cum and the imperfect subjunctive

Revision:

You recently learnt the pluperfect subjunctive. This is the form of the verb that is formed by taking
the third principle part and adding -sse +the subjunctive person endings.

For example: porto, portare, portavi, portatus: carry

The pluperfect subjunctive =

I had carried: portavissem we had carried: portavissemus

you had carried : portavisses you (pl) had carried: portavissetis

he /she/it had carried: portavisset they had carried: portavissent

To remind yourself of these, write out the pluperfect subjunctive forms of:

Text
fero, ferre, tuli, latus: bring

I had brought …………………… we had brought ……………………

you had brought …………………… you (pl) had brought ……………………

he / she / it had brought …………………… they had brought ……………………

New work: The imperfect subjunctive.

The imperfect subjunctive is formed by taking the second principle part (i.e. the in nitive) and
adding the subjunctive endings (the same endings as with the pluperfect subjunctive).

For example: porto, portare, portavi, portatus: carry

I was carrying: portarem we were carrying: portaremus

you were carrying: portares you (pl) were carrying: portaretis

he / she / it was carrying: portaret they were carrying: portarent

Now you practise - write out the imperfect subjunctives of:

1. neco, necare, necavi, necatus: kill

2. fero, ferre, tuli, latus: bring

3. do, dare, dedi, datus: give

I was killing …………………… we were killing ……………………

you were killing …………………… you (pl) were killing ……………………

he / she / it was killing …………………… they were killing …………………

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I was bringing …………………… we were bringing ……………………

you were bringing …………………… you (pl) were bringing ……………………

he / she / it was bringing …………………… they were bringing ……………………

I was giving …………………… we were giving ……………………

you were giving …………………… you (pl) were giving ……………………

he / she / it was giving …………………… they were giving ……………………

Temporal Clauses.

We learnt that cum means ‘when’ in Latin, and that when it is used in a time clause / temporal
clause in past time, it goes with the pluperfect or imperfect subjunctive.

For example:

cum canis dormiret, feles cibum abstulit.

Imperfect subjunctive = was X-ing

When the dog was sleeping, the cat stole the food.

cum gladiatores leonem necavissent, spectatores plauserunt

When the gladiators had killed the lion, the spectators pluperfect subjunctive = had X-ed
applauded.

Practice:

Now translate these sentences. Section A uses only the imperfect subjunctive. To make it easier, I
have underlined the imperfect subjunctive. Section B has a mix of pluperfect and imperfect
subjunctive so is slightly more di cult.

A.
1. cum hospites cenam consumerent, fur cubiculum intravit.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. iuvenes, cum bestias agitarent, militem vulneratum conspexerunt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. puella, cum epistolam scriberet, sonitum mirabilem audivit.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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4. senator, cum ad forum ambularet, ab leone oppugnatus est. [oppugnatus est = he was
attacked]

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B.

1. cum senex epistulam legisset, multo laetior erat. [multo = much / a lot]

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. pueri, cum montem ascenderent, corpus invenerunt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. cum custos dormiret, captivi e ugere poterant.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. dominus, cum totam rem intellexissent, servum liberari iussit. [liberari = to be freed]

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. cum pater iratus esse videretur, liberi taciti laborabant. [videretur = he seemed; liberi = children]

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. ubi Roman adveni, de morte imperatoris audivi.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. cum verba nuntii audivissent, cives valde miseri erant.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. cum portam custodiremus, exercitum advenientem conspeximus. [exercitum = army]

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12 x 2 = 24
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