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140. The present participle is also used as an imperfect, like the present infinitive (119). With the participle this use is not confined (as it is with the infinitive) to indirect discourse. E.g.

In THUC. iv. 3, Πύλος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Μεσσηνίᾳ ποτὲ οὔσῃ γῇ” , Pylos is in the country which was once Messenia, οὔσῃ is imperfect, and denotes time absolutely past, as is shown by ποτέ, without which it would be the country which is (now) Messenia.

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