[*] 446. pw=s a)/n with the optative to express a wish. “πῶς ἄν” with the optative is frequently found in the dramatic poets to express a wish. Compare utinam in Latin. “πῶς ἂν ἐμὲ καὶ σέ τις Ἔρως ξυναγάγοι λαβών”; AR. Ach. 991; How could an Eros (would that an Eros might) take and bring us together? Utinam me et te copulet amor aliquis! “ὦ γαῖα πατρίς, πῶς ἂν ἐνθάνοιμί σοι”; EUR. [Rh. ] 869; O fatherland, would I could die upon thy breast. AR. Ach. 991 (see above). Eq. 460: “πῶς ἄν σ᾽ ἐπαινέσαιμεν οὕτως ὥσπερ ἡδόμεσθα”; Vesp. 166: “πῶς ἄν σ᾽ ἀποκτείναιμι; πῶς; δότε μοι ξίφος”. EUR. Alc. 864: “πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμαν”; [Rh. ] 869 (see above). Med. 97: “πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμαν;” SOPH. Ai. 388-91: “πῶς ἂν . . . θάνοιμι καὐτός;”
O. R. 765: “πῶς ἂν μόλοι δῆθ᾽ ἡμὶν ἐν τάχει πάλιν”; Ph. 531-2. 794-5: “πῶς ἂν ἀντ᾽ ἐμοῦ” | “τὸν ἴσον χρόνον τρέφοιτε τήνδε τὴν νόσον”; HOM. Od. 15.195-6: “πῶς κέν μοι ὑποσχόμενος τελέσειας” | “μῦθον ἐμόν”; Il. 6.281-2: “ὥς κέ οἱ αὖθι γαῖα χάνοι” . On the difference between “πῶς ἂν οὐ” and “πῶς ἂν μή”, see the chapter on Negatives.“ πῶς ἄν, εἴ τις ἔντοπος,
τὸν πάντ᾽ ἄριστον δεῦρο Θησέα πόροι;
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