[*] 235. The Pluperfect denotes completion in the past. It may be defined as the perfect of the past, and hence is naturally associated with the imperfect. It is more distinctly than in Latin and in English the tense of fixed condition. “σπανιώτερα τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἦν: τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνήλωτο, τὰ δὲ διήρπαστο, τὰ δὲ ἐξεκέχυτο, τὰ δὲ κατεκέκαυτο”, XEN. Hell. 6.5.50; Provisions were rather scarce; for part had been used up, part plundered, part spilled, part burned. LYS.13.20: “ἡ δὲ βουλὴ . . . διέφθαρτο καὶ ὀλιγαρχίας ἐπεθύμει” . 13.52: “πλοῖα παρεσκεύαστο καὶ οἱ ἐγγυηταὶ ἕτοιμοι ἦσαν” . XEN. Cyr. 3.2.11: “ἐπεὶ δὲ ἠριστήκεσαν, . . . εὐθὺς ἐτείχιζε φρούριον”. Hell. 1.1.32: “ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ ναυτικόν, ὃ ἐκεῖνος ἠθροίκει . . ., εξεπέμφθη Κρατησιππίδας”. Ibid. 1.3.20: “ἐπεὶ δὲ αὐτοῖς παρεσκεύαστο, νυκτὸς ἀνοίξαντες τὰς πύλας . . . εἰσήγαγον τὸ στράτευμα”, When they had all their preparations made, they opened the gates by night and introduced the army. Ibid. 6.5.21: “ἐκ γὰρ τῆς πρόσθεν ἀθυμίας ἐδόκει τι ἀνειληφέναι τὴν πόλιν, ὅτι καὶ ἐνεβεβλήκει εἰς τὴν Ἀρκαδίαν καὶ δῃοῦντι τὴν χώραν οὐδεὶς ἠθελήκει μάχεσθαι”. Ibid. 6.5.23: “οἱ . . . Θηβαῖοι καλῶς σφίσιν ᾤοντο ἔχειν, ἐπεὶ ἐβεβοηθήκεσαν μέν, πολέμιον δὲ οὐδένα ἔτι ἑώρων ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ”. Ibid. 6.5.50 (see above). Ibid. 7.5.21: “ἐπεί γε μὴν έτέτακτο αὐτῷ τὸ στράτευμα . . ., τὴν . . . συντομωτάτην πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους οὐκ ἦγε”. THUC.2.59.1: “ἠλλοίωντο τὰς γνώμας”. 4.29.2: “ὥρμηντο διακινδυνεῦσαι” . HDT.1.85: “ὁ Κροῖσος τὸ πᾶν ἐς αὐτὸν ἐπεποιήκεε . . . καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐς Δελφοὺς περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπεπόμφεε”. 8.72: “Ὀλύμπια δὲ καὶ Κάρνεια παροιχώκεε ἤδη”. PIND. O. 6.53-4: “ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κέκρυπτο γὰρ σχοίνῳ” . HES. Sc. 143: “ἠλήλαντο”. 154: “τέτυκτο”. 208: “ἐτέτυκτο”. 218: “ἐστήρικτο”. 288: “ἐστάλατ”（“ο”). HYMN. HOM. I, 91-102: “Λητὼ δ᾽ ἐννῆμάρ τε καὶ ἐννέα νύκτας ἀέλπτοις” | “ὠδίνεσσι πέπαρτο . . . αἳ δ᾽ Ἶριν προὔπεμψαν κτἑ”. (cf. 208). HOM. Od. 4.132: “χρυσῷ δ᾽ ἔπι χείλεα κεκράαντο”. 4.135: “τετάνυστο”. Il. 5.387-90: “χαλκέῳ δ᾽ ἐν κεράμῳ δέδετο τρεῖς καὶ δέκα μῆνας”. | . . . “ὃ δ᾽ ἐξέκλεψεν Ἄρηα” (cf. 208). 10.155-6: “εὗδ᾽, ὑπὸ δ᾽ ἔστρωτο ῥινὸν βοὸς ἀγραύλοιο”, | “αὐτὰρ ὑπὸ κράτεσφι τάπης τετάνυστο φαεινός”. 10.540: “οὔ πω πᾶν εἴρητο ἔπος, ὅτ᾽ ἄῤ ἤλυθον αὐτοί”. For the Greek use of the Aorist, where English and Latin would use the Pluperfect, see 253.
Syntax of Classical Greek from Homer to Demosthenes. Basil L. Gildersleeve. New York. American Book Company. 1900.
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