§564. Substantive Clauses of Purpose

Verbs of fearing take the Subjunctive, with nē affirmative and nē nōn or ut negative.

In this use nē is commonly to be translated by that, ut and nē nōn by that not:—

• timeō nē Verrēs fēcerit (Verr. 5.3), I fear that Verres has done, etc.
• nē animum offenderet verēbātur (B. G. 1.19), he feared that he should hurt the feelings, etc.
• nē exhērēdārētur veritus est (Rosc. Am. 58), he feared that he should be disinherited.
• ōrātor metuō nē languēscat senectūte (Cat. M. 28), I fear the orator grows feeble from old age.
• vereor ut tibi possim concēdere (De Or. 1.35), I fear that I cannot grant you.
• haud sānē perīculum est nē nōn mortem optandam putet (Tusc. 5.118), there is no danger that he will not think death desirable.