Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges

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[*] 2763. μὴ ὅτι, οὐχ ὅπως, rarely οὐχ ὅτι and μὴ ὅπως, not to speak of, to say nothing of, not only, not only not, so far from (Lat. tantum aberat ut) are idiomatic phrases probably due to an (early, and later often unconscious) ellipsis of a verb of saying. Thus, οὐ λέγω (or οὐκ ἐρῶ) ὅπως, μὴ εἴπω (λέγε or εἴπῃς) ὅτι I do (will) not say that, let me not say that, do not say that. μὴ ὅτι, etc. are often used where these verbal forms cannot be supplied by reason of the form of the sentence.

a. οὐχ ὅτι (οὐχ ὅπως, μὴ ὅτι) . . . ἀλλὰ (καί not only . . . but (also). Thus, ““οὐχ ὅτι μόνος ὁ Κρίτων ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ ἦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ” not only was Crito in peace, but his friends also” X. M. 2.9.8, οἶμαι ἂν μὴ ὅτι ἰδιώτην τινά, ἀλλὰ τὸν μέγαν βασιλέα_ εὑρεῖν κτλ. I think that not merely any private person but the Great King would find, etc. P. A. 40d.

b. οὐχ ὅπως (rarely οὐχ ὅτι) or μὴ ὅτι . . . ἀλλὰ (καί) is shown by the context to mean not only not (so far from) . . . but (also). Thus, ““οὐχ ὅπως χάριν αὐτοῖς ἔχεις, ἀλλὰ μισθώσα_ς σαυτὸν κατὰ τουτωνὶ_ πολι_τεύει” not only are you not grateful to them, but you let yourself out for hire as a public man to their prejudice” D. 18.131; μὴ ὅτι P. R. 581e.

c. οὐχ ὅπως (rarely οὐχ ὅτι) or μὴ ὅτι (μὴ ὅπως) . . . ἀλλ᾽ οὐδέ (μηδέ) or ἀλλ̓ου᾽ (μή) is shown by the context to mean not only not (so far from) . . . but not even. Thus, ““οὐχ ὅπως τῆς κοινῆς ἐλευθερία_ς μετέχομεν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ δουλεία_ς μετρία_ς τυχεῖν ἠξιώθημεν” not only do we not share in the general freedom, but we were not thought worthy of obtaining even a moderate servitude” I. 14.5, ““νομίζει ἑαυτὸν μὴ ὅτι Πλαταιέα_ εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἐλεύθερον” he considers himself not only not a Plataean but not even a free man” L. 23.12.

N. When a negative precedes, the meaning may be not only . . . but not even; as ““τὴν οἰκία_ν . . . οὐδενὶ ἂν μὴ ὅτι προῖκα δοίης, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἔλα_ττον τῆς ἀξία_ς λαβών” you would offer your house to no one not only gratis, but not even for a lower price than it is worth” X. M. 1.6.11.

d. μὴ ὅτι (less often οὐχ ὅπως) in the second of two balanced clauses, after an expressed or implied negative in the first clause, means much less (Lat. nedum）; as οὐδὲ πλεῖν, μὴ ὅτι ἀναιρεῖσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας δυνατὸν ἦν it was not possible even to sail, much less to rescue the man (i.e. to say nothing of rescuing) X. H. 2.3.35. The preceding negative may be contained in a question or be otherwise implicit. Thus, δοκεῖ σοι ῥᾴδιον εἶναι οὕτω ταχὺ μαθεῖν . . . ὁτιοῦν πρᾶγμα, μὴ ὅτι τοσοῦτον κτλ.; does it appear to you to be easy to learn so quickly any subject whatever, much less a subject of so great importance? P. Crat. 427e; cp. D. 54.17.

The rare οὐχ ὅτι in the second member means though (P. Pr. 336d).

e. μή τί γε, in the orators instead of μὴ ὅτι, after a negative means much less, after a positive much more. Cp. D. 19.137, 8. 27.