[Original Subjunctives.]
[1786.] Questions already in the subjunctive may also become indirect.
Thus, quō mē vertam? V. 5, 2, which way shall I turn? ([1563]) becomes indirect in quō mē vertam nesciō, Clu. 4, I don’t know which way I am to turn. quid faciam? H. S. 2, 1, 24, what shall I do? ([1563]) becomes indirect in quid faciam, praescrībe, H. S. 2, 1, 5, lay down the law, what I’m to do. neque satis cōnstābat quid agerent, 3, 14, 3, and it was not at all clear what they had best do. dubitāvī hōsce hominēs emerem an nōn emerem, Pl. Cap. 455, I had my doubts, whether to buy these men or not to buy ([1564]).
[Indicative Questions apparently Indirect.]
[1787.] In old Latin, the indicative occurs often in connections where the subjunctive would be used in classical Latin: as,
dīc, quis est, Pl. B. 558, say, who is it? whereas dīc quis sit would mean say who it is. In such cases the question is not subordinate, but coordinate, usually with an imperative ([1697]), or with some such expression as tē rogō, volō scīre, scī̆n, or the like. Such coordination occurs exceptionally in the classical period: as, et vidē, quam conversa rēs est, Att. 8, 13, 2, and observe, how everything is changed. adspice, ut ingreditur, V. 6, 856, see, how he marches off.
[1788.] The indicative is used with nesciō followed by a pronominal interrogative, when this combination is equivalent to an indefinite pronoun or adverb: as,
prōdit nesciō quis, T. Ad. 635, there’s some one coming out. This is a condensed form for prōdit nesciō quis sit, there’s coming out I don’t know who it is, the real question, sit, being suppressed, and nesciō quis acquiring the meaning of aliquis, somebody. Similarly nesciō with unde, ubī̆, quandō, quot, &c., in writers of all ages. Plautus uses sciō quid, sciō ut, &c., somewhat in this way once or twice with the indicative: as, scio quid agō, B. 78, I’m doing I know what.
[1789.] This combination often expresses admiration, contempt, or regret: as, contendō tum illud nesciō quid praeclārum solēre existere, Arch. 15, I maintain that in such a combination the beau ideal of perfection always bursts into being. paulum nesciō quid, RA. 115 an unconsidered trifle. dīvīsa est sententia, postulante nesciō quō, Mil. 14. the question was divided, on motion of what’s his name. nesciō quō pactō, C. 31, unfortunately.
[1790.] The indicative is used in like manner with many expressions, originally exclamatory, which have become adverbs: such are immāne quantum, prodigiously, mīrum quantum, wonderfully, sānē quam, immensely, &c., &c. See [712] and the dictionary.