(1) In _indirect narrative_ and _question_: _s[=e]o cw[=e]n sae[.g]de thaet
hiere n[=ae]re be healfum d[=ae]le [.g]e.sae[.g]d be Salomones m[=ae]rtho_
(the queen said that she had not been told about Solomon's glory by half);
_ic [=a]sci[.g]e hw[=ae]r s[=e]o offrung s[=i]e_ (I ask where the offering
is); _m[e,]nn woldon s[.c][=e]awian h[=u] h[=e] l[=ae][.g]e_ (men {48}
wished to see how he lay). When the statement in the indirect narration is
perfectly certain in itself, and not merely accepted on the authority of
the speaker, it is put in the indicative:--_h[=e] hiere sae[.g]de on
hw[=ae]m his miht waes_ (he told her what his strength consisted in).
(2) After verbs of _desiring_ and _commanding_:--
_thaes ic [.g]e.wilni[.g]e and [.g]e.wys[.c]e mid m[=o]de thaet ic [=a]na
ne be.l[=i]fe aefter m[=i]num l[=e]ofum the[.g]num_ (that I desire and wish
with heart that I may not remain alone after my dear thanes).
(3) To express _purpose_:--_th[=y] l[=ae]s [.g][=e] thone hw[=ae]te
[=a].wyrtwalien_ (lest ye root up the wheat);--_Dryhten [=a]s.t[=a]g
nither, t[=o] b[=ae]m thaet h[=e] [.g]e.s[=a]we th[=a] burg_ (the Lord
descended, in order that he might see the city).
(4) To express _result_:--_th[=u] naefst th[=a] mihte thaet th[=u] mae[.g]e
him with.standan_ (thou hast not the power that thou canst withstand him).
(5) To express _hypothetical comparison_ (as if):--_se wulf folgode forth
mid th[=ae]m h[=e]afde, swelce h[=e] tam w[=ae]re_ (the wolf followed on
with the head, as if he were tame); _h[=e] [.g]e.l[=ae]hte [=a]ne l[=e]on,
and t[=o].brae[.g]d h[=i]e t[=o] sty[.c][.c]um, swelce h[=e] t[=o].t[=ae]re
ti[.c][.c]en_ (he seized a lion and tore her to pieces, as if he were
rending a kid).
(6) In _conditional_ clauses, generally with _[.g]if_ or _b[=u]tan_, and in
_concessive_ clauses with _th[=e]ah_, _th[=e]ah the_:--_God w[=a]t thaet ic
nyle [=a].b[=u]gan fram his b[=i]g[e,]ngum [=ae]fre, swelte ic, libbe ic_
(God knows that I will not swerve from his worship ever, whether I die or
live); _th[=a]s flotm[e,]nn cumath, and th[=e] cwicne [.g]e.bindath,
b[=u]tan th[=u] mid fl[=e]ame th[=i]num f[=e]ore [.g]e.beorge_ (these
pirates will come and bind thee alive, unless thou savest thy life with
flight); _God hielt [=E]admund h[=a]lne his l[=i]chaman oth thone mi[.c]lan
dae[.g], th[=e]ah the h[=e] on moldan c[=o]me_ (God will keep Edmund {49}
with his body whole until the great day, although he has come to
earth--been buried). Sometimes the idea of 'if' must be got from the
context:--_clipiath t[=o] thissum [.g]ieftum sw[=a] hwelce sw[=a] [.g][=e]
[.g]e.m[=e]ten_ (summon to this wedding whomsoever ye meet, = _if_ ye meet
any one); _h[=i]e be.h[=e]ton hiere s[.c]eattas with th[=ae]m the h[=e]o
be.swice Samson_ (they promised her money in consideration of her betraying
Samson, = if she would...).
When the statement is assumed as unreal, instead of merely hypothetical, as
in the above instances, both clauses are put in the subjunctive, the
preterite being substituted for the present, as in Modern English also,
where _if I were_ ... implies _I am not_.... The modern distinction between
_if I were_ and _if I had been_, the former corresponding to the present
indicative _I am not_, the latter to the preterite _I was not_, is not made
in Old English, which uses _gif ic w[=ae]re_ in both instances. Sometimes
the 'if'-clause has to be supplied in thought:--_m[=e] l[=e]ofre w[=ae]re
thaet ic on [.g]e.feohte f[=e]olle with th[=ae]m the m[=i]n folc m[=o]ste
hiera eardes br[=u]can_ (I would rather fall in fight that my people might
possess their country), where we must supply some such clause as _[.g]if
hit sw[=a] b[=e]on mihte_ (if it might be so--if it were possible to save
my people by my death).
(7) In clauses dependant on a _negative sentence_:--_nis n[=a]n thing the
his mihte with.stande_ (there is nothing that resists his might). Sometimes
the negation must be gathered from the context, as in _se h[=a]lga is
m[=ae]rra thonne m[e,]nn mae[.g]en [=a].sm[=e]an_ (the saint is more
illustrious than men can conceive = the saint is so illustrious that no men
can conceive it).
(8) In other cases, to express uncertainty, futurity, &c.: _th[=i]n
r[=i][.c]e [.g]e.w[=i]tt fram th[=e], oth thaet th[=u] wite thaet God
[.g]e.wielt manna r[=i][.c]a_ (thy kingdom shall depart from thee, till
thou knowest that God rules the kingdoms of men); _uton_ {50} _weorthian
[=u]rne naman, [=ae]r th[=ae]m the w[=e] s[=i]en t[=o].d[=ae]lde [.g]eond
ealle eorthan!_ (let us make our name famous, before we are dispersed over
the earth).
The preterite subjunctive is often expressed by _should_ and _would_ with
an infinitive, as in Modern English.
_Scolde_ is used after verbs of _desiring_, _requesting_ and
_commanding_:--_biddende thone Aelmihtigan thaet h[=e] him [=a]rian scolde_
(praying the Almighty to have mercy on him). In the following example the
verb of commanding is understood from the noun _[=ae]rende_:--_h[=e]
s[e,]nde t[=o] thaem cyninge b[=e]otlic [=ae]rende, thaet h[=e]
[=a].b[=u]gan scolde t[=o] his mannr[=ae]denne, [.g]if h[=e] his f[=e]ores
r[=o]hte_ (he sent to the king an arrogant message, that he was to turn to
his allegiance, if he cared about his life).
_Wolde_ is used after verbs of _purpose_:--_se cyning [=e]ode inn thaet he
wolde [.g]e.s[=e]on th[=a] the th[=ae]r s[=ae]ton_ (the king went in to see
those who were sitting there).