E4P12D
Demonstration — Part IV
Latin
Quatenus rem ut contingentem imaginamur, nulla alterius rei imagine afficimur quæ rei existentiam ponat (per definitionem 3 hujus) sed contra (secundum hypothesin) quædam imaginamur quæ ejusdem præsentem existentiam secludunt. At quatenus rem in futurum possibilem esse imaginamur eatenus quædam imaginamur quæ ejusdem existentiam ponunt (per definitionem 4 hujus) hoc est (per propositionem 18 partis III) quæ spem vel metum fovent atque adeo affectus erga rem possibilem vehementior est. Q.E.D.
English (Elwes 1883)
In so far as we conceive a thing as contingent, we are affected by the conception of some further thing, which would assert the existence of the former (IV. Def. iii.); but, on the other hand, we (by hypothesis) conceive certain things, which exclude its present existence. But, in so far as we conceive a thing to be possible in the future, we there by conceive things which assert its existence (IV. iv.), that is (III. xviii.), things which promote hope or fear: wherefore an emotion towards something possible is more vehement. Q.E.D.
Modern English
Insofar as we conceive a thing as contingent, we are not affected by any image of another thing that posits the existence of the first (E4D3). On the contrary (by hypothesis) we conceive certain things that exclude its present existence. But insofar as we conceive something as possible in the future, we conceive things that posit its existence (E4D4), that is, (E3P18), things that foster hope or fear. An affect toward something possible is therefore more intense. Q.E.D.