Module 16 - Fear Clauses

Fear Clauses |

Fear Clauses

If the subject of an independent is/was fearful that some type of verbal action is/was going to occur, in Latin the action that they are afraid of is expressed as dependent clause. The dependent clause is usually referred to as a fear clause. A fear clause always follows an independent clause that contains a verb of fearing (timeō, vereor, metuō, terreor) and is introduced by ne (NB: when a verb of fearing is followed by ut, it is a negative fear clause). Fear clauses always features a subjunctive verb in the present or imperfect tense.

When translating a fear clause, we translate ne as that. If the verb in the clause is in the present subjunctive, we translate it as “would verb.” If the verb is in the imperfect subjunctive, we render it as “verbed.” Below are some examples:

Additional Practice

Practice Opportunities

Identify the type(s) of subordinate clause in the following sentences and, then, translate.

  1. Verita est ne discordia ex ea re nasceretur.

  2. Interim Atreus mittit Agamemnonem et Menelaum filios ad quaerendum Thyestem, qui tunc ad Delphos ibant.

  3. Minos, cuius filius Androgeus in pugna erat occisus, cum Atheniensibus belligeravit.

  4. Iovis fecit ut septem aetates viveret.