Use of "cum" (subjunctive mood)

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rfcompte
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Use of "cum" (subjunctive mood)

Postby rfcompte » 2011-08-06, 3:41

Hello.
Maybe someone here can give me a hand. I've run into this sentence

"Helvetii cum patrum nostrorum tempore domo profecti essent, consulis exercitum in fugam dederant"

It's taken from Lesson LXX of B. L. D'Ooge's Latin for Beginners book.

I've translated it as :arrow: In the time of our fathers, the Helvetians set out from home, they (the Helvetians) had put to flight the consul's army.
Some how this meaning doesn't make much sense. Anyway, it's the second clause (after the comma) which is giving me trouble. Is it right to assume that Helvetii is the subject from this clause?

Is the translation right?

Thanks in advance!
Fata viam invenient
P. Vergilius Maro

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Bernard
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Re: Use of "cum" (subjunctive mood)

Postby Bernard » 2011-08-06, 7:30

Salve, amice!
"Helvetii cum patrum nostrorum tempore domo profecti essent, consulis exercitum in fugam dederant".
Helvetii: common subject of main clause (“consulis … dederant”) and subordinate clause (“cum partum … essent”), therefore usually placed before subordinate clause.
> When in the time of our fathers the Helvetians had departed from home, they (i. e. the Helvetians) had put to flight the consul's army.

Compare the following sentence and its word order:
“Cum Helvetii bello clarissimi essent, Caesar iter pre provinciam dare recusavit.”
There are two different subjects:
main clause: Caesar … recusavit.
subordinate clause (“Cum Helvetii… essent”): Helvetii.
> Since the Helvetians were very famous for warfare, Caesar did not allow them to march through the Province.
:)

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rfcompte
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Real Name:Rafael F. Compte
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Re: Use of "cum" (subjunctive mood)

Postby rfcompte » 2011-08-06, 19:00

Thank you Bernard! Your answer has been most helpful!
Very interesting what you say about the subject, which is
Bernard wrote:usually placed before subordinate clause
in these type of sentence. I guess that is what confused me. Latin has its peculiarities and they can be misleading sometimes.
Fata viam invenient
P. Vergilius Maro


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