# Latin for beginners (1911)/Part III/Lesson LXIX

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LESSON LXIX
THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF CHARACTERISTIC OR DESCRIPTION THE PREDICATE ACCUSATIVE
389. Akin to the subjunctive of consequence or result is the use of the subjunctive in clauses of characteristic or description. This construction is illustrated in the following sentences:
* Quis est quī suam domum nōn amet? who is there who does not love his own home?
* Erant quī hoc facere nōllent, there were (some) who were unwilling to do this.
* Tū nōn is es quī amīcōs trādās, you are not such a one as to, or you are not the man to, betray your friends.
4. Nihil videō quod timeam, I see nothing to fear (nothing of such as character as to fear it).
a. Each of these examples contains a descriptive relative clause which tells what kind of a person or thing the antecedent is. To express this thought the subjunctive is used. A relative clause that merely states a fact and does not describe the antecedent uses the indicative. Compare the sentences
* Cæsar is the man who is leading us, Caesar est is quī nōs dūcit (mere statement of fact, no description, with the indicative)
* Cæsar is the man to lead us, Caesar est is quī nōs dūcat (descriptive relative clause with the subjunctive)
b. Observe that in this construction a demonstrative pronoun and a relative, as is quī, are translated such a one as to, the man to.
c. In which of the following sentences would you use the indicative and in which the subjunctive?
390. Rule. Subjunctive of Characteristic. A relative clause with the subjunctive is often used to describe an antecedent. This is called the subjunctive of characteristic or description. ​391. Observe the sentences
* Rōmānī Caesarem cōnsulem fēcērunt, the Romans made Cæsar consul.
* 2. Caesar cōnsul ā Rōmānīs factus est, Cæsar was made consul by the Romans.
a. Observe in 1 that the transitive verb fēcērunt, made, has two objects: (1) the direct object, Caesarem; (2) a second object, cōnsulem, referring to the same person as the direct object and completing the predicate. The second accusative is called a Predicate Accusative.
b. Observe in 2 that when the verb is changed to the passive both of the accusatives become nominatives, the direct object becoming the subject and the predicate accusative the predicate nominative.
392. Rule. Two Accusatives. Verbs of making, choosing, calling, showing, and the like, may take a predicate accusative along with the direct object. With the passive voice the two accusatives become nominatives.
393. The verbs commonly found with two accusatives are
394.
EXERCISES
I.
* In Germāniae silvis sunt multa genera ferārum quae reliquīs in locīs nōn vīsa sint.
* Erant itinera duo quibus Helvētiī domō discēdere possent.
* Erat manus nūlla, nūllum oppidum, nūllum praesidium quod sē armīs dēfenderet.
* Tōtō frūmentō raptō, domī nihil erat quō mortem prohibēre possent.
* Rōmānī Galbam ducem creāvērunt et summā celeritāte profectī sunt.
* Neque erat tantae multitūdinis quisquam quī morārī vellet.
* Germānī nōn iī sunt quī adventum Caesaris vereantur.
* Cōnsulibus occīsīs erant quī vellent ​cum rēgem creāre.
* Pāce factā erat nēmō quī arma trādere nōllet.
* Inter Helvētiōs quis erat quī nōbilior illō esset?
II.
* The Romans called the city Rome.
* The city was called Rome by the Romans.
* The better citizens wished to choose him king.
* The brave soldier was not the man to run.
* There was no oneto call me friend.
* These are not the men to betray their friends.
* There were (some) who called him the bravest of all.
Eighth Review, Lessons LXI-LXIX, §§ 527-528
* ↑ Remember that when the verb sum precedes its subject it is translated there is, there are, there were, etc.
* ↑ erant quī, there were (some) who. A wholly indefinite antecedent of quī does not need to be expressed.
* ↑ A relative clause of characteristic or description.
* ↑ See § 389.b.
References