§558. CLAUSES WITH QUīN AND QUōMINUS

A subjunctive clause with quīn is used after verbs and other expressions of hindering, resisting, refusing, doubting, delaying, and the like, when these are negatived, either expressly or by implication:—

• nōn hūmāna ūlla neque dīvīna obstant quīn sociōs amīcōs trahant exscindant (Sall. Ep. Mith. 17), no human or divine laws prevent them from taking captive and exterminating their friendly allies.
• ut nē Suessiōnēs quidem dēterrēre potuerint quīn cum hīs cōnsentīrent (B. G. 2.3), that they were unable to hinder even the Suessiones from making common cause with them.
• nōn posse mīlitēs continērī quīn in urbem inrumperent (B. C. 2.12), that the soldiers could not be restrained from bursting into the city.
• nōn recūsat quīn iūdicēs (Deiot. 43), he does not object to your judging.
• neque recūsāre quīn armīs contendant (B. G. 4.7), and that they did not refuse to fight.
• praeterīre nōn potuī quīn scrīberem ad tē; (Caesar ap. Cic. Att. 9.6A), I could not neglect to write to you.
• Trēverī tōtīus hiemis nūllum tempus intermīsērunt quīn lēgātōs mitterent (B. G. 5.55), the Treveri let no part of the winter pass without sending ambassadors. [Cf. B. G. 5.53; B. C. 1.78.]
• nōn cūnctandum exīstimāvit quīn pūgnā dēcertāret (B. G. 3.23), he thought he ought not to delay risking a decisive battle.
• paulum āfuit quīn Vārum interficeret (B. C. 2.35), he just missed killing Varus (it lacked little but that he should kill).
• neque multum āfuit quīn castrīs expellerentur (id. 2.35), they came near being driven out of the camp.
• facere nōn possum quīn cotīdiē ad tē mittam (Att. 12.27.2), I cannot help sending to you every day.
• fierī nūllō modō poterat quīn Cleomenī parcerētur (Verr. 5.104), it was out of the question that Cleomenes should not be spared.
• ut efficī nōn possit quīn eōs ōderim (Phil. 11.36), so that nothing can prevent my hating them.

a. Quīn is especially common with nōn dubitō, I do not doubt, nōn est dubium, there is no doubt, and similar expressions:—

• nōn dubitābat quīn eī crēderēmus (Att. 6.2.3), he did not doubt that we believed him.
• illud cavē dubitēs quīn ego omnia faciam (Fam. 5.20.6), do not doubt that I will do all.
• quis īgnōrat quīn tria Graecōrum genera sint (Flacc. 64), who is ignorant that there are three races of Greeks?
• nōn erat dubium quīn Helvētiī plūrimum possent (cf. B. G. 1.3), there was no doubt that the Helvetians were most powerful.
• neque Caesarem fefellit quīn ab iīs cohortibus initium victōriae orīrētur (B. C. 3.94), and it did not escape Cæsar's notice that the beginning of the victory came from those cohorts.

• nōn nūllī dubitant an per Sardiniam veniat (Fam. 9.7), some doubt whether he is coming through Sardinia.
• dubitāte, sī potestis, ā quō sit Sex. Rōscius occīsus (Rosc. Am. 78), doubt, if you can, by whom Sextus Roscius was murdered.
• dubitābam tū hās ipsās litterās essēsne acceptūrus (Att. 15.9), I doubt whether you will receive this very letter. [Epistolary Imperfect (§ 479).]
• quālis sit futūrus, nē vōs quidem dubitātis (B. C. 2.32), and what it (the outcome) will be, you yourselves do not doubt.
• nōn dubitō quid sentiant (Fam. 15.9), I do not doubt what they think.
• dubium illī nōn erat quid futūrum esset (id. 8.8.1), it was not doubtful to him what was going to happen.

• nec dubitāre illum appellāre sapientem (Lael. 1), and not to hesitate to call him a sage.
• dubitandum nōn exīstimā vit quīn proflcīscerētur (B. G. 2.2), he did not think he ought to hesitate to set out.
• quid dubitās ūtī temporis opportūnitāte (B. C. 2.34), why do you hesitate to take advantage of the favorable moment? [A question implying a negative.]

b. Verbs of hindering and refusing often take the subjunctive with nē or quōminus (= ut eō minus), especially when the verb is not negatived:—

• plūra nē dīcam tuae mē lacrimae impediunt (Planc. 104), your tears preveni me from speaking further.
• nec aetās impedit quōminus agrī colendī studia teneāmus (Cat. M. 60), nor does age prevent us from retaining an interest in tilling the soil.
• nihil impedit quōminus id facere possīmus (Fin. 1.33), nothing hinders us from being able to do that.
• obstitistī nē trānsīre cōpiae possent (Verr. 5.5), you opposed the passage of the troops (opposed lest the troops should cross).

• nihil obest dīcere (Fam. 9.13.4), there is nothing to prevent my saying it.
• prohibet accēdere (Caec. 46), prevents him from approaching.