[258]. Tenses which denote Present or Future time are called Principal (or Primary) Tenses, those which denote Past time are called Historical (or Secondary).
The Principal Tenses of the Indicative are: Present, Future, Present Perfect, Future Perfect.
The Historical Tenses are: Imperfect, Historical Perfect, Pluperfect.
Present Indicative.
[259]. Besides the two uses indicated in the table, the Present Indicative presents the following peculiarities:—
1. It is used to denote a general truth, i.e. something true not merely in the present but at all times ('Gnomic Present'); as,—
virtūs conciliat amīcitiās et cōnservat, virtue establishes ties of friendship and maintains them (i.e. always does so).
2. It is used of an attempted action ('Conative Present'); as,—
dum vītant vitia, in contrāria currunt, while they try to avoid (vītant) vices, they rush into opposite ones.
3. In lively narration the Present is often used of a past action ('Historical Present'); as,—