Pro Cluentio Unseen

[Manliusxx]

Hello again,

May I please have help with this line from section 2 Pro Cluentio.

perspicio quantum in agendo difficultatis et quantum laboris sit habitura.

I have a terribly wrong translation (which I will admit I gave up and clobbered together);

I see that it will have as many of difficulties in and as many of labors.

Thankyou all again.

 

[Pacifica]

Let's start with this:

Quantum is interrogative here: "how much." Difficultatis and laboris are partitive genitives (singular), but "of" can be dropped from the translation in this sort of context.

 

[Manliusxx]

Hmm okay thankyou, exam season is upon us and its messing with my brain;

Does it go something like this:

I see how much difficulty in doing it (ie in to be done, is it a gerundive?) and how much labor it will have?

Thanks Pacifica!

 

[Manliusxx]

Is it subjunctive in an indirect question?

 

[Pacifica]

(ie in to be done, is it a gerundive?)

It's a gerund.

In the context, agendo means something like "pleading (in court)".

Is it subjunctive in an indirect question?

Yes.

 

[Manliusxx]

Thankyou so much

Do gerundives only agree with nouns? So this can be abl after in and still be a gerund?

 

[Pacifica]

Do gerundives only agree with nouns?

With nouns or pronouns.

So this can be abl after in and still be a gerund?

It can only be a gerund because there's no masculine or neuter noun around, either stated or implied, that agendo as a gerundive could possibly refer to.

 

[Manliusxx]

okay cool thanks!