Chapter 7: The Subjunctive Mood—Independent Uses

Nullus ēvādat. — 2 Kings 10:25
Translation

Let no one escape.

Details

Nūllus /nūlla/nūllum (1/2, irreg.): no (one), none, not any; insignificant. Ēvādat is the third person singular subjunctive form of ēvādō, ēvādere, ēvāsī, ēvāsum (3): to escape (subjunctive because it’s jussive).


Valeat quantum valere potest. — legal maxim
Translation

Let it have effect as far as it can.

More literally: Let it be of effect as much as it is able to be of effect.

Details

Valeat is the third person singular subjunctive form of valeō, valēre, valuī, valitum (2): to be strong; be worth; be of effect (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Quantum (rel. adv.): as much as. Valeō, valēre, valuī, valitum (2): to be strong; be worth; be of effect. Potest is the third person singular form of possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can.


Citius elephantum sub ala cēlēs. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

You (sg.) would more quickly hide an elephant under your arm.

Details

Citius (adv.) is the comparative form of cito (adv.): quickly. Elephantum is the accusative singular form of elephantus, elephantī (2m): elephant. Sub (prep.): (with abl.) under (as a location); (with acc.) under (with motion), toward and under. Ālā is the ablative singular form of āla, ālae (1f): wing; upper arm, armpit. Cēlēs is the second person singular subjunctive form of cēlō, cēlāre, cēlāvi, cēlātum (1): to conceal, hide; disguise (subjunctive because it describes a potential).


Haec sit propositi nostri summa. — Seneca, Epistles 75.4
Translation

Let this be the whole of our intention.

Details

Hic/ haec /hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Sit is the third person singular subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Prōpositum, prōpositī (2n): intention or objective; subject or theme, point; proposition. Nostrī is the m/n genitive singular form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): ours, ours. Summa, summae (1f): sum; principal thing, chief point; whole issue.


Platonem audiant. — Cicero, Laws 2.41
Translation

Let them hear the words of Plato.

More literally: Let them hear Plato.

Details

Platōnem is the accusative form of Platō, Platōnis (3m): Plato. Audiant is the third person plural subjunctive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear, listen (subjunctive because it’s jussive).


Linquāmus naturam, artesque videāmus. — Cicero, On Oratory 3.180
Translation

Let us leave nature and contemplate the arts.

More literally: Let us leave nature and see the arts.

Details

Linquāmus is the first person plural subjunctive form of linquō, linquere, līquī, — (3): to leave, depart from (subjunctive because it’s hortatory; the same goes for the other verb). Nātūram is the accusative singular form of nātūra, nātūrae (1f): nature. Artēsque is the accusative plural form of ars, artis (3f): art, skill, technique (the enclitic conjunction –que adds and). Videamus is the first person plural subjunctive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see; consider (a hortatory subjunctive).


Et ne indūcās nos in temptationem sed libera nos a malo. — Matt. 6:13
Translation

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Details

Et (conj.): and. (adv.): not (in a command or wish). Indūcās is the second person singular subjunctive form of indūcō, indūcere, indūxī, inductum (3): to lead; bring forward; lead on, entice; put on (a garment) (subjunctive with because it’s a negative command). Nōs is the accusative form of nōs: we. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Temptātiōnem is the accusative singular form of temptātiō, temptātiōnis (3f): test; trial; temptation. Sed (conj.): but. Līberā is the singular imperative form of līberō, līberāre, līberāvī, līberātum (1): to free, liberate, release; deliver (from a condition, etc.); absolve. Ab/ ā (prep.): from; by (takes the ablative). Malō is the ablative singular form of malum, malī (2n): evil; calamity; suffering.


Nūbant quibus volunt. — Num. 36:6
Translation

Let them marry to whom they will.

