(f.) Apodosis in the Present Subjunctive.
sibī̆ habeat, sī nōn extemplō ab eō abdūxerō, Pl. Per. 164, he may keep her, if I don’t carry her off that minute ([1548]). caecum mē ferrī cōnfitear, sī tē potuisse superārī dīxerō, Planc. 6, if I say that you can be surpassed, I should own myself swept along like a blind man ([1556]). tum magis adsentiāre, sī ad maiōra pervēnerō, RP. 1, 62, you would agree all the more if I come at once to weightier points ([1556]).
[2065.] An indicative protasis with sī is often used to assume a general truth as a proof either for another general truth, or for a particular fact.
([a.]) sī voluptātis sēnsum capit, dolōrēs etiam capit, DN. 3, 32, if it is susceptible of pleasure, it is also susceptible of pain. sī omnēs, quī rē̆ī pūblicae cōnsulunt, cārī nōbīs esse dēbent, certē in prīmīs imperātōrēs. sī ferae partūs suōs dīligunt, quā nōs in līberōs nostrōs indulgentiā esse dēbēmus, DO. 2, 168, if all people who are devoted to the public service are dear to us, then assuredly our military men ought always to be particularly dear. If wild beasts always love their young, how kind ought we always to be to our own children. (b.) sī pietātī summa tribuenda laus est, dēbētis movērī, cum Q. Metellum tam piē lūgēre videātis, DO. 2, 167, if filial affection is always to be held in high honour, you ought to be touched in this instance, seeing such affectionate grief in Metellus. sī nox opportūna est ēruptiōnī, sīcut est, haec profectō noctis aptissima hōra est, L. 7, 35, 10, if night is always favourable for a sortie, and it always is, this particular hour of the night is the very best time.
[2066.] An indicative protasis with sī often assumes a fact, past or present, as an argument for another fact, or for a general truth.
In this case the apodosis, which is usually a question, often takes the subjunctive ([1565]).
sī Sūlla potuit efficere, ut dictātor dīcerētur, cūr hīc nōn possit? Att. 9, 15, 2, if Sulla could succeed in being appointed dictator, why cannot this man? sī Zēnōnī licuit inaudītum rē̆ī nōmen impōnere, cūr nōn liceat Catōnī? Fin. 3, 15, if Zeno was allowed to give a new name to a thing, why should not Cato be allowed? quod sī Graecī leguntur ā Graecīs, quid est cūr nostrī ā nostrīs nōn legantur? Fin. 1, 6, but if Greeks are read by Greeks, why should not Romans be read by Romans?
[2067.] An indicative protasis with sī often assumes a fact which is declared in the apodosis to be no reason for another fact.