[1923.] With posteā quam, postquam (posquam), after, the following words may conveniently be treated: ubī̆, ut, when; ubī̆ prīmum, ut prīmum, cum prīmum, when first, and in Plautus quom extemplō; simul atque (or ac, less frequently et or ut, or simul alone), at the same time with, as soon as.
postquam, ubī̆, ut, cum prīmum, simul atque, accompany the indicative.
For examples of the use of tenses, see [1924-1934].
[1924.] In clauses introduced by posteā quam or postquam, the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive, found a dozen times in the manuscripts of Cicero’s works and elsewhere, is generally corrected in modern editions or usually the conjunctive particle is emended to posteā quom (cum). But the subjunctive may of course be used with this and the other particles mentioned in 1923 for special reasons, as with the indefinite second person ([1731]), by attraction ([1728]), and in indirect discourse ([1725]). For the subjunctive of repeated past action with ubī̆ and ut, see [1932]. The infinitive of intimation occurs in Tacitus ([1539]): as, postquam exuī aequālitās, prōvēnēre dominātiōnēs, Ta. 3, 26, after equality between man and man was dropped, there came a crop of tyrants.
[1925.] In narration the perfect indicative is regularly used in clauses introduced by postquam, ubī̆, ut, cum prīmum, simul atque ([1739]): as,
postquam tuās litterās lēgī, Postumia tua mē convēnit, Fam. 4, 2, 1, after I read your letter, your Postumia called on me. postquam aurum abstulimus, in nāvem cōnscendimus, Pl. B. 277, after we got away the money, we took ship. ubī̆ ad ipsum vēnī dēvorticulum, cōnstitī, T. Eu. 635, when I came exactly to the side street, I pulled up. ubī̆ sē diūtius dūcī intellēxit, graviter eōs accūsat, 1, 16, 5, when he came to see that he was put off a good while, he takes them roundly to task. quī ut perōrāvit, surrēxit Clōdius, QFr. 2, 3, 2, when he had finished speaking, up jumped Clodius. ut abiī abs tē, fit forte obviam mihi Phormiō, T. Ph. 617, when I left you, Phormio happened to fall in my way. crīmen eius modī est, ut, cum prīmum ad mē dēlātum est, ūsūrum mē illō nōn putārem, V. 5, 158, the charge is of such a sort that, when first it was reported to me, I thought I should not use it. cum prīmum Crētae lītus attigit, nūntiōs mīsit, L. 37, 60, 4, as soon as he touched the shore of Crete, he sent messengers. ut prīmum loquī posse coepī, inquam, RP. 6, 15, as soon as I began to be able to speak, I said. quem simul atque oppidānī cōnspexērunt, mūrum complēre coepērunt, 7, 12, 5, as soon as the garrison espied him, they began to man the wall. at hostēs, ubī̆ prīmum nostrōs equitēs cōnspexērunt, impetū factō celeriter nostrōs perturbāvērunt, 4, 12, 1, but as soon as the enemy caught sight of our cavalry, they attacked and threw our men into disorder. The conjunction simul atque is very rarely found in old Latin.
[1926.] The present indicative of vivid narration ([1590]) sometimes occurs: as,
postquam iam puerī septuennēs sunt, pater onerāvit nāvim magnam, Pl. Men. prol. 24, after the boys were seven year olds, their father freighted a big ship. quid ait, ubi mē nōminās, T. Hau. 303, what sayeth she when you name me? ubī̆ neutrī trānseundī initium faciunt, Caesar suōs in castra redūxit, 2, 9, 2, neither party taking the initiative in crossing, Caesar marched his men back to camp. Verbs of perceiving, especially videō, occur oftenest in this use, which is common in Plautus and Terence: as, postquam videt nūptiās adparārī, missast ancilla īlicō, T. Andr. 513, after she sees a marriage on foot, her maid is sent forthwith. abeō ab illīs, postquam videō mē lūdificārier, Pl. Cap. 487, seeing myself made game of, I leave them. quem posteā quam videt nōn adesse, ardēre atque furere coepit, V. 2, 92, seeing that the man does not appear, he began to rage and fume. ubī̆ hoc videt, init cōnsilium importūnī tyrannī, V. 5, 103, seeing this, he adopted the policy of a savage tyrant. Plautus uses also quom extemplō. Such protases often take on a causal sense (see also [1930]).
[1927.] The present or perfect with postquam or ut is sometimes used in expressions equivalent to an emphasized accusative or ablative of time, the main verb being est or sunt: as, septingentī sunt annī postquam inclita condita Rōma est, E. in Varro, RR. 3, 1, 2, ’tis seven hundred years since glorious Rome was founded. domō ut abiērunt hic tertius annus, Pl. St. 29, this is the third year since they left home. annus est octāvus ut imperium obtinēs, Ta. 14, 53, it is the eighth year since you acquired empire. For a similar use of cum, see [1871].