Details

(So long as it’s men of their own tribe.) Nūbant is the third person plural subjunctive form of nūbō, nūbere, nūpsī, nūptum (3): (usually of a woman) to marry (subjunctive because it’s jussive). It takes a dative object, so quibus is functioning as the dative object of an implied infinitive form (nūbere) that accompanies volunt (marry whom they wish to marry). Quibus is the m/f/n (here m) dative plural form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Volunt is the third person plural form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want.


Immo in meam domum veniat. — Seneca, On Mercy 15.3
Translation

Rather, let the man come to my house.

Alt. : No, let him come to my home.

Details

Immō (particle): nay, rather; on the contrary. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into. Meam is the feminine accusative singular form of meus/mea/meum (1/2): my, mine. Domum is the accusative singular form of domus, domūs (2/4f): house, home. Veniat is the third person singular subjunctive form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come (subjunctive because it’s jussive).


Stēmus simul. — Isa. 50:8
Translation

Let us stand together.

Details

Stēmus is the first person plural subjunctive form of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand (subjunctive because it’s hortatory). Simul (adv.): at the same time; together.


Tu carmen scrībās? — Seneca the Elder, Controversies (excerpts) 6.8.1
Translation

Are you to write a verse?

Details

: you. Carmen is the accusative singular form of carmen, carminis (3n): song, poem, verse. Scrībās is the second person singular subjunctive form of scrībō, scrībere, scrīpsī, scrīptum (3): to write (subjunctive because it’s in a deliberative question).


Moveant animos Actaeonis umbrae! — Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.720
Translation

Let the shades of Actaeon move your spirits!

Details

Moveant is the third person plural subjunctive form of moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum (2): to move, stir; disturb (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Animōs is the accusative plural form of animus, animī (2m): soul, mind, spirit. Actaeōn, Actaeonis (3m): Actaeon, a mythological hero from Thebes. Umbrae is the nominative plural form of umbra, umbrae (1f): shadow; shade; ghost.


Quid dem? — Horace, Epistles 2.2.63
Translation

What am I to put before them?

More literally: What am I to give (them)?

Details

Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Dem is the first person singular subjunctive form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give (subjunctive because it’s in a deliberative question).


Cōnsīdāmus hic. — Cicero, On Fate 4
Translation

Let us sit down here.

Details

Cōnsīdāmus is the first person plural subjunctive form of cōnsīdō, cōnsīdere, cōnsēdī, cōnsessum (3): to sit down (subjunctive because it’s hortatory). Hīc (adv.): here.


Falsus utinam vates sim. — Livy, History of Rome 21.10.10
Translation

Would that my prophecy prove false!

More literally: Would that I be a false prophet!

Details

Falsus /falsa/falsum (1/2): false; fake. Utinam (particle): if only, I wish that, would that, may. . . ! Vātēs, vātis (3m/f): prophet, seer. Sim is the first person singular subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s a wish).


Idem evenire nobis sciās. — Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind 11.4
Translation

The same thing, you may know, applies to us.

More literally: You (sg.) may know the same to happen to us.

Details

Idem is the neuter accusative singular form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron.): the same. Ēveniō, ēvenīre, ēvēnī, ēventum (4): to happen, occur. Nōbīs is the dative form of nōs: we. Sciās is the second person singular subjunctive form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (subjunctive because it describes a potential).


Quisquis es, o faveās nostrisque laboribus ads i s. — Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.613
Translation

Whoever you are, O favor us and support our labors.

Details

(An appeal to an unseen divinity.) Quisquis /quidquid (rel. pron.): whoever, whatever. Es: you are. Ō (interjection): O! Oh! Faveās is the second person singular subjunctive form of faveō, favēre, fāvī, fautum (2): to favor, support (takes a dative word as object) (subjunctive because it’s a wish or command). Nostrīsque is the m/f/n dative plural form of noster/nostra/nostrum (1/2): our, ours; the enclitic conjunction –que adds and. Labōribus is the dative plural form of labor, labōris (3m): labor, work. Adsīs is the second person singular subjunctive form of adsum, adesse, adfuī, adfutūrus (irreg.): to be present; be there for, support (with dative object) (subjunctive because it’s a wish or command).

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