3. 'Can'-'Could' Potential.—In the Present and Imperfect the Potential occurs in the second person singular (with indefinite force; [§ 356], 3) of a few verbs of perceiving, seeing, thinking, and the like; as,—
videās, cernās, one can see, one can perceive;
crēderēs, one could believe;
vidērēs, cernerēs, one could see, perceive;
putārēs, one could imagine.
4. The Imperfect and Pluperfect in the Apodosis of conditional sentences of the contrary-to-fact type (see [§ 304]) are also Potential in character. By omission of the Protasis, such an Apodosis sometimes stands alone, particularly vellem, nōllem, māllem; as,—
vellem id quidem, I should wish that (i.e. were I bold enough).
The Imperative.
[281]. The Imperative is used in commands, admonitions and entreaties (negative nē), as,—
ēgredere ex urbe, depart from the city;
mihi ignōsce, pardon me;
valē, farewell.
1. The Present is the tense of the Imperative most commonly used, but the Future is employed—
a) Where there is a distinct reference to future time, especially in the apodosis of conditional sentences; as,—
rem vōbīs prōpōnam; vōs eam penditōte, I will lay the matter before you; do you (then) consider it;
sī bene disputābit, tribuitō litterīs Graecis, if he shall speak well, attribute it to Greek literature.