1058. A COMPLEX SENTENCE is one which consists of a main and a
subordinate sentence: as,
#centuriōnēs praemittit# (main sentence), #quī locum idōneum castrīs
dēligant# (subordinate sentence), 2, 17, 1, _he sends some officers
ahead to select a suitable spot for the camp_, #nunc scio# (main
sentence), #quid sit Amor# (subordinate sentence), V. _E._ 8, 43, _now,
now I know what Eros is_. #ā tē petō# (main sentence), _ut mē dēfendās_
(subordinate sentence), _Fam._ 15, 7, _I ask it of you that you protect
me_.
1059. Several sentences are often subordinate to one and the same main
sentence, and subordinate sentences may in their turn be main sentences
to other subordinate sentences.
Thus, in the following sentence _b_ is subordinate to _A_, and _c_ to
_Ab_: (_c._) #quālis esset nātūra montis#, (_b._) #quī cōgnōscerent#,
(_A._) #mīsit#, 1, 21, 1, _he sent some people to see what the character
of the hill was_.
1060. Subordinate sentences may be coordinated with each other, as well
as main sentences.
Thus, in the following sentence, _b_ and _b_ are both subordinate to
_A_, but coordinate with each other: (_A._) #hīs rēbus fiēbat#, (_b._)
#ut et minus lātē vagārentur# (_b._) #et minus facile fīnitimīs bellum
īnferre possent#, 1, 2, 4, _so it came to pass that, in the first place,
they did not roam round much, and secondly, they could not so easily
make aggressive war on their neighbours_.
1061. A subordinate sentence introductory in thought to the main
sentence, though not necessarily first in the order of the words, is
called a _Protasis_; the main sentence which completes the thought is
called an _Apodosis_: as,
#quom vidēbis# (protasis), #tum sciēs# (apodosis), Pl. #B.# 145, _when
thou see’st, then thou’lt know_. #ut sēmentem fēceris# (protasis), #ita
metēs# (apodosis), _DO._ 2, 261, _as a man soweth, so shall he reap_.
#sī sunt dī# (protasis), #beneficī in hominēs sunt# (apodosis), _Div._
2, 104, _if there are gods, they are kind to men_.