previous next

Fourth Form: LESS VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONAL RELATIVES

2566. Conditional relative clauses that set forth less vividly the realization of a future event take the optative. The main clause has the optative with ἄν.

ὀκνοίην ἂν εἰς τὰ πλοῖα ἐμβαίνειν ἃ (= εἴ τινα) ““ἡμῖν Κῦρος δοίη” I should hesitate to embark in the vessels that Cyrus might give us” X. A. 1.3.17, ““δ̀ δὲ μὴ ἀγαπῴη, οὐδ᾽ ἂν φιλοῖ” nor could he love what he does not desire” P. Lys. 215b.

a. The main clause has the optative without ἄν in wishes: ““δῶρα θεῶν ἔχοι, ὅττι διδοῖεν” may he keep the gifts of the gods whatever they may give” ς 142.

b. Homer sometimes uses κέ or ἄν in the relative clause (φ 161).

American Book Company, 1920.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Purchase a copy of this text (not necessarily the same edition) from Amazon.com

hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: