quisnam, quaenam, quidnam, pron. interrog. [quis-nam], who, which, what pray (class.).
- I. In direct interrogation: quisnam igitur tuebitur P. Scipionis memoriam mortui? Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 36, § 80: sed earum artificem quem? Quemnam? id. ib. 2, 4, 3, § 5: cruciatur cor mihi et metuo. Ca. Quidnam id est? Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 45: sed quidnam Pamphilum exanimatum video? for what pray? why pray? Ter. And. 1, 4, 7; id. Ad. 3, 2, 7; id. And. 2, 6, 18: quisnam igitur liber? Hor. S. 2, 7, 83.
Sometimes joined, pleon., with num: num quidnam amplius tibi cum illā fuit? pray had you nothing further to do with her? Ter. And. 2, 1, 25: num quisnam praeterea? nemo est, any body else? Cic. Rosc. Am. 37, 107: num quidnam, Crassus inquit, novi? is there any thing new? id. de Or. 2, 3, 13.
Sometimes separated: in aedibus quid tibi meis nam erat negoti? Plaut. Aul. 3, 2, 13: quid tu, malum, nam me retrahis? id. Rud. 4, 3, 8; id. Bacch. 5, 1, 26.
Quisnam as fem.: quis ea est nam optuma? Plaut. Aul. 2, 1, 16.
In the poets nam sometimes stands before quis: nam quae haec anus est? Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 5: nam quis te nostras Jussit adire domos? Verg. G. 4, 445.
- II. In indirect discourse: reviso, quidnam Chaerea hic rerum gerat, Ter. Eun. 5, 4, 1: ut sciam num quidnam afferat, etc., id. And. 1, 4, 8: miserunt Delphos consultum, quidnam facerent de rebus suis, Nep. Them. 2.