[2326.] The protasis of every kind ([2023], [2024]) has the verb in the subjunctive in indirect discourse ([2315]).
[2327.] The tense of the protasis is generally imperfect or pluperfect ([2322]): as,
Ariovistus respondit: sī ipse populō Rōmānō nōn praescrīberet, nōn oportēre sēsē ā populō Rōmānō impedīrī, 1, 36, 1, Ariovistus answered: if he did not dictate to the Roman nation, no more ought the Roman nation to interfere with him ([2026]). quae sī fēcisset, Pompēium in Hispāniās itūrum, Caes. C. 1, 10, 3, if he did that, Pompey would go to the Spains ([2061]).
[2328.] But indeterminate protases ([2023]) are sometimes put in the present or perfect subjunctive in indirect discourse, even with a main secondary tense: as,
Ariovistus respondit: sī iterum experīrī velint, sē parātum esse dēcertāre, 1, 44, 1, Ariovistus answered that if the Romans wanted to try again, he was ready to fight it out ([2026]). quī nisi dēcēdat, sēsē illum prō hoste habitūrum, 1, 44, 11, that unless he withdrew, he should consider him an enemy ([2054]).
[2329.] Protases of action non-occurrent ([2024]) remain in the imperfect or pluperfect, even with a main primary tense.
licet Varrō Mūsās, Aelī Stilōnis sententiā, Plautīnō dīcat sermōne locutūrās fuisse sī Latīnē loquī vellent, Quintil. 10, 1, 99, though Varro, following Stilo’s dictum, may say that the Muses would have spoken in the style of Plautus, if they had wanted to speak Latin ([2095]). quaeret ab accūsātōribus quid factūrī essent, sī in eō locō fuissent, Cornif. 2, 22, he will ask the accusers what they would have done if they had been in that predicament ([2099]).
[(B.) Apodosis.]
[2330.] In indeterminate conditional periods ([2023]), the apodosis simply follows the general rule ([2312]): as,
Iovem sīc aiunt philosophī, sī Graecē loquātur, loquī, Br. 121, the philosophers say that this is Jove’s style of speaking, if Jove speaks Greek ([2026]). sīn bellō persequī persevērāret, reminīscerētur prīstinae virtūtis Helvētiōrum, 1, 13, 4, if he persisted in following them up with war, let him call to mind the old time valour of the Helvetians ([2056]). in prōvinciīs intellegēbant sī is quī esset cum imperiō emere vellet, fore utī quod quisque vellet quantī vellet auferret, V. 4, 10, in the provinces they saw that if a man clothed in authority should wish to be a buyer, he would carry off every time whatever he wished at what he wished (2233; 2054 or 2076). futūrum esse, nisi prōvīsum esset, ut Rōma caperētur, Div. 1, 101, that unless precaution was taken, Rome would be captured ([2233], [2061]). For other examples, see [2327], [2328].