[*] 127. Although the usage of the language is very strict, by which the aorist infinitive after verbs of saying, thinking, etc. is past, as representing an aorist indicative, still several passages are found, even in the best authors, in which an aorist infinitive after such verbs as νομίζω, οἴομαι, and even φημί refers to future time. Many critics, especially Madvig,1 deny the existence of this anomaly, and emend the offending aorists to the future or insert ἄν. If they are allowed (and most of the passages still stand uncorrected in many editions), they must be treated as strictly exceptional; and no principle, and no consistent exception to the general principle, can be based on them. E.g.
- “Φάτο γὰρ τίσασθαι ἀλείτας,” “for he said that he should punish the offenders.” Od. xx. 121. (In Il. iii. 28, we have in most MSS. and editions φάτο γὰρ τίσεσθαι ἀλείτην, in precisely the same sense; but Bekker has τίσασθαι.)
- So ἐφάμην τίσασθαι in Il. iii. 366.
- “Καὶ αὐτῷ οὐ μέμψασθαι Ἀπρίην ῾σξ. ἀπεκρίνατο）: παρέσεσθαι γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ ἄλλους ἄξειν,” “and (he answered) that Apries should not have reason to blame him; for he not only would be present himself, but would bring others.” HDT. ii. 162. (Notice the strange transition from the aorist (?) to the two futures.)
- “Φησὶν οὐδὲ τὴν Διὸς Ἔριν πέδῳ σκήψασαν ἐμποδὼν σχεθεῖν” AESCH. Sept. 429.
- “Οἶμαι γάρ νιν ἱκετεῦσαι τάδε,” “I think of imploring.” EUR. I. A. 462. (Hermann reads ἱκετεύσειν by conjecture.)
- “Ἐνόμισαν ἐπιθέμενοι ῥᾳδίως κρατῆσαι,” “they thought they should gain the victory.” THUC. ii. 3.
- “Νομίζω, ἢν ἱππεὺς γένωμαι, ἄνθρωπος πτηνὸς γενέσθαι” XEN. Cyr. iv. 3, 15.
- “Οὐκ ἔφασαν ἐπιτρέψαι ταῦτα γενέσθαι,” “they said they would not permit this to happen.” LYS. xiii. 15 ; same in xiii. 47.
- “Τοῦτο δὲ οἴεταί οἱ μάλιστα γενέσθαι, εἰ σοὶ συγγένοιτο,” “and he thinks that this would be most likely to happen to him if he should join himself with you.” PLAT. Prot. 316 C . (Here we should expect γενέσθαι ἄν, to correspond to εἰ συγγένοιτο.)
