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332. A question of simple fact, requiring the answer yes or no, is formed by adding the enclitic -ne to the emphatic word:—
  1. tūne id veritus es(Q. Fr. 1.3.1) , did you fear that?
  2. hīcine vir usquam nisi in patriā moriētur(Mil. 104) , shall this man die anywhere but in his native land?
  3. is tibi mortemne vidētur aut dolōrem timēre (Tusc. 5.88) , does he seem to you to fear death or pain?

a. The interrogative particle -ne is sometimes omitted:—

  1. patēre tua cōnsilia nōn sentīs (Cat. 1.1) , do you not see that your schemes are manifest? (you do not see, eh?)

Note.--In such cases, as no sign of interrogation appears, it is often doubtful whether the sentence is a question or an ironical statement.

b. When the enclitic -ne is added to a negative word, as in nōnne , an affirmative answer is expected. The particle num suggests a negative answer:—

  1. nōnne animadvertis (N. D. 3.89) , do you not observe?
  2. num dubium est (Rosc. Am. 107) , there is no doubt, is there?

Note.--In Indirect Questions num commonly loses its peculiar force and means simply whether.

c. The particle -ne often when added to the verb, less commonly when added to some other word, has the force of nōnne :—

  1. meministīne in senātū dīcere (Cat. 1.7) , don't you remember my saying in the Senate?
  2. rēctēne interpretor sententiam tuam (Tusc. 3.37) , do I not rightly interpret your meaning?

Note 1.--This was evidently the original meaning of -ne; but in most cases the negative force was lost and -ne was used merely to express a question. So the English interrogative no? shades off into eh?

Note 2.--The enclitic -ne is sometimes added to other interrogative words: as, utrumne, whether? anne, or;quantane(Hor. S. 2.3.317) , how big? quōne malō (id. 2.3.295), by what curse?

hide References (5 total)
  • Commentary references to this page (5):
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 1.11
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 1.3
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 2.9
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. 38
    • J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition., AG Cic. S. Rosc..21-46.31-35.35
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