In expressions signifying necessity , propriety , and the like, the Indicative may be used in the apodosis of implied conditions, either future or contrary to fact:— quod contrā decuit ab illō meum [corpus cremārī] (Cat. M. 84) , whereas on the other hand mine ought to have been burnt by him. nam nōs decēbat domum lūgēre ubi esset aliquis in lūcem ēditus (Tusc. 1.115) , for it were fitting for us to mourn the house where a man has been born (but we do not). quantō melius fuerat (Off. 3.94) , how much better it would have been. illud erat aptius , aequum cuique concēdere (Fin. 4.2) , it would be more fitting to yield each one his rights. ipsum enim exspectāre māgnum fuit (Phil. 2.103) , would it have been a great matter to wait for the man himself? longum est ea dīcere, sed ... (Sest. 12) , it would be tedious to tell , etc. [Future.] In this construction, the Imperfect Indicative refers to present time; the Pluperfect to simple past time, like the Perfect. Thus oportēbat means it ought to be [now], but is not; oportuerat means it ought to have been, but was not. In many cases it is impossible to say whether a protasis was present to the mind of the speaker or not (see third example above).

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