Tenses of infinitives and participles
Infinitives and participles also have tenses, though not all possible tenses. These tenses show the relationship of the infinitive or participle to the time of the main verb of the clause. AG 486, 489- “Orgetorix dixit perfacile esse totius Galliae imperio potiri” Caesar, BG 1.2 Orgetorix said it was (or would be) easy to gain power over all Gaul; both present infinitives refer to things that are true at the same time as Orgetorix is speaking, or things that he expects will be true in the future.
- “Quod vides perisse perditum ducas.” Catullus 8.2. The use of the perfect infinitive indicates that the affair is really over: it ended in the past.
- “Quid dolens regina deum virum tot adire labores impulerit?” Virgil, Aen. 1.9-11 Juno was in pain at the same time as she forced Aeneas to go through his travails, hence “dolens” is a present participle.
- “Videor mihi iecisse fundamenta defensionis meae.” Cicero, Cael. 5 Cicero informs the jury that the basis of the defense is complete, hence the perfect infinitive.
