[APPENDIX.]
[(A.) SOME OCCASIONAL PECULIARITIES OF VERBS.]
[2300.] In many cases where in English a verb like wish or try to have a thing done, can, must, or am allowed to, is used, the equivalent Latin verb is omitted. As this use generally extends through the entire system of the verb, examples of the nouns of the verb and of subordinate sentences thus used, are conveniently included here.
[The Conative Use.]
[2301.] A verb is sometimes used to denote action proposed, attempted, or begun, but not necessarily carried out. This is called the Conative Use of the verb: as,
ancillās dēdō, T. Hec. 773, I try to give, or I offer up the servant girls. sine ūllā dubitātiōne condemnant, Clu. 75, without a moment’s hesitation they vote to condemn. dum id inpetrant, Pl. Cap. 233, as long as they’re trying to get it. sī plācēs inlacrimābilem Plūtōna, H. 2, 14, 5, shouldst thou the stonyhearted Pluto strive to melt. sī discēdās, J. 7. 50, should you attempt to leave. in cūriam abiēcit, quam vīvus ēverterat, Mil. 90, he shoved the corpse into the senate house, which the man in his lifetime had done his best to overthrow. adsurgentem rēgem umbōne resupīnat, L. 4, 19, 5, with the boss of his shield he put the king flat on his back, when he tried to get up.
[2302.] This use is particularly common in the imperfect indicative: as,
nostrōs ingredī prohibēbant, 5, 9, 6, they tried to stop our people from getting in. Apellēs faciēbat, Plin. NH. praef. 26, Apelles undertook to do this, or an attempt of Apelles’s. sēdābant tumultūs, sēdandō interdum movēbant, L. 3, 15, 7, they tried to quell the riotings, but by trying they started them once in a while afresh. num dubitās id mē imperante facere, quod iam tuā sponte faciēbās? C. 1, 13, do you possibly hesitate to do at my command what you wanted to do, as it was, yourself? The conative use is not very common in old Latin, but more frequent from Cicero and Caesar on.
[2303.] When the conative use is to be expressed more distinctly, a form of volō or cōnor is used, or a frequentative, like vēnditō, try to sell, adventō, strive to come.