[255] εἰ γὰρ νῦν ἐλθών. Here begins the wish, which is interrupted by the description of the visit to Ephyra, and is resumed again at “τοῖος ἐὼν ὁμιλήσειεν” inf. 265; the apodosis to “εἰ” coming in at “πάντες κ᾽ ὠκύμοροι γενοίατο”. For, though “εἰ γάρ” is rightly described as expressing a wish, it only does so because it introduces as protasis a hypothetical sentence to which the apodosis may or may not be expressed.
Cp. Od.3. 218-224 “εἰ γάρ σ᾽ ὣς ἐθέλοι φιλέειν” . . then follows a parenthesis of four lines, the apodosis being introduced with “τῷ κεν”. Od. 16. 148, 149 “εἰ γάρ πως εἴη . . πρῶτόν κεν ἑλοίμεθα” . Od. 17. 496, 497 “εἰ γὰρ τέλος γένοιτο . . οὐκ ἄν τις ἵκοιτο” . Od. 18. 366-375 “εἰ γὰρ ἔρις γένοιτο” , subdivided into “ἐγὼν δρέπανον ἔχοιμι, σὺ δὲ τοῖον ἔχοις”, then the protasis resumed “εἰ δ᾽ αὖ βόες εἶεν . . τετράγυον δ᾽ εἴη . . εἴκοι δὲ ὑπὸ βῶλος ἀρότρῳ”, and, at last, the apodosis comes, “τῷ κέ μ᾽ ἴδοις”. Il.13. 276-287 “εἰ γὰρ νῦν λεγοίμεθα”, then follows a parenthesis of ten lines, then the apodosis, “οὐδέ κεν ἔνθα τις ὄνοιτο”, ib. 485, 486 “εἰ γὰρ ὁμηλικίη γε γενοίμεθα . . αἶψά κεν ἠὲ φέροιτο”. Il.17. 156“εἰ γὰρ νῦν ἐνείη . . αἶψά κεν ἐρυσαίμεθα”. In the foregoing cases an apodosis, however delayed, comes at last; but in the following, it remains unexpressed. Od.15. 545“εἰ γάρ κεν σὺ μίμνοις”. Il. 8. 538, 539 “εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼν ὣς εἴην . . τιοίμην δέ” . Il.13. 825 foll. “εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼν εἴην . . τέκοι δὲ . . τιοίμην δέ”. So that “εἰ γάρ” seems merely to express a wish, but it may generally be translated ‘if only.’Hide browse bar Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position:
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Homer's Odyssey. W. Walter Merry. James Riddell. D. B. Monro. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1886-1901.
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