Indirect commands

Indirect commands are reported commands

'I told him to close the door' rather than 'close the door'

They are formed in Latin using

  1. ut + subjunctive for a command (positive).
  2. ne + subjunctive for a prohibition (negative).

The tense of the subjunctive is usually present or imperfect, following the rules laid down by the sequence of tenses.

Useful vocab:

impero (+ dat.)orderorobeg
moneowarnrogoask
persuadeo (+ dat.)persuadehortorencourage, urge
suadeo (+dat.)persuadeprecorpray

Notes:

  1. cave is often used without ne (but cf. Cicero cave ne eas for a counter-example).
  2. ut ne is sometimes used for ne
  3. iubeo, veto, patior, sino, volo, malo, nolo, cupio regularly take an accusative and infinitive clause instead
  4. with some of these verbs (e.g. rogo, moneo, suadeo, impero, curo, oportet, necesse est, licet) the subjunctive is often used without ut

Examples drawn from the exercises

  1. et rursus puerum quaerendo audita fatigat, quem, quae scire timet, †quaerere† fata iubet.
    Exercise 6