I. Purpose Clauses

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I. Purpose Clauses

• The most common place where the Subjunctive mood
  appears in Latin is in subordinate (dependent)
  clauses which require their verb to be in the
  Subjunctive.
• Of these, the most common type is the Purpose
  Clause, a subordinate clause which expresses the
  reason why the subject does the action of another
  (usually the main) verb.
• Whenever Latin wishes to use a Subordinate Clause
  to express the reason why a person does an
  action, the verb of the Purpose Clause MUST go in
  the Subjunctive mood.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• NB
• (1) There are other ways to express purpose in
  Latin that do not use a subordinate clause, but
  ALL Subordinate Clauses of Purpose MUST have
  their verb in the Subjunctive.
• (2) The most common way to express Purpose in
  English is through an infinitive, i.e.,
• He went to the store to buy milk.
• Main Verb Infinitive of Purpose
• This construction is NEVER possible in Latin. The
  Infinitive can NEVER be used in Latin to express
  purpose.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• A Purpose Clause in the Subjunctive will always
  be introduced by one of three subordinating
  conjunctions, so they are easy to spot
• (1) ut Introduces a positive purpose clause,
  i.e., the thing the subject wants to happen.
• Translation in order that, so that
• (2) ne Introduces a negative purpose clause,
  i.e., the thing the subject wants not to happen.
• Translation in order that not, so that not,
  lest
• (3) qui, quae, quod When the subject of the
  Purpose Clause is also in the Main Clause but is
  not the subject, the Relative Pronoun can be used
  to introduce a Purpose Clause. This is called a
  Relative Clause of Purpose. As always, the verb
  is in the Subjunctive.
• Translation who, which is / are to verb

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I. Purpose ClausesThe Sequence of Tenses

• The verb of the Purpose Clause will always be in
  either one of two tenses
• (1) Present Subjunctive
• (2) Imperfect Subjunctive
• Which of these two tenses is used is determined
  by the Tense of the Main Verb according to the
  Sequence of Tenses.

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I. Purpose ClausesThe Sequence of Tenses

• The Sequence of Tenses is the rule which tells us
  which tense of the Subjunctive will be used in a
  subordinate clause, depending on
• (1) The Tense of the Main Verb
• (2) The Relative Time between the Main Verb and
  the Subordinate Clause.

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I. Purpose ClausesThe Sequence of Tenses
Tense of Main Verb Contemporaneous / Future Time Time Prior
Primary Sequence - Present - Future - Future Perfect (Perfect) Present Subjunctive Perfect Subjunctive
Secondary Sequence - Imperfect - Perfect - Pluperfect Imperfect Subjunctive Pluperfect Subjunctive

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I. Purpose ClausesThe Sequence of Tenses

• The Sequence of Tenses looks much harder than it
  is. In fact, it is very straightforward.
• According to the chart, if the Main verb is
• (1) Present or (2) Future / Future Perfect,
• The Verb of the Purpose Clause will be in the
  Present Subjunctive.
• If the Main verb is (1) Imperfect, (2) Perfect,
  or
• (3) Pluperfect
• The Verb of the Purpose Clause will be in the
  Imperfect Subjunctive.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• Exempla
• In the following sentences, identify the main
  verb and purpose clause, and note whether the
  Purpose Clause is in Primary or Secondary
  Sequence.
• (1) Venus de Olympo profecta in campum ingreditur
  et natum veste tegit ut ab armis Diomedis
  defendatur.
• (2) Venus exclamans cum dolore timoreque filium
  demisit, quem Apollo suscepit et aere obscuro
  texit ne quis videns eum pugnare posset.
• (3) Apollone manibus eum tegente, tamen Diomedes
  contendit ut Aenean occideret armaque fulgentia
  spoliaret.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• Exempla
• (1) Venus de Olympo profecta in campum ingreditur
  et natum veste tegit ut ab armis Diomedis
  defendatur.
• Main Verb ingreditur
• Purpose Clause ut ab armis Diomedis defendatur.
• Sequence Primary
• Translation Venus, having set out from Olympos,
  enters into the camp and covers her son with her
  cloak so that he be defended from the arms of
  Diomedes.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• Exempla
• (2) Venus exclamans cum dolore timoreque filium
  demisit, quem Apollo suscepit et aere obscuro
  texit ne quis videns eum pugnare posset.
• Main Verb demisit
• Purpose Clause ne quis videns eum pugnare
  posset.
• Sequence Secondary
• Translation Venus, shouting with pain and fear,
  dropped her son, whom Apollo caught and covered
  with a darm cloud so that no one, seeing him,
  would be able to attack him.

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I. Purpose Clauses

• Exempla
• (3) Apollone manibus eum tegente, tamen Diomedes
  contendit ut Aenean occideret armaque fulgentia
  spoliaret.
• Main Verb contendit
• Purpose Clause ut Aenean occideret armaque
  fulgentia spoliaret.
• Sequence Secondary
• Translation With Apollow covering him with his
  hands, nonetheless Diomedes strove on so that he
  might kill Aeneas and strip off his gleaming
  armor.

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II. Relative Clauses of Purpose

• Exempla
• In the following sentences, identify the main
  verb and purpose clause, and note whether the
  Purpose Clause is in Primary or Secondary
  Sequence.
• (1) Rex Gallorum ad Caesarem legatos mittet qui
  pacem cum imperatore petant.
• (2) Magister plurrima exempla scripsit quae
  iuvenes Latinam legere docerent.

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II. Relative Clauses of Purpose

• Exempla
• (1) Rex Gallorum ad Caesarem legatos mittet qui
  pacem cum imperatore petant.
• Main Verb mittet
• Purpose Clause qui pacem cum imperatore petant.
• Sequence Primary
• Translation The king of the Gauls will send
  envoys to Caesar who are to seek peace with the
  general.

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II. Relative Clauses of Purpose

• Exempla
• (2) Magister plurrima exempla scripsit quae
  iuvenes Latinam legere docerent.
• Main Verb scripsit
• Purpose Clause quae iuvenes Latinam legere
  docerent.
• Sequence Secondary
• Translation The teacher wrote very many examples
  which were to teach his students to read Latin.