Vol. 9 No. 14 (2025): Moods in relative clauses in Plautus and Terence

Wolfgang de Melo. Part of the Special Collection "Latin and Sabellic relative clauses". This contribution discusses relative clauses in four comedies by Plautus and one by Terence, as a representative sample of early Latin comedy. The main questions are, firstly, to what extent modal usages are the same as in classical Latin, and, secondly, how any differences can be explained. In defining and non-defining relative clauses alike, subjunctives make up 25% of the total, but they are used for somewhat different reasons in the two types of relative clauses. In defining relative clauses, the subjunctive can be the result of indirect speech, modal attraction, or the desire to express purpose. In classical Latin, the subjunctive is also employed if the head noun is indefinite and non-specific; this type is still spreading in early Latin, being almost obligatory in presentative constructions, but not yet elsewhere. In non-defining relative clauses, subjunctives can be used to express wishes or doubts, or they can be the result of indirect speech or modal attraction. In classical Latin, the subjunctive is also common if the relative clauses have causal or concessive nuances; in early Latin, on the other hand, the subjunctive is more restricted in such contexts. In 'causal' relative clauses, it mostly occurs if the superordinate clause contains a negative evaluation, and I argue that we are dealing with a reanalysis of relative clauses expressing purpose here. The subjunctive has barely begun to spread to concessive relative clauses, and the further spread to cum-clauses only really happens after Plautus and Terence.