[1765.] (2.) In subordinate sentences, the perfect subjunctive has the main sequence when it represents the indicative perfect definite, and the secondary when it represents the indicative historical perfect or the imperfect: as,
([a.]) nēmō ferē vestrūm est, quīn, quem ad modum captae sint Syrācūsae saepe audierit, V. 4, 115, there is hardly a man of your number but has heard over and over again how Syracuse was taken. (b.) quā rē acciderit ut id suspicārēre quod scrībis nesciō, Fam. 2, 16, 1, how it came to pass that you suspected what you write, I can’t imagine.
[Tense subordinate to a Noun of the Verb.]
[1766.] (1.) A subjunctive subordinate to one of the nouns of the verb, except the perfect infinitive or the perfect participle, follows the sequence of the verb: as,
dēsinō quaerere cūr ēmerīs, V. 4, 10, I cease to ask why you bought. nēminem tam āmentem fore putāvērunt, ut emeret argentum, V. 4, 9, they did not dream anybody would be crazy enough to buy plate. secūrī percussī, adeō torpentibus metū quī aderant, ut nē gemitus quidem exaudīrētur, L. 28, 29, 11, they were beheaded, everybody there being so completely paralyzed with fear that not even a groan could be heard. Q. Fabius Pīctor Delphōs missus est scīscitātum, quibus precibus deōs possent plācāre, L. 22, 57, 5, Fabius Pictor was sent to Delphi to find out by what sort of prayers they could get the ear of the gods. cupīdō incessit animōs iuvenum scīscitandī ad quem eōrum rēgnum esset ventūrum, L. 1, 56, 10, the youths were possessed with a desire to find out to which one of their number the throne was to fall.
[1767.] (2.) With a perfect infinitive or perfect participle, the subordinate subjunctive may be in the imperfect or pluperfect, even with a primary leading verb: as,
satis mihī̆ multa verba fēcisse videor, quā rē esset hoc bellum necessārium, IP. 27, I fancy I have said enough to show why this war is unavoidable. hunc istī aiunt, cum taurum immolāvisset, mortuum concidisse, Br. 43, your gentlemen say that this man, after sacrificing a bull, tumbled down dead. viātor bene vestītus causa grassātōrī fuisse dīcētur cūr ab eō spoliārētur, Fat. 34, a well-dressed traveller will be said to have been a temptation for a footpad to rob him. versābor in rē saepe quaesītā, suffrāgia clam an palam ferre melius esset, Leg. 3, 33, I shall be working on a question that has often been put, whether it was better to vote secretly or openly.
[1768.] The sequence with a perfect infinitive is, however, often primary: as, hīc sī fīnem faciam dīcendī, satis iūdicī fēcisse videar cūr secundum Rōscium iūdicārī dēbeat, RC. 14, if I should stop speaking here, I should feel I had made it plain enough to the court why a judgement should be rendered for Roscius.
[1769.] The secondary sequence is used with meminī, remember, even when it has the present infinitive ([2220]): as, L. Metellum meminī ita bonīs esse vīribus extrēmō tempore aetātis, ut adulēscentiam nōn requīreret, CM. 30, I can remember Metellus’s being so good and strong in the very last part of his life that he did not feel the want of youth.