Lemma 1sī,sĕī
conjunction
Morphology
inv.si · regular
Lewis & Short
sī [from a pronominal stem = ; sva-, self; ], a conditional particle, if.
With ; , in conditions which are assumed to be true, with the verb in pres. or ; less in imperf or pluperf.; and in conditions which may probably become true, with the verb in or Madv. Gram. § 332.
Pres.: SI IN IVS VOCAT, Fragm. XII. Tab. , and Porphyr.: SI MORBVS AEVITASVE VITIVM ESCIT. SI NOLET, , Gell. l. l.: spero, si speres quicquam prodesse potis sunt, Enn. Müll. (Ann. 410 Vahl.) — Strengthened by modo: BACANALIA SEI QVA SVNT, EXSTRAD QVAM SEI QVID IBEI SACRI EST. FACIATIS VTEI DISMOTA SIENT, S. C. de Bacch. — after mirum est or miror, as expressing reality = quod or cum.
; si quis eorum (servorum) sub centone crepuit, nullum mihi vitium facit, Cato Fest. prohibere, p. 234 Müll. — After mirum est or miror, to express a reality (, ). — Very often followed by certe, profecto, , to express a conclusion, as certain as the unquestionable assumption. — with a negative conclusion ( , and quia, etsi).
Pluperf.: si improbum Cresphontem existimaveras, , Enn. : (Trag. 156 Vahl.). — in indef. clauses of repeated action. — si voles advortere animum, comiter monstrabitur, Enn. Müll. (Trag. 386 Vahl.); in the foll.: si quod aliud reperies. — : si te hic offendero, moriere, Enn. (Trag. 301 Vahl.); si quid vos per laborem recte feceritis. Sed si quā per voluptatem nequiter feceritis, , Cato
With ; of conditions assumed in statement, but implied not to be actual; the verb in pres. (rarely ) implies that the condition is still possible; in the and pluperf., that it is known to be unreal Madv. Gram. § 347
Pres.; si jus suum populi teneant. — In expressing a wish ( for utinam), usu. with O; , infra.
; Zumpt, Gram. § 525: SEI QVES ESENT, QVEI SIBEI DEICERENT, S. C. de Bacch (twice). — Also with O, expressing a wish ().
: SI INIVRIAM FAXIT ALTERI, VIGINTI QVINQVE AERIS POENAE SVNTO, Fragm. XII. Tabularum : si jam data sit frux, Enn. P. (Ann. 412 Vahl.).
Pluperf.
Ellipt.
With indef.
In a negation, usu. si minus, si contra (= sin minus, sin aliter), in this sense less si non.
With forte.
With quod, and if, but if, if however, if.
In subject or object-clauses, si with sometimes takes the place of an : summa gloria constat ex tribus his: infinitum est, si singulos velim persequi.; ( si after mirum est, I. a. ).
In clauses, to denote a doubtful assumption or future event ( quod).
Si with a relative takes the place of a relative clause, to express a class the existence or extent of which is doubtful: mortem proposuit, non eis solum qui illam rem gesserunt, sed eis etiam si qui non moleste tulerunt, if such there were, whether few or many.
In syllogistic reasonings.
= etiamsi, with foll. tamen, even if, although, albeit ()
, in dependent clauses expressing an interrogation or doubt, it is nearly = num, but forms a looser connection, if, whether, if perchance (, but very rare in Cic.)
With ellipsis of a verb or clause on which the condition depends ( I. c. ): ei rei suam operam dat, si possiet illam invenire (to see) whether he can; ; 7, 89 : haud aspernatus Tullius, tamen, si vana adferantur, in aciem educit (that he might be ready) if, : ille postea, si comitia sua non fierent, urbi minari, (that he would attack it) if, : erat Athenis reo damnato, si fraus capitalis non esset, quasi poenae aestimatio: quattuor legiones Cornelio, si qui ex Etruriā novi motus nuntiarentur, relictae, to meet the case, that, to be ready, if,
Si. si, for sive. sive, whether. or.