a. Each of these examples contains a descriptive relative clause which tells what kind of a person or thing the antecedent is. To express this thought the subjunctive is used. A relative clause that merely states a fact and does not describe the antecedent uses the indicative. Compare the sentences
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Cæsar is the man who is leading us, Caesar est is quī nōs
dūcit (mere statement of fact, no description, with the indicative) Cæsar is the man to lead us, Caesar est is quī nōs dūcat (descriptive relative clause with the subjunctive) |
b. Observe that in this construction a demonstrative pronoun and a relative, as is quī, are translated such a one as to, the man to.
c. In which of the following sentences would you use the indicative and in which the subjunctive?
| These are not the men who did this These are not the men to do this |
[390.] Rule. Subjunctive of Characteristic. A relative clause with the subjunctive is often used to describe an antecedent. This is called the subjunctive of characteristic or description.
[391.] Observe the sentences
| 1. Rōmānī Caesarem cōnsulem fēcērunt, the Romans made Cæsar consul. 2. Caesar cōnsul ā Rōmānīs factus est, Cæsar was made consul by the Romans. |
a. Observe in 1 that the transitive verb fēcērunt, made, has two objects: (1) the direct object, Caesarem; (2) a second object, cōnsulem, referring to the same person as the direct object and completing the predicate. The second accusative is called a Predicate Accusative.
b. Observe in 2 that when the verb is changed to the passive both of the accusatives become nominatives, the direct object becoming the subject and the predicate accusative the predicate nominative.