LATIN FOR RESEARCH IN THE HUMANITIES
SEMINAR 11
FEAR CLAUSES
In Latin, clauses expressing fear are most commonly (but not exclusively) introduced by the
verbs:
• timeo, -ere, -ui
• metuo, -uere, -ui, -utum
• vereor, -ere, -itus
These verbs can take three different forms of object:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
a noun – e.g. timeo mortem (I fear death)
an infinitive – e.g. diutius manere timeo (I fear to stay longer)
a noun-clause – e.g. timeo ne moriatur (I fear that he will die)
The third of these – the noun-clause – requires a little more attention, and we will, for the
moment, call it a fear clause for the sake of convenience. Formally, fear clauses are a form of
dependent clauses of wish.
A fear clause in Latin contains two elements: (a) it is always introduced by the conjunction
ne; (b) it involves a verb in the subjunctive that expresses a fear that something may happen,
is happening,or has happened.
The subjunctive in a fear clause follows the sequence of tenses. For the most part, if the main
verb is in the primary sequence, the subjunctive in the fear clause will be in the present tense;
if the main verb is in the historic sequence, the subjunctive will be in the imperfect tense. It
is, however, sometimes the case that you will encounter other tenses (following the
sequence), as in the final example below:
Avarus verebatur ne fur aurum inveniret.
The miser was afraid that a thief would find his gold.
Timeo ne tibi nihil praetor lacrimas queam reddere.
I am afraid that I can give you nothing but tears in return.
CICERO
Timeo ne heri discesserint.
I am afraid that they left yesterday.
If the clause expresses a fear that something may not happen, is not happening, or has not
happened, then it is introduced by ne non, or – sometimes – ut.
Timebamus ne pater non superfuisset.
We were afraid that our father had not survived.
Vereor ne exercitum firmum habere non possit.
I fear that he cannot have a strong army.
CICERO
Timeo ut sustineas labores.
I fear that you will not hold out under your labours.
CICERO
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The reasons why ne is used for a positive fear, and ne non or ut is used for a negative fear is
that fear clauses express a wish of sorts, and hence the speaker necessarily wishes the
opposite of what he fears. So, timeo ne moriar (I fear that he will die) implies ‘May he not
die!’.
Fear clauses can also depend on nouns such as timor, metus, and periculum, normally used in
an impersonal construction.
Periculum est ne barbari oppidum capiant.
There is a danger that the barbarians may capture the town.
Exercises
(1) Timeo ne nuntius ab hostibus captus sit.
(2) Periculum erat ne naves tempestate delerentur.
(3) Mercator timebat ne iuvenis pecuniam non redderet.
(4) Verebamus ne parentes nostri in flammis periissent.
(5) Puellae timent ne amica in morbum gravem inciderit.
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