[*] 94. The present and aorist optative in independent sentences (in wishes and with ἄν), and in all conditional sentences except past general conditions (462; 532), express future time, the relation of which to the future expressed by other moods is explained in 12, 13, and 16. (Some Homeric present or past unreal conditions and present wishes are exceptions: see 438-441.) In all final constructions the optative (which is used only after past tenses) represents the subjunctive after primary tenses, and is future relatively to the leading verb. E.g. Εἴθε τοῦτο εἴη (utinam sit), O that this may be. Εἴθε μὴ ταῦτα πάσχοιεν, may they not suffer these things (with a view to the progress of their suffering). But εἴθε μὴ ταῦτα πάθοιεν, may they not suffer these things (viewed collectively). “Εἴθε σὺ τοιοῦτος ὢν φίλος ἡμῖν γένοιο,” “may you become a friend to us.” XEN. Hell. iv. 1, 38 Μὴ γένοιτο, may it not happen. See examples of the optative with ἄν below.
- “Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐπαινοίη με, εἰ ἐξελαύνοιμι τοὺς εὐεργέτας,” “for he would not praise me, if I should banish my benefactors.” XEN. An. vii. 7, 11.
- “Εἴης φορητὸς οὐκ ἂν, εἰ πράσσοις καλῶς,” “you would not be endurable, if you should be in prosperity (at any time)” AESCH. Prom. 979.
- “Πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις, ἅ γε μὴ ἐπίσταιτο, ταῦτα σοφὸς εἴη;” “for how could any one be wise in that which he did not understand (i.e. εἴ τινα μὴ ἐπίσταιτο）?” XEN. Mem. iv. 6, 7.
- “Ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν, ὤτρυνεν φέρειν,” “but if we neglected to bring anything, he always exhorted us to bring it.” EUR. Alc. 755.
- “Οὐκ ἀπελείπετο ἔτι αὐτοῦ, εἰ μή τι ἀναγκαῖον εἴη,” “he never left him, unless there was some necessity for it.” XEN. Mem. iv. 2, 40 .
- Εἰ ἔλθοι, πάντ᾽ ἂν ἴδοι, if he should go, he would see all.
- Εἰ ἔλθοι, πάνθ᾽ ἑώρα, if ever (whenever) he went, he (always) saw all.
- “Οὐδ᾽ εἰ πάντες ἔλθοιεν Πέρσαι, πλήθει γε οὐχ ὑπερβαλοίμεθ᾽ ἂν τοὺς πολεμίους,” “not even if all the Persians should come, should we surpass the enemy in numbers.” XEN. Cyr. ii. 1, 8.
- “Ὅτε ἔξω τοῦ δεινοῦ γένοιντο καὶ ἐξείη πρὸς ἄλλους ἄρχοντας ἀπιέναι, πολλοὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέλειπον,” “but when they were come out of danger and it was in their power (present) to go to other commanders, (in all such cases) many left him.” Id. An. ii. 6, 12.
- “Ἄνευ γὰρ ἀρχόντων οὐδὲν ἂν οὔτε καλὸν οὔτε ἀγαθὸν γένοιτο,” “nothing could be done, etc.” Ib. iii. 1, 38.
- “Οὐκ οἶδα ὅ τι ἄν τις χρήσαιτο αὐτοῖς,” “I do not know what use any one could make of them.” Ib. iii. 1, 40.
- Τούτου ἐπεθύμει, ἵνα εὖ πράττοι, he desired this in order that he might be in prosperity.
- Ἐφοβεῖτο μὴ τοῦτο ποιοῖεν, he feared lest they should do this (habitually).
- “Δῆλος ἦν ἐπιθυμῶν ἄρχειν, ὅπως πλείω λαμβάνοι, ἐπιθυμῶν δὲ τιμᾶσθαι, ἵνα πλείω κερδαίνοι: φίλος τε ἐβούλετο εἶναι τοῖς μέγιστα δυναμένοις, ἵνα ἀδικῶν μὴ διδοίη δίκην” XEN. An. ii. 6, 21. (Here the aorist optative would have referred to single acts of receiving, getting gain, and suffering punishment, while the present refers to a succession of cases, and to a whole course of conduct.)
- “Ἦν ὁ Φίλιππος ἐν φόβῳ μὴ ἐκφύγοι τὰ πράγματ᾽ αὐτόν,” “Philip was in fear lest the control of affairs might escape him.” DEM. xviii. 33.
