53 & 54

RELATIVE CLAUSES WITH SUBJUNCTIVES

Most relative clauses have indicative verbs. However, there are several reasons the verb in a relative clause may be subjunctive instead.

1) Attraction or sub-oblique subjunctive- sometimes a verb in a relative clause or other subordinate clause seems to be subjunctive only because it is inside of (subordinate to) an indirect statement or a subordinate clause with a subjunctive verb.
I know that the man whom you see is not good.
Scio virum quem videas non bonum esse.

2) Relative clause of CHARACTERISTIC. These kinds of relative clauses are generalizing and describe a kind of person or thing rather than a specific one. Thus, as many generalizing clauses, they take subjunctive verbs. Often these are found in sentences like: There are some who… /There was no one whom… / Was there anyone whose…?
There is no one who would help. / ..to help.
Nemo est qui adiuvet.
Is there anyone whom we should/may call? / …to call?
Estne quem vocemus?

3) Relative clauses with subjunctive may fill in for other subjunctive clauses, for example, result or purpose clauses. Often these categories will clearly overlap with the Realtive Clause of Characteristic.
The most common of these is perhaps relative clauses of purpose. For these the relative pronoun will almost always refer back to the main clause subject or object. When translating, you will typically need to insert an appropriate personal or demonstrative pronoun of the same case as the relative into the purpose clause.
Milites misit qui cum hostibus pugnarent. (qui replaces normal ut and refers back to milites)
He sent soldiers so that they (nom. like qui) might fight with the enemy. / …to fight with the enemy.
Currunt quos dux laudet. (quos replaces ut and refers back to the plural subject
They are running so that the general will/may praise them (acc. like quos).

DATIVES
The dative of interest includes most datives of persons (or other sentient beings). However, it is useful to know some of the common subcategories. For example, the dative of agent that we saw recently with passive periphrastic. The other common dative of interest is the dative of possession.

Of Possession

Appears with the being verb, the dative is the possessor.
Translate dative as subject with has/have as verb in same tense as being verb and with original subject as English object.
Liber mihi est. I have a book.
Multae domus Caesari erant.
Caesar had many houses.

A common dative that is used for things (or more often ideas/verbal concepts) is the dative of purpose or predicative dative. It is often used with a dative of interest so that two dative appear close together. The dative of purpose shows what the subject of the clause acts as or serves as. It can be translated with the phrase “as a source/cause of…” or by turning the dative noun into an adjective.

Of Purpose
auxilio venit.
He came to help. / He came as a source of help. / …to be helpful.
Saluti cibus erat.
The food was a source of salvation. / ..was a cause of safety/health. / …was life-saving.

Double Dative
Caesar omnibus spei erat.
Caesar was a source of hope for everyone.
Mons mihi odio est.
The mountain is a source of hatred for me. / I have a hatred for the mountain.