[*] 113. On the other hand, when it was desired to make the reference to the future especially prominent, the future infinitive could be used exceptionally in all these cases. Thus we sometimes find the future after verbs signifying to be able, to wish, to be unwilling, and the like; sometimes also in a final sense or with ὥστε and ἐφ᾽ ᾧτε; and sometimes when the infinitive with the article refers to future time. This use of the future is a partial adoption of the form of indirect discourse in other constructions. It was a particularly favourite usage with Thucydides. E.g.
- “Ἐδεήθησαν δὲ καὶ τῶν Μεγαρέων ναυσὶ σφᾶς ξυμπροπέμψειν,” “they asked the Megareans also to escort them with ships.” THUC. i. 27.
- “Ἐβούλοντο προτιμωρήσεσθαι” Id. vi. 57. So “ἐπιχειρήσειν ἐθελήσεις;” AESCHIN. iii. 152.
- “Τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ διενοοῦντο κλῄσειν” THUC. vii. 56.
- “Ἐφιέμενοι μὲν τῆς πάσης ἄρξειν, βοηθεῖν δὲ ἅμα εὐπρεπῶς βουλόμενοι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ξυγγενέσι καὶ ξυμμάχοις” Id. vi. 6. (Here βοηθεῖν is regular.)
- “Τοῦ ταῖς ναυσὶ μὴ ἀθυμεῖν ἐπιχειρήσειν,” “to prevent them from being without spirit to attack them in ships.” Id. vii. 21.
- “Οὔτ᾽ ἀποκωλύσειν δύνατοι ὄντες” Id. iii. 28.
- “Εἰ δέ γ᾽ ἐν λόγοις πείσειν δυνησόμεσθα” SOPH. Ph. 1394.
- “Εἴ τις εἰς τοῦτο ἀναβάλλεται ποιήσειν τὰ δέοντα,” “if any one postpones doing his duty as far as this.” DEM. iii. 9. (The ordinary construction would be ἀναβάλλεται ποιεῖν or ποιῆσαι.)
- “Οὔτε τῶν προγόνων μεμνῆσθαι [δεῖ] οὔτε τῶν λεγόντων ἀνέχεσθαι, νόμον τε θήσειν καὶ γράψειν, κ.τ.λ.” DEM. xix. 16. (Here we have δεῖ θήσειν.)
- “Πολλοῦ δέω ἐμαυτόν γε ἀδικήσειν καὶ κατ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ ἐρεῖν αὐτός” PLAT. Ap. 37B.
- “Τοὺς ὁμήρους παρέδοσαν τῷ Ἀργείων δήμῳ διὰ ταῦτα διαχρήσεσθαι,” “that they might put them to death.” THUC. vi. 61. So πεύσεσθαι, Id. iii. 26.
- “Ἐφ᾽ ᾧτε βοηθήσειν” AESCHIN. iii. 114 (see 610).
- “Ἀποδείξω αὐτὸν τὴν προῖκα οὐ δεδωκότα οὕτω μεγάλοις τεκμηρίοις ὥστε ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας εἴσεσθαι” DEM. xxx. 5 : so xxix. 5.
- “Ἐλπίδι τὸ ἀφανὲς τοῦ κατορθώσειν ἐπιτρέψαντες,” “having committed to hope what was uncertain in the prospect of success.” THUC. ii. 42. (Here κατορθώσειν is more explicit than the present κατορθοῦν would be: τὸ ἀφανὲς τοῦ κατορθοῦν would mean simply what was uncertain in regard to success.）
- “Τοῦ ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν πιστότερον τὸ ἐκφοβήσειν ἡμᾶς ἀκινδύνως ἡγοῦνται,” “they feel more confidence in the prospect of frightening us without risk than in meeting us in battle.” Id. iv. 126.
- “Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐξελέγξειν αὐτὸν θαρρῶ καὶ πάνυ πιστεύω,” “I have courage and great confidence as to my convicting him.” DEM. xix. 3. (Here most of the ordinary MSS. read ἐξελέγχειν.)
