HUM 493 / REL 493 - Intermediate Latin
Course Notes - Week 14 - part 1
Review of Direct Questions
Direct Questions give the actual words of the question.
eg. - Did you see it?
Indirect Questions report the substance of the question, but not the actual words,
eg. The man asked if you saw it
Latin, like English, has several ways of expressing a Direct Question :
- Latin can add -ne to the first word in the sentence
tune hoc dixistī? = Did you say this? - If the speaker is expecting the answer "yes, sure, certainly, you bet", the question will begin with "nōne"
nōnne tu hoc dixistī? = You did say this, didn't you? - If the speaker is expecting the answer "No, of course not, not on your life, are you kidding?", the question will begin with "num"
num to hoc dixistī? = You didn't say this, did you?. Surely you didn't say this, did you? - If the speaker is expressing surprise, the question may begin with "an"
an tu hoc dixistī? = Did you really say this? - Questions may be introduced by an interrogative, eg. who? why? when? etc.
cur hoc dixistī? = Why did you say this? - Direct Questions which give an alternative begin with "utrum . . . an (or anne) . . " or "utrum . . . annōn . . " (although the initial "utrum" may be ommitted)
utrum tu hoc dixistī annōn? = Did you say this or not? - Sometimes, as in English, a Latin speaker would express a simple question just by the tone of voice (rising tone and emphasis towards the end of the question). In writing, this is indicated by the question mark at the end
tu dixistī? = You said this? - Deliberative Questions use the subjunctive
quid faciam? = What should I do? What am I to do? - Rhetorical Questions (one's which are not really asking for an answer, or for which the answer is taken for granted, use an Infinitive + Accusative construction - see examples in Cicero's Orations against Catiline, below
The simple affirmative and negative Yes and No do not exist in Latin.
- An affirmative answer can be expressed by "ita" (so), "ita vero" (in fact so), "vero" (in fact, truly), "sane" (truly, sure), "etiam" (still, also)
- A negative answer may be expressed by "non ita" (not so), non vero" (not so), minime" (not in the least), minime vero" (not in the least so);
Selections for Cicero's Catiline Orations
"Quid facis, Catilīna? Quid cōgitās?"
"What are you doing, Catiline? What are you thinking?"
"Quō ūsque tandem abūtēre, Catilīa, patientiā nostrā?"
"How much further, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?"
"Quam diū etiam furor iste tuus nōs ēlūdet?"
"How much longer will your madness mock us?"
"Quem ad fīnem sēsē effrēnāta iactābit audācia?"
"What limit will you put on your unbridled audacity? "
"patēre tua cōnsilia nōn sentis?"
"Don't you realize that your plans are now exposed?"
"Quid proximā, quid superiōre nocte ēgerīs, ubi fuerīs, quōs convocāverīs, quid cōnsiliī cēperīs, quem nostrum ignōrāre arbitrāris?
"What you did last might, and the night before, where you were, whom you summoned, what council you took (plan you made) - Do you suppose us to be ignorant (of all that)?"
(Catiline had tried to have Cicero assassinated on the night before this speech)
"Ō tempora! Ō mōrēs!"
"O the times! O the morals! (What an age we live in! What standards of morality do we allow!)"
"Vīvit?????"
"He lives?? (He is allowed to live?)"
"Catilinam orbem terrae caede atque incendiis vastare cupientem nos consules perferemus?"
"Shall we consuls tolerate Catiline (when he is) wishing to devastate the whole world with slaughter and fire?"
"num negare audes? quid taces?"
"You can't deny it, can you? Why are you silent?"
"O di immortales! ubinam gentium sumus?"
"Ye immortal gods! Where in the world are we?"
"quam rem publicam habemus? in qua urbe vivimus?"
"What kind of a State do we have? In what sort of city are we living?"
"Quid est, Catilina?"
"What is it, Catiline?"
"num dubitas id me imperante facere, quod iam tua sponte faciebas?"
"You surely don't hesitate to do at my orders that which you were about to do of your own accord, do you?"
"exire ex urbe iubet consul hostem:"
"The consul (Cicero) is ordering a (public) enemy to get out of town"
"interrogas me, num in exsilium?"
"You ask me, "Surely not into exile (You don't mean exile, do you)?"
" non iubeo; sed, si me consulis, suadeo"
"I am not ordering (you), but if you ask my advice, I recommend (it)"
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