Quote Originally Posted by sperk View Post
Это значит масштаб совершенного пугал надежду?
Sperk, not Масштаб совершенного пугал НАДЕЖДУ but Масштаб совершенного пугал.

На свои силы надежды тоже не было – пугал масштаб совершенного. --- The sentence is actually a combination of two independant sentences.

First ---- На свои силы надежды тоже не было
Second --- пугал масштаб совершенного

The first is kinda a set phrase that means that she/he can't even hope to carry something out by themselves only or by using resources that available to them , so he/she has to ask for help to deal with what they have to deal.

The second gives the reason why на свои силы надежды не было and means the scope of what has happened was so broad, that it was scary.


And going back to your first question in the thread:

– А, может, он сам себя? – с надеждой в голосе спросил Клубникин.

– Хорошо бы, да заточка глубоко всажена.


In this particular case that doesn't mean it would be nice as Dima said but that means it would have been nice.


- Maybe he committed suicide? --- Klubnikin asked hopefully.
- It would have been nice if he'd done that, but the shiv is plunged too deeply into him