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[*] 785. The infinitive with a subject accusative is sometimes used for the optative in the expression of a wish referring to the future. This occurs chiefly in poetry. E.g. Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἢ Αἴαντα λαχεῖν ἢ Τυδέος υἱόν, Father Zeus, may the lot fall on Ajax or on the son of Tydeus (= Αἴας λάχοι). Il. vii. 179. Ζεῦ ἄνα, Τηλέμαχόν μοι ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιον εἶναι, καί οἱ πάντα γένοιθ̓ ὅσσα φρεσὶν ᾗσι μενοινᾷ (εἶναι = εἴη is followed by γένοιτο). Od. xvii. 354. Μὴ πρὶν ἐπ᾽ ἠέλιον δῦναι καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἐλθεῖν. Il. ii. 413. Αἰεὶ δὲ τοιαύταν αἶσαν διακρίνειν ἔτυμον λόγον ἀνθρώπων. PIND. Py. i. 67. Θεοὶ πολῖται, μή με δουλείας τυχεῖν (= μὴ τύχοιμι). Sept. 253. Δήμητερ, εὐδαιμονεῖν με Θησέα τε παῖδ᾽ ἐμόν. EUR. Supp. 3. Ἑρμᾶ μ̓πολαῖε, τὰν γυναῖκα τὰν ἐμὰν οὕτω μ᾽ ἀποδόσθαι τάν τ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ ματέρα, “O that I could sell my wife and my mother at this rate!” AR. Ach. 816. Ὦ Ζεῦ, ἐκγενέσθαι μοι Ἀθηναίους τίσασθαι, “may it be permitted me to punish the Athenians.” HDT. v. 105. Ὁκότεροι δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέων νικήσωσι, τούτους τῷ ἅπαντι στρατοπέδῳ νικᾶν, i.e. let their victory count for the whole army. Id. ix. 48. This construction, like the preceding (784, 2), is often explained by an ellipsis of δός, grant; see Il. iii. 351, δὸς τίσασθαι. Aristarchus supplied γένοιτο or εἴη.
Macmillan. London, Melbourne, Toronto. 1889. reprint edition:. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1965.
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