if he wasn't careful' The subjunctive , standing for , can sometimes be found in such indirect questions referring to the future: (Livy) 'some were standing still, uncertain whether it would be safer to go forward or to retreat into the camp' However, after sometimes the simple subjunctive alone can also have a future meaning, if the context makes it clear. This is in fact necessary if the verb is passive, since there is no passive future participle: (Cicero) 'I am sure that you will not commit yourself to sailing or travelling until you are completely better' (Ovid)<ref>Ovid, Heroides"" 17.245.</ref> 'nor do I doubt that if I follow you, arms will be prepared' (Cicero) 'I am sure I shall come to you immediately' (Caesar) 'they said that if these things were reported to Ariovistus, they did not doubt that he would punish them all' Since in there is no distinction between a future condition and an ideal one, the above sentence could also be interpreted as being an ideal conditional ('if Ariovistus were to hear of this, he would punish us all'). Future perfect situation Almost no examples are given in grammar books of an indirect question expressing a future perfect situation using a subjunctive verb, apart from the following: (Cicero) 'nor do I doubt that by the time you read this letter, the matter will already have been settled' As with the infinitive construction, there seems to be no way of expressing a future perfect situation when the verb is active. Ideal potential situation The distinction between the ideal conditional ('if this were to happen') and the simple future conditional ('if this happens') disappears in indirect speech). In an indirect question about a hypothetical unreal situation, the periphrastic present subjunctive is found, just as in a logical future conditional: (Cicero) 'we ourselves have never seen such a (perfectly wise) man; but it is explained in the opinions of philosophers what such a person would be like, if one were ever to exist' Present unreal situations If the sentence is an indirect question, according to Woodcock, the periphrastic perfect subjunctive can be used. The following example is quoted by Woodcock as describing a hypothetical present or future situation: (Seneca) 'think how much extra speed you would put on, if an enemy were pursuing you!' However, the following statement based on an unreal present condition uses the simple imperfect subjunctive to