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256. Aorist of comparison.

Ultimately akin to the gnomic aorist is the aorist of comparison which is often used in poetry, the concrete example being more vivid and striking.

δεῖ δὴ πάντας, ὥσπερ οἱ ἰατροί, ὅταν καρκίνον . . . ἴδωσιν, ἀπέκανσαν ὅλως ἀπέκοψαν, οὕτω τοῦτο τὸ θηρίον ὑμᾶς ἐξορίσαι κτἑ.”, DEM.25.95; As physicions, when they see a cancer, burn it off or cut it off bodily, so ought you all to landdamn this monster.

SOLON, 13.18-25: “ὥστ᾽ ἄνεμος νεφέλας αἶψα διεσκέδασεν” | “ἠρινός, ὃς” . . . “γῆν κατὰ πυροφόρον” | “δῃώσας καλὰ ἔργα, θεῶν ἕδος αἰπὺν ἱκάνει” | “οὐρανόν, αἰθρίην δ᾽ αὖτις ἔθηκεν ἰδεῖν” | . . . | “τοιαύτη Ζηνὸς πέλεται τίσις”.

HOM. Od. 4.335-40: “ὡς δ᾽ ὁπότ᾽ ἐν ξυλόχῳ ἔλαφος κρατεροῖο λέοντος” | “νεβροὺς κοιμήσασα ϝεηγενέας γαλαθηνοὺς” | “κνημοὺς ἐξερέῃσι καὶ ἄγκεα ποιήεντα” | “βοσκομένη, δ᾽ ἔπειτα ἑὴν εἰσήλυθεν εὐνήν”, | “ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκεν:” | “ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κείνοισιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφήσει”.

Il. 3.23-28: “ὥς τε λέων ἐχάρη μεγάλῳ ἐπὶ σώματι κύρσας”, | . . . “ὣς ἐχάρη Μενέλαος Ἀλέξανδρον θεοειδῆ” | “ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδών”.

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