§496. Participles

The Present and Perfect Participles are often used as a predicate, where in English a phrase or a subordinate clause would be more natural.

In this use the participles express time, cause, occasion, condition, concession, characteristic (or description), manner, means, attendant circumstances:—

• volventēs hostīlia cadāvera amīcum reperiēbant (Sall. Cat. 61), while rolling over the corpses of the enemy they found a friend. [Time.]
• paululum commorātus, sīgna canere iubet (id. 59), after delaying a little while, he orders them to give the signal. [Time.]
• longius prōsequī veritus, ad Cicerōnem pervēnit (B. G. 5.52), because he feared to follow further, he came to Cicero. [Cause.]
• quī scīret laxās dare iussus habēnās (Aen. 1.63), who might know how to give them loose rein when bidden. [Occasion.]
• damnātum poenam sequī oportēbat (B. G. 1.4), if condemned, punishment must overtake him. [Condition.]
• salūtem īnspērantibus reddidistī; (Marc. 21), you have restored a safety for which we did not hope (to [us] not hoping). [Concession.]
• Dardanius caput ecce puer dētēctus (Aen. 10.133), the Trojan boy with his head uncovered. [Description.]
• nec trepidēs in ūsum poscentis aevī pauca (Hor. Od. 2.11.5), be not anxious for the needs of age that demands little. [Characteristic.]
• incitātī fugā montīs altissimōs petēbant (B. C. 3.93), in headlong flight they made for the highest mountains. [Manner.]
• mīlitēs sublevātī aliī ab aliīs māgnam partem itineris cōnficerent (id. 1.68), the soldiers, helped up by each other, accomplished a considerable part of the route. [Means.]
• hōc laudāns, Pompêius idem iūrāvit (id. 3.87), approving this, Pompey took the same oath. [Attendant Circumstance.]
• aut sedēns aut ambulāns disputābam (Tusc. 1.7), I conducted the discussion either sitting or walking. [Attendant Circumstance.]

• īnstrūctōs ōrdinēs in locum aequum dēdūcit (Sall. Cat. 59), he draws up the lines, and leads them to level ground.
• ut hōs trāductōs necāret (B. G. 5.6), that he might carry them over and put them to death.