In this case the negative usually begins the period. sī, for which quia or etsī is sometimes substituted, sometimes has idcircō, īlicō, or continuō, rarely proptereā or ideō, as correlative in the apodosis.
nōn, sī tibī̆ anteā prōfuit, semper prōderit, Ph. 8, 12, even if it has done you good in the past, that is no reason why it always will in the future. nōn sī Opīmium dēfendistī, idcircō tē istī bonum cīvem putābunt, DO. 2, 170, suppose you did defend Opimius, that is no reason why your friends will think you a patriot. nec sī omne ēnūntiātum aut vērum aut falsum est, sequitur īlicō, esse causās immūtābilīs, quae prohibeant secus cadere atque cāsūrum sit, Fat. 28, and even if every declaration is either true or false, it does not follow without any further ado that there are unchangeable causes to prevent a thing falling out different from the way it promises to fall out. nōn continuō, sī mē in gregem sīcāriōrum contulī, sum sīcārius, RA. 94, it does not forthwith follow that if I have joined a band of bravoes, I am a bravo.
mīror, mīrum sī.
[2068.] mīror or mīrum est (mīra sunt) may introduce a conditional protasis, instead of a clause with quod ([1851]) or the accusative with the infinitive ([2188]).
Generally the main clause is actually or virtually negatived: as, minus mīrandumst, illaec aetās sī quid illōrum facit, Pl. B. 409, ’tis not to be wondered at, if youth does things like that. idne tū mīrāre, sī patrissat fīlius? Pl. Ps. 442, can you, sir, wonder at it if the son plays the father? nec mīrum sī ūtēbātur cōnsiliō, Quinct. 18, and it is no wonder if he followed the advice. mīrer, sī vāna vestra auctōritās est? L. 3, 21, 4, can I think it strange if your influence is of no account ([1565])? Rarely the main clause is positive: as, mīrābar hoc sī sīc abīret, T. Andr. 175, I wondered if it was going to end so ([1773]). mīror sī quemquam amīcum habēre potuit, L. 54, I wonder if he could have had a friend in the world. In old colloquial style mīrum nī is found: as, mīrum nī hīc me exossāre cōgitat, Pl. Am. 319, strange that he doesn’t think of boning me. ubi nunc ipsus? :: mīrum nī domīst, T. Andr. 598, where is he now? :: at home of course. So once in Livy: mīrum esse nī castra hostium oppugnentur, L. 3, 28, 5, that he shouldn’t be surprised if the enemy’s camp were being stormed ([1724]). gaudeō sī is found once in Cicero, and terreō, metus est sī, or the like occurs a few times in Tacitus. For sī in expressions of trial, hope, expectation, &c., see [1777].
[The Subjunctive for the Indicative.]
[2069.] The indicative in the protasis is occasionally replaced by the subjunctive, as follows:
[2070.] (1.) The present or perfect subjunctive is sometimes used in general present suppositions, regularly in the indefinite second person singular, rarely with other persons ([1730]): as,
([a.]) nam dolī nōn dolī sunt nisi astū colās, sed malum maxumum, sī id palam prōvenit, Pl. Cap. 221, for tricks are never tricks, unless you handle them with craft, but damage dire, in case the thing gets out; here the indicative prōvenit shows that colās is due to the person. nec calidae citius dēcēdunt corpore febrēs, textilibus sī in pīctūrīs ostrōque rubentī iactēris, quam sī in plēbēiā veste cubandum est, Lucr. 2, 34, nor sooner will hot fevers leave the limbs, if on gay tapestries and blushing purple you should toss, than if perforce your bed you make on pallet rude. quod est difficile, nisi speciem prae tē bonī virī ferās, Off. 2, 39, and this is a hard thing, unless you have the exterior of a good man. nec habēre virtūtem satis est nisi ūtāre, RP. 1, 2, and to have virtue is not enough, unless one use it. sīquoi mūtuom quid dederīs, fit prō propriō perditum, Pl. Tri. 1051, if aught you’ve lent to anyone, ’tis not your own, but lost. nam nūllae magis rēs duae plūs negōtī habent, sī occēperīs exōrnāre, Pl. Poen. 212, for no two things give more trouble if you once begin to fit them out. nūlla est excūsātiō peccātī, sī amīcī causā peccāverīs, L. 37, it is no excuse for a sin if you have sinned from friendship.