LATIN FOR RESEARCH IN THE HUMANITIES
SEMINAR 6
PURPOSE
There are many ways of expressing purpose in Latin. Although other methods will be
discussed briefly, perhaps the most common way of doing this is by using an adverb clause of
purpose.
Adverb clauses of purpose are often called ‘final clauses’ because they state the end
to which an action is directed. In Latin, they are mostly introduced by ut (so that), or (if they
introduce a negative purpose) by ne (lest or so that… not). Note that ut cannot introduce a
negative purpose.
The verb in an adverb clause of purpose is in the subjunctive, in either the present or
the imperfect tense (q.v. the sequence of tenses in last week’s seminar). It is worth noting
that – unlike in English – an infinitive never expresses purpose in Latin.
Londinium ivi ut reginam viderem.
I’ve been to London to see the Queen.
Milites fortiter pugnaverunt ne vincerentur.
The soliders fought bravely so as not to be beaten.
An adverb clause of purpose can also be introduced by a relative pronoun (e.g. qui):
Clusini legatos Romam, qui auxilium a senatu peterent, misere.
The Clusini sent ambassadors to Rome to seek aid from the senate.
Caesar
As with reported commands and reported statements, se and suus in an adverb clause of
purpose refers to the person who has the purpose in mind.
Quo introduces a final clause that contains a comparative.
Castella communit quo facilius eos prohibere posit.
Caesar
He strengthens the forts so that he may keep them off more easily.
Further ways of expressing purpose
(a) With the gerund
The gerund – which we have encountered on a number of occasions in various texts – will be
discussed in further detail later, but for the present, it is sufficient to note that it is a verbal
noun, which has an active meaning.
The gerund is formed in the following way with regular active verbs:
Ind. Present
Present Active Infinitive
Gerund
1st conj.
2nd conj.
3rd conj.
4th conj.
porto
portare
portandus
doceo
docere
docendus
traho
trahere
trahendus
audio
audire
audiendus
Purpose can be expressed with ad and a gerund in the accusative:
Multi homines ad audiendum aderant.
Many men were there to listen.
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(b) With the supine
The supine is a case of verbal substantive, and is listed as the fourth item of a verb’s principle
parts. For clarity’s sake, it is formed in the following way:
Ind. Present
Present Active Infinitive
Supine
1st conj.
2nd conj.
3rd conj.
4th conj.
porto
portare
portatum
doceo
docere
doctum
traho
trahere
trahum
audio
audire
captum
Used in the accusative, the supine can be used with verbs expressing movement to indicate
purpose:
Cives dormitum abierunt.
The citizens went away to sleep.
Exercises
(1) Fabri totam noctem laboraverunt ut templum ante lucem perficient.
(2) Coquus aquam attulit qua flammae exstinguerentur.
(3) Desilite in hanc fossam, ut hastas hostium vitetis!
(4) Domum tacti intravimus, ne a cane audiremur.
(5) Milites emisit qui turbam depellerent.
(6) Navem conduxi, quo celerius ad Italiam revenirem.
q. 1 – perficio, -ficere, -feci, -fectum = to complete, to finish
q. 3 – desilo, -silere, -silui = to leap down
q. 5 – depello, -pellere, -puli, -pulsum = to drive out, to drive away, to disperse
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