sunt quibus

Latin Learning Latin
1

The expression sunt qui [“there are those who”]I recall learning from basic grammar. But yesterday I encountered sunt quibus, and only after checking a translation did I see that it meant “there are those to/by/from whom”, just as one might expect of the dative/ablative plural.

I did not recall this usage. So my question is, does this occur regularly with all the cases of the relative pronoun? It could be that this is one of those points I missed due to self-teaching.

For example: “sunt quos relinquimus”: there are men whom we left behind. Is this proper Latin?

2

Unlike English, Latin is a highly inflectional language, and this inflection occurs according to the syntax and what the syntax requires. Check consecutive relative clauses in a good grammar, and you should find many examples. In sunt, qui the pronoun is probably a subject, in sunt, quos an object, in sunt, quorum possessor.

Think of these structures:
There are those who stay up late.
There are those whom we despise.
There are those with whom we agree.
There are those whose ideas are widely opposed.

Even English shows there inflection.

My grammar offers the following examples
Sunt, qui, quod sentiunt, non audeant dicere.
Hostes non desunt, in quibus uirtutem ostendamus.

Thus, it’s not only the verb esse which is used in these constructions.

3

Yes, it can be used with all cases and genders, and both numbers, of the relative pronoun. The verb is usually subjunctive.

“There are men whom we left behind” – sunt quos reliquerimus, or maybe, since a specific group of men would be understood, sunt quos reliquimus.

This is a type of relative clause that Allen & Greenough labels a “relative clause of characteristic”: sec. 535a:

a. A Relative Clause of Characteristic is used after general expressions of existence or non-existence, including questions which imply a negative.

So especially with sunt quī, there are [some] who; quis est quī, who is there who?—

“ sunt quī discessum animī ā corpore putent esse mortem ” (Tusc. 1.18) , there are some who think that the departure of soul from body constitutes death.
“erant quī cēnsērent ” (B. C. 2.30) , there were some who were of the opinion, etc.
“ erant quī Helvidium miserārentur ” (Tac. Ann. 16.29) , there were some who pitied Helvidius. [Cf. est cum (N.3, below).]
“ quis est quī id nōn maximīs efferat laudibus ” (Lael. 24) , who is there that does not extol it with the highest praise?
“nihil videō quod timeam ” (Fam. 9.16.3) , I see nothing to fear.
“nihil est quod adventum nostrum extimēscās ” (Fam. 9.26.4) , there is no reason why you should dread my coming.
“ unde agger comportārī posset nihil erat reliquum ” (B. C. 2.15) , there was nothing left from which an embankment could be got together.

[*] Note 1.–After general negatives like nēmō est quī , the Subjunctive is regular; after general affirmatives like sunt quī , it is the prevailing construction, but the Indicative sometimes occurs; after multī (nōn nūllī, quīdam) sunt quī , and similar expressions in which the antecedent is partially defined, the choice of mood depends on the shade of meaning which the writer wishes to express:—

“ sunt bēstiae quaedam in quibus inest aliquid simile virtūtis ” (Fin. 5.38) , there are certain animals in which there is something like virtue.
“ But,—inventī multī sunt quī vītam prōfundere prō patriā parātī essent ” (Off. 1.84) , many were found of such a character as to be ready to give their lives for their country.

[*] Note 2.–Characteristic clauses with sunt quī etc. are sometimes called Relative Clauses with an Indefinite Antecedent, but are to be carefully distinguished from the Indefinite Relative in protasis (§ 520).

[*] Note 3.–The phrases est cum , fuit cum , etc. are used like est quī , sunt quī : as,— “ac fuit cum mihi quoque initium requiēscendī fore iūstum arbitrārer” (De Or. 1.1) , and there was a time when I thought a beginning of rest would be justifiable on my part.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=AG+535&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0001

4

Thanks to Timothée and Hylander for the grammar instruction. I see I need to study Allyn and Greenough on the points raised.