or an action as beginning ('Inceptive Imperfect'); as,--

hostes nostros intra munitiones progredi prohibebant, _the enemy tried
to prevent_ (prohibebant) _our men from advancing within the
fortifications_ ('Conative');

ad proelium se expediebant, _they were beginning to get ready for
battle_ ('Inceptive').

4. The Imperfect, with jam, jam diu, jam dudum, etc., is sometimes used of
an action which had been continuing some time; as,--

domicilium Romae multos jam annos habebat, _he had had his residence at
Rome for many years_ (i.e. he had it at this time and had long had it).

Future Indicative.

261. 1. The Latin is much more exact in the use of the Future than is the
English. We say: '_If he comes, I shall be glad_,' where we really mean:
'_If he shall come_,' etc. In such cases the Latin rarely admits the
Present, but generally employs the Future.

2. Sometimes the Future has Imperative force; as, dices, _say!_

Perfect Indicative.

262. A. PRESENT PERFECT. Several Present Perfects denote the _state
resulting from a completed act_, and so seem equivalent to the Present;
as,--

novi, cognovi, _I know_ (lit. _I have become acquainted with_);

consuevi, _I am wont_ (lit. _I have become accustomed_).

B. HISTORICAL PERFECT. The Historical Perfect is the tense of _narration_
(as opposed to the Imperfect, the tense of _description_); as,--

Regulus in senatum venit, mandata exposuit, reddi captivos negavit esse
utile, _Regulus came into the Senate, set forth his commission, said it
was useless for captives to be returned_.

1. Occasionally the Historical Perfect is used of a general truth ('Gnomic
Perfect').

Pluperfect Indicative.

263. The Latin Pluperfect, like the English Past Perfect, denotes an act
_completed in the past_; as,--

Caesar Rhenum transire decreverat, sed naves deerant, _Caesar had
decided to cross the Rhine, but had no boats_.

a. In those verbs whose Perfect has Present force (Sec. 262, A), the
Pluperfect has the force of an Imperfect; as,--

noveram, _I knew_.

Future Perfect Indicative.

264. The Future Perfect denotes an action _completed in future time_.
Thus:--

scribam epistulam, cum redieris, _I will write the letter when you have
returned_ (lit. _when you shall have returned_).

a. The Latin is much more exact in the use of the Future Perfect than the
English, which commonly employs the P