Pluperfect subjunctive in independent clauses

[Charlie Parker]

This a passage from Ørberg's Roma Aeterna XL 229-233. Dido comtemplates suicide and, if I understand correctly, also thinks of how she might have taken her revenge on Aeneas.

Nonne ego cum et socios et ipsum Ascanium ferro absumere potuit! Etiam si pugnae fortuna dubia fuisset, quem metui moritura? Faces in castra tulissem, carinas flammis delevissem, filium et patrem cum genere exstinxsissem—et ipsa memet super eos iecissem!

I am not sure I understand the subjunctives or how to translate them. All I can think of is that they are actually apodoses after etiam si. Thus, I understand the sentences as past conditions contrary to fact. So, I would translate it as "Even if the outcome had been doubtful, I would have borne torches to their camp, destroyed their boats with flames, extinguished father and son with their race and thrown myself on top of them." I would be grateful for any comments and especially for any references to other grammars.

 

[Pacifica]

I am not sure I understand the subjunctives or how to translate them. All I can think of is that they are actually apodoses after etiam si. Thus, I understand the sentences as past conditions contrary to fact. So, I would translate it as "Even if the outcome had been doubtful, I would have borne torches to their camp, destroyed their boats with flames, extinguished father and son with their race and thrown myself on top of them." I would be grateful for any comments and especially for any references to other grammars.

That's right. Past contrary-to-fact conditions (that is, conditions of the "if X had happened then Y would have happened" kind) are expressed with the pluperfect subjunctive.

 

[Charlie Parker]

Thank you Pacifica. I hesitated between translating "would have" and "could have."

 

[Pacifica]

Thank you Pacifica. I hesitated between translating "would have" and "could have."

"Would have" is the basic meaning, but "could have" can sometimes be an acceptable translation choice.

 

[Charlie Parker]

Thank you once again.

 

[cinefactus]

I can't understand the first sentence. Is it potui rather than potuit?

 

[Pacifica]

Yes, and also eum rather than cum.

 

[cinefactus]

Thanks. I was struggling with that too...