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[*] 240. The use of ἄν or κέ with the potential optative had already become fixed in the Homeric language. A few cases of “neutral optatives” in Homer, which seem to show an early potential use without κέ or ἄν, have been given above (13). Besides these, a few more distinctly potential optatives without ἄν or κέ occur in Homer, but they are exceptions to the general usage even there. Such are the following:— “Οὔ τι κακώτερον ἄλλο πάθοιμι” Il. xix. 321. “Τούτου γε σπομένοιο καὶ ἐκ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο ἄμφω νοστήσαιμεν” Il. x. 246. “Ῥεῖα θεός γ᾽ ἐθέλων ἀμείνονας δωρήσαιτο” Il. x. 556 : see Od. iii. 231. “Χερμάδιον λάβε, ὃ οὐ δύο γ᾽ ἄνδρε φέροιεν” Il. v. 302 : so xx. 285. “Οὔ τις πείσειε γυναῖκα” Od. xiv. 122. So also Il. vii. 48, Il. xiv. 190, Il. xv. 45, Il. 197. See, further, Theog. 723 and 725; PIND. Ol. x. 21, Py. iv. 118.
Macmillan. London, Melbourne, Toronto. 1889. reprint edition:. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1965.
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