When to use -que, et, ac or atque

Latin Learning Latin
1

Hi,

I have noticed for example that -que is commonly used when an author is making an enumeration of things. I wonder if you know of any ancient or old sources, in which this question is being discussed?

2

Locum aptum apud Keil ignoro. Hunc fontem inspice.
I don’t know of a passage in Keil (Grammatici Antiqui). Secondary source to look at: https://ia700401.us.archive.org/13/items/cu31924021616689/cu31924021616689.pdf

3

I would say that “et” is the default; “atque” is like “et”, but more emphatic, something like “and also”; “ac” is a shortened form of “atque”; “-que” is just the enclitic form of “et”.

I think that if you try to say more than that you will always find a counterexample, but it is just my humble opinion.

4

‘ac’ = ‘atque’ before vowels?

5

Keil, Grammatici Latini I, p. 417

But that doesn’t say anything about when one might be used preferably to the other…

6

Of course there isn’t one rule that is always correct regarding this. I’m rather searching for an authority (as old as possible), who says that in this or that scenario it is preferable to use this conjunction. I find it hard to believe that there hasn’t existed a learned person, who hasn’t been thinking about this. Thank you for the answers so far. I’ll continue to dig.