The Public School Latin Grammar for the Use of Schools, Colleges, and Private Students (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ...An tibi irasci turn videmur cum quid in causis acrius et vehementius dicimus?' anger is unbecoming in an orator, the semblance of anger is not unbecoming. (Do you allow this?) or do you suppose we are really angry when we speak with more than usual vehemence? C. T. D. iv. 25--meaning: 'we are not really angry when we so speak; the semblance therefore affords no argument against the maxim that anger is unbecoming in an orator.' Sometimes an refers to aliudne understood: 'Quid dices? an Siciliam virtute tua liberatam?' what will you say? that by your valour Sicily was freed? C. Verr. v. 2. 5. (Will you say anything else, or, &c. = will you not probably say that, &c.) See 87, Foot-note. a) An has a peculiar use after Verbs expressing uncertainty, as nescio, haud scio, dubito. When in English we say, '/ know not whether he is coming we imply a probability that 'he will not come: ' but in Latin, nescio an veniat usually means existimo cum venire. So, 'Nescio an modum excesserint, ' / am inclined to think they have overstepped the limit, lust. xiii. 2. Hence it is used almost adverbially: 'Sapicntissimus et haud scio an omnium praestantissimus, ' the wisest and perhaps the most excellent of all, C. N. D. ii. 4. b) The doubled Conjunction may mark uncertainty: 'Hanc orationem in Origines suas rettulit paucis antequam mortuus est an diebus an mensibus, ' this speech he entered in his Origines a few days (must we say) or months before he died, C. Brut. 23. This idiom is frequent in Tacitus. c) If it were wished to express the meanings 'probably not, ' 'I am inclined to think not, ' &c, a Negative was introduced in the subordination: Nescio an non veniat, / think he is not coming. 'Quaere rationem cur ita videatur: quam ut maxime...