[*] 33. (Historic Present.) The present is often used in narration for the aorist, sometimes for the imperfect, to give a more animated statement of past events. This is called the historic present. E.g.
- “Βουλὴν ἐπιτεχνᾶται ὅπως μὴ ἁλισθεῖεν Ἀθηναῖοι,” “he contrives a plan to prevent the Athenians from assembling.” HDT. i. 63.
- “Κελεύει πέμψαι ἄνδρας: ἀποστέλλουσιν οὖν, καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν ὁ Θεμιστοκλῆς κρύφα πέμπει.” THUC. i. 91.
- “Δαρείου καὶ Παρυσάτιδος γίγνονται παῖδες δύο” XEN. AN. i. 1 .
- “Τοιαῦτα τοῦ παρόντος ἡνίκ᾽ ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τοὔναρ ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου” SOPH. El. 424.
