The Hortatory Subjunctive is used in the present tense to express an
exhortation
or a
command.
The negative is
nē
.
-
hōs latrōnēs
interficiāmus
(B. G. 7.38)
,
let us kill these robbers.
-
caveant
intemperantiam,
meminerint
verēcundiae
(Off. 1.122)
,
let them shun excess and cherish modesty.
The hortatory subjunctive occurs rarely in the perfect (except in prohibitions: §
450
): as,
—Epicūrus hōc vīderit
(Acad. 2.19)
,
let Epicurus look to this.
The term
hortatory subjunctive
is sometimes restricted to the first person plural, the second and third persons being designated as the
jussive subjunctive;
but the constructions are substantially identical.
Once in Cicero and occasionally in the poets and later writers the negative with the hortatory subjunctive is
nōn
: as,—ā
lēgibus nōn recēdāmus
(Clu. 155)
,
let us not abandon the laws.
The Second Person of the hortatory subjunctive is used only of an
indefinite subject
, except in prohibitions, in early Latin, and in poetry:—
-
iniūriās fortūnae, quās
ferre
nequeās, dēfugiendō
relinquās
(Tusc. 5.118)
,
the wrongs of fortune, which you cannot bear, leave behind by flight.
-
exoriāre
aliquis ultor
(Aen. 4.625)
,
rise
,
some avenger.
-
istō bonō
ūtāre
dum adsit, cum absit nē
requīrās
(Cat. M. 33)
,
use this blessing while it is present; when it is wanting do not regret it.
-
doceās
iter et sacra ōstia
pandās
(Aen. 6.109)
,
show us the way and lay open the sacred portals.
For Negative Commands (
prohibitions
), see §
450
.
The Imperfect and Pluperfect of the hortatory subjunctive denote an
unfulfilled obligation
in past time:—
-
morerētur
, inquiēs
(Rab. Post. 29)
,
he should have died, you will say.
-
potius
docēret
(Off. 3.88)
,
he should rather have taught.
-
nē
poposcissēs
(Att. 2.1.3)
,
you should not have asked.
-
saltem aliquid dē pondere
dētrāxisset
(Fin. 4.57)
,
at least he should have taken something from the weight.
In this construction the Pluperfect usually differs from the Imperfect only in more clearly representing the time for action as
momentary
or as
past.
This use of the subjunctive is carefully to be distinguished from the
potential
use (§
446
). The difference is indicated by the
translation
,
should
or
ought
(not
would
or
might
).
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