Latin for Beginners · Lesson LXII · Part 13: The subjunctive: forms and purpose clauses
62. The subjunctive of purpose
Goal: Your child translates and writes purpose clauses with ut, nē and quō plus the subjunctive.
You'll need
- The book (the lesson pages)
- A notebook and pencil
- Index cards from earlier lessons
What's in the book
The subjunctive of purpose (§§ 348 and 349), the words that introduce purpose clauses (§ 350), a warning that Latin prose never uses the infinitive for purpose (§ 352), four drill sets and five English sentences.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Your child conjugates the present subjunctive of dūcō and videō.
The new idea
English often says purpose with 'to': 'They come to see.' Latin never does that in prose. It uses ut (in order that) or nē (in order that not, lest) with the subjunctive.
The subjunctive is used in a dependent clause to express the purpose of the action in the principal clause.
Pācem petunt ut domum revertantur
Fugiunt nē vulnerentur
They ask for peace so that they may return home. They flee so that they may not be wounded. With a comparative, quō is used: quō facilius, so that more easily.
Drill 1 and 2
Do the book's drill sets aloud. Each starts a sentence and lists verbs to finish it: 'Veniunt ut dūcant, mittant, videant…' (They come to lead, to send, to see…). Then 'Fugimus nē capiāmur…' (We flee so as not to be captured…).
Drill 3 and 4
Do the last two sets: 'Mittit nūntiōs quī…' (He sends messengers to…), where quī with the subjunctive also shows purpose, and 'Castra mūniunt quō facilius…' (They fortify the camp so that more easily…).
English to Latin
Write the five English sentences. Footnotes mark where an English 'to' must not become an infinitive.
Wrap-up
Ask: what are the three words that introduce purpose clauses? (ut, nē, quō, plus quī.) Memorize the rule in § 349.
Tip
Whenever an English sentence says 'to' or 'in order to', stop and ask: is this purpose? If so, Latin needs ut and the subjunctive.
Answers to the book's problems
Drill answers (meanings): 1. They come to lead, to send, to see, to hear; to be led, to be sent, to be seen, to be heard. 2. We flee so as not to be captured, handed over, killed or seized; so as not to see; so as not to resist. 3. He sends messengers to say, to hear, to come, to tell, to be heard, to sit in the council. 4. They fortify the camp so that they may more easily defend themselves, withstand the attack, conquer the enemy, seek safety.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.