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[294] ἐρξέμεν. Probably this form is an aorist. It is a difficult question to decide between this and the future, as “ἔλπομαι” can be used with either tense indiscriminately; as, e. g. “ἔλπετο θανέειν Il.15. 288, “ἐλπόμενοι ἀπορρῖψαι 16. 282, ὅθεν οὐκ ἔλποιτό γε θυμῷ ἐλθέμεν Od.3. 319, “ἔλπετ᾽ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ γῆμαι Od.21. 158.If ἐρξέμεν be thus taken for an aorist we shall compare it with “ἀξέμεν” (“ἄγω”), “οἰσέμεναι”, imperat. “οἶσε, ἀείσεο, ἐβήσετο”, etc. On the other hand, the future (which would give an identical form) may be compared with Il.12. 261ἔλποντο δὲ τεῖχος . . ῥήξειν”, Od.3. 375οὔ σε ἔολπα κακὸν καὶ ἀνάλκιδ᾽ ἔσεσθαι”. In Schol. H. P. Q. V. “ἐρξέμεν” is interpreted by the aor. “πρᾶξαι”, and Eustath., writing “ἔρξειν”, seems to lean towards the future.

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