Ex. 167 on Page 70

[JesseToler]

At number three, there is "Vocabat". I am translating from the imperfect active and coming up with "he/she/it was calling", but the key reads "he called". Have I missed something, or have we not gotten into the prefect yet? In the past perfect, it would read "Vocavit" meaing "he/she/it called".

[modus.irrealis]

Well, the progressive vs. non-progressive distinction in English doesn't quite match the imperfect vs. perfect distinction in Latin, so in some contexts "vocabat" is better translated as "he called," but I'd have to say that in context-less exercises like this, I've always seen it translated as "he was calling" like you say.

[bellum paxque]

Comments and questions: maybe it's obvious to everyone else, but what textbook are you talking about, Jesse?

In the past perfect, it would read "Vocavit" meaing "he/she/it called".

Be careful with your terminology! There is a perfect tense in Latin: vocavit (he called). And there is a pluperfect tense: vocaverat (he had called). "Past perfect" is an English tense which usually corresponds to the Latin pluperfect (so "had called" in contrast to present perfect "has called').

"vocabit" is better translated as "he called,"

Just for clarity's sake, this should be vocabat (not the future vocabit)

[modus.irrealis]

Just for clarity's sake, this should be vocabat (not the future vocabit)

You're right, of course, and thanks for the heads up. I'm going to claim it was a typo, because it might actually have been one (although my Latin is really atrophying lately and wasn't all that great to start off with) .

[JesseToler]

That is where the question comes from.