merely of no profit! They are positively harmful.
More literally: I wish they only were not helpful! They are harmful.
(He’s talking about the logic games into which philosophy sometimes descends.) Utinam (particle): if only, I wish that, would that, may. . . ! Tantum (adv.): so much, so greatly; only. Nōn: not. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of prōsum, prōdesse, prōfuī, prōfutūrus (irreg.): to benefit, be helpful (imperfect subjunctive because it’s a present contrary-to-fact wish). is the third person plural form of noceō, nocēre, nocuī, nocitum (2): to be harmful, harm.
He began to wonder what to do.
More literally: He began to consider what he should do.
Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, cause to move; do, perform, deal with, engage in; act (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect, and also deliberative, question). Coepit is the third person singular perfect form of coepī, coepisse, coeptum (3, –iō, defective): began (no present tense in regular use; I begin is incipiō). Cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think, ponder, consider.
You would envy Hirtius if you did not love him.
Hirtiō is the m/n (here m) dative singular form of Hirtius/Hirtia/Hirtium (1/2): Roman family name (in this case, a famous consul). is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of invideō, invidēre, invīdī, invīsum (2): to envy (the person envied goes in the dative) (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Nisi (conj.): if not, unless; except. Eum is the masculine accusative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
I would give him back if his father were looking for him.
(From a dispute about a stolen child.) is the first person singular imperfect subjunctive form of reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum (3): to give back, return (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Sī (conj.): if. Pater, patris (3m): father. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to search for, look for, seek; seek to know, ask, inquire (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
Even if we were paying attention, life would still slip by us.
Etiamsī (conj.): even if. is the first person plural imperfect subjunctive form of adtendō, adtendere, adtendī, adtentum (3—also attendō): to direct toward; pay attention to, attend to (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Tamen (adv.): nevertheless, yet, still. Nōs is the accusative form of nōs: we (us). Vīta, vītae (1f): life. is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of praecurrō, praecurrere, praecurrī/praecucurrī, praecursum (3): to run before, go on before; precede; surpass (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
They would be an evil if they did harm of themselves.
(He’s talking about riches—dīvitiae, dīvitiārum (1f, plural only).) is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Malum, malī (2n): a bad thing; evil; trouble, misfortune; misdeed; disease. Sī (conj.): if. Ipsae is the feminine nominative plural form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): (he) himself, (she) herself, (it) itself. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of noceō, nocēre, nocuī, nocitum (2): to be harmful, harm (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
I have heard you offering consolation to others.
More literally: I have heard you when you (sg.) were consoling others.
Audiō, audīre, audīvī /audiī, audītum (4): to hear. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Cum (conj.): when; since; while; although. Aliōs is the masculine accusative plural form of alius/alia/aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another; different. is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of cōnsōlor, cōnsōlārī, cōnsōlātus sum (1, deponent): to console, comfort (subjunctive because it’s in a circumstantial cum clause).
I have therefore touched on these matters because I did not want to be criticized for leaving them out.
More literally: I therefore have touched on these things lest I be seen to have disregarded (them).
Itaque (adv.): and so, therefore. Haec is the neuter accusative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this, this one; he, she, it (these things). Nē (conj.): lest, that not, so that not. is the perfect infinitive form of omittō, omittere, omīsī, omissum (3): to let go of; omit, disregard. is the first person singular imperfect passive subjunctive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see; (in the passive) seem, be thought, be deemed (subjunctive because it’s in a purpose clause—a negative one). Attingō, attingere, attigī, attāctum (3—also adtingō): to touch (on).
He explained what was impending.
Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular imperfect subjunctive form of inmineō, inminēre, —, — (2—also inmineō): to overhang; threaten, menace, impend (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). is the third person singular perfect form of ēdoceō, ēdocēre, ēdocuī, ēdoctum (2): to instruct or inform thoroughly.
For fear of having your pocket picked?
More literally: Were you (pl.) afraid lest coins be snatched away for (i.e., from) you?
(In response to: Why did you ask for a guard?) An (interrog. particle): whether (starting an indirect question); or (in a question); it can also (like here) start a direct question. Nē (conj. , with subjunctive): lest, that not, so that not; that (something feared will happen). Nummī is the nominative plural form of nummus, nummī (2m): coin; (often pl.) money. Vōbīs is the dative form of vōs: you (pl.). is the third person plural imperfect passive subjunctive form of ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēreptum (3, –iō): to snatch away; snatch out; rescue (often takes the dative of the person that something is snatched away from) (subjunctive because it’s in a fear clause). Timēbātis is the second person plural imperfect form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear, be afraid.