2065. An indicative protasis with #sī# is often used to assume a general
truth as a proof either for another general truth, or for a particular
fact.
(_a._) #sī voluptātis sēnsum capit, dolōrēs etiam capit#, _DN._ 3, 32,
_if it is susceptible of pleasure, it is also susceptible of pain_. #sī
omnēs, quī rē̆ī pūblicae cōnsulunt, cārī nōbīs esse dēbent, certē in
prīmīs imperātōrēs. sī ferae partūs suōs dīligunt, quā nōs in līberōs
nostrōs indulgentiā esse dēbēmus#, _DO._ 2, 168, _if all people who are
devoted to the public service are dear to us, then assuredly our
military men ought always to be particularly dear. If wild beasts always
love their young, how kind ought we always to be to our own children_.
(_b._) #sī pietātī summa tribuenda laus est, dēbētis movērī, cum Q.
Metellum tam piē lūgēre videātis#, _DO._ 2, 167, _if filial affection is
always to be held in high honour, you ought to be touched in this
instance, seeing such affectionate grief in Metellus_. #sī nox opportūna
est ēruptiōnī, sīcut est, haec profectō noctis aptissima hōra est#, L.
7, 35, 10, _if night is always favourable for a sortie, and it always
is, this particular hour of the night is the very best time_.
2066. An indicative protasis with #sī# often assumes a fact, past or
present, as an argument for another fact, or for a general truth.
In this case the apodosis, which is usually a question, often takes the
subjunctive (1565).
#sī Sūlla potuit efficere, ut dictātor dīcerētur, cūr hīc nōn possit?#
_Att._ 9, 15, 2, _if Sulla could succeed in being appointed dictator,
why cannot this man?_ #sī Zēnōnī licuit inaudītum rē̆ī nōmen impōnere,
cūr nōn liceat Catōnī?# _Fin._ 3, 15, _if Zeno was allowed to give a new
name to a thing, why should not Cato be allowed?_ #quod sī Graecī
leguntur ā Graecīs, quid est cūr nostrī ā nostrīs nōn legantur?# _Fin._
1, 6, _but if Greeks are read by Greeks, why should not Romans be read
by Romans?_
2067. An indicative protasis with #sī# often assumes a fact which is
declared in the apodosis to be no reason for another fact.
In this case the negative usually begins the period. #sī#, for which
#quia# or #etsī# is sometimes substituted, sometimes has #idcircō#,
#īlicō#, or #continuō#, rarely #proptereā# or #ideō#, as correlative in
the apodosis.
#nōn, sī tibī̆ anteā prōfuit, semper prōderit#, _Ph._ 8, 12, _even if it
has done you good in the past, that is no reason why it always will in
the future_. #nōn sī Opīmium dēfendistī, idcircō tē istī bonum cīvem
putābunt#, _DO._ 2, 170, _suppose you did defend Opimius, that is no
reason why your friends will think you a patriot_. #nec sī omne
ēnūntiātum aut vērum aut falsum est, sequitur īlicō, esse causās
immūtābilīs, quae prohibeant secus cadere atque cāsūrum sit#, _Fat._ 28,
_and even if every declaration is either true or false, it does not
follow without any further ado that there are unchangeable causes to
prevent a thing falling out different from the way it promises to fall
out_. #nōn continuō, sī mē in gregem sīcāriōrum contulī, sum sīcārius#,
_RA._ 94, _it does not forthwith follow that if I have joined a band of
bravoes, I am a bravo_.
[Erratum:
2065a ... _DN._ 3, 32,
3, 32.]
#mīror#, #mīrum sī#.
2068. #mīror# or #mīrum est# (#mīra sunt#) may introduce a conditional
protasis, instead of a clause with #quod# (1851) or the accusative with
the infinitive (2188).
Generally the main clause is actually or virtually negatived: as, #minus
mīrandumst, illaec aetās sī quid illōrum facit#, Pl. _B._ 409, _’tis not
to be wondered at, if youth does things like that_. #idne tū mīrāre, sī
patrissat fīlius?# Pl. _Ps._ 442, _can you, sir, wonder at it if the son
plays the father?_ #nec mīrum sī ūtēbātur cōnsiliō#, _Quinct._ 18, _and
it is no wonder if he followed the advice_. #mīrer, sī vāna vestra
auctōritās est?# L. 3, 21, 4, _can I think it strange if your influence
is of no account_ (1565)_?_ Rarely the main clause is positive: as,
#mīrābar hoc sī sīc abīret#, T. _Andr._ 175, _I wondered if it was going
to end so_ (1773). #mīror sī quemquam amīcum habēre potuit#, _L._ 54,
_I wonder if he could have had a friend in the world_. In old colloquial
style #mīrum nī# is found: as, #mīrum nī hīc me exossāre cōgitat#, Pl.
_Am._ 319, _strange that he doesn’t think of boning me_. #ubi nunc
ipsus? :: mīrum nī domīst#, T. _Andr._ 598, _where is he now? :: at home
of course_. So once in Livy: #mīrum esse nī castra hostium oppugnentur#,
L. 3, 28, 5,_ that he shouldn’t be surprised if the enemy’s camp were
being stormed_ (1724). #gaudeō sī# is found once in Cicero, and #terreō,
metus est sī#, or the like occurs a few times in Tacitus. For #sī# in
expressions of trial, hope, expectation, &c., see 1777.