Exercise 31: CUM AS CONJUNCTION
Cum may introduce a clause with a verb in the indicative or subjunctive.
Cum + subjunctive:
With a primary main verb:
cum + present subjunctive = same time as main verb
translate “Since/though …” with English present tense:
e.g. Since you are here, I will tell you.
cum + perfect subjunctive = action before main verb
translate “Since/though …” with English perfect tense:
e.g. Since you have come, I will tell you.
With a historic main verb:
cum + imperfect subjunctive = same time as main verb
translate “When/since/though …” with Eng. imperfect tense:
e.g. When you came here, I told you.
cum + pluperfect subjunctive = action before main verb
translate “When/since/though …” with Eng. pluperfect tense:
e.g. When Caesar had gone, the soldiers were happy.
Cum as conjunction, GENERAL:
METHOD
i) Check if there is an ablative with the cum (cum + ablative = with)
ii) If not, go to verb in the cum-clause: is it indicative or subjunctive?
iii) a) If indicative translate directly (more finesse later, this will do for now.
iii) b) If subjunctive, identify tense and translate as English indicative of the same tense.
iv) Try When/since/although in turn for the cum. Accept the one that makes (best) sense.
v) If the verb in the cum clause is indicative the cum will mean when.
