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μέν , Particle, used partly to express certainty on the part of the speaker or writer; partly, and more commonly, to point out that the word or clause with which it stands is correlative to another word or clause that is to follow, the latter word or clause being introduced by δέ.
A.
2. an answering clause with δέ is sts. implied, τὴν μὲν ἐγὼ σπουδῇ δάμνημ᾽ ἐπέεσσι her can I hardly subdue, [but all others easily], Il.5.893; ὡς μὲν λέγουσι as indeed they say, [but as I believe not], E.Or. 8; καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἦν αὐτῷ πόλεμος (with no ἔπειτα δέ to follow), X. An.1.9.14; so νῦν μέν σ᾽ ἀφήσω I will let you go this time, Herod.5.81: to give force to assertions made by a person respecting himself, wherein opposition to other persons is implied, “ὡς μὲν ἐμῷ θυμῷ δοκεῖOd. 13.154; δοκεῖν μέν μοι ἥξει τήμερον [τὸ πλοῖον] Pl.Cri.43d: hence with the pers. Pron., “ἐγὼ μέν νυν θεοῖσι ἔχω χάρινHdt.1.71; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδέν (sc. θέλω) S.Ant.498; “ἐμοῦ μὲν οὐχ ἑκόντοςId.Aj.455; “ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶδαX.Cyr.1.4.12, cf. 4.2.45, etc.: with the demonstr. Pron., “τούτου μὲν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐγὼ σοφώτερός εἰμιPl.Ap. 21d: generally, to emphasize the preceding word, πολλὴ μὲν μεταβολή μοι γέγονεν great indeed has been the change, Is.1.1, cf. Simon.5.1, etc.
II. μέν folld. by δέ in the correlative clause or clauses, on the one hand, on the other hand; commonly in Classical Gr., less freq. in later Gr. (rare in NT):
1. μέν . . , δέ . . (or when the correlative clause is neg., μέν . . , οὐδέ . . , Il.1.318,536), to mark opposition, Hom., etc.—The opposed clauses commonly stand together, but are freq. separated by clauses, parenthetic or explanatory; e.g. μέν in Il.2.494 is answered by δέ in 511, 527 sq.; in X.An.1.9.2, πρῶτον μέν is answered by ἐπεὶ δέ in <*> 6; in Id.Mem.1.1.2, πρῶτον μέν is answered by θαυμαστὸν δέ in 1.2.1.
2. to connect a series of clauses containing different matter, though with no opposition, Il.1.18sq., 306 sq. (five δέ-clauses), 433 sq. (eight δέ-clauses), cf. X.An. 1.3.14,7.10sq.: freq. when the members of a group or class are distinctly specified, παῖδες δύο, πρεσβύτερος μὲν Ἀρταξέρξης, νεώτερος δὲ Κῦρος ib.1.1.1; τάφρος . . , τὸ μὲν εὖρος ὀργυιαὶ πέντε, τὸ δὲ βάθος ὀργυιαὶ τρεῖς ib.1.7.14; πρῶτος μέν . . , δεύτερος δέ . . , τρίτος δέ . . ib.5.6.9; τότε μέν . . , τότε δέ . . , at one time . . , at another . . , ib.6.1.9, etc.: esp. with the Art. used as a Pron., μέν . . , δέ . . ; τὸ μέν . . , τὸ δέ . . , etc.
6. μέν is not always answered by δέ, but freq. by other equiv. Particles, as ἀλλά, Il.1.22 sq., 2.703 sq., Pi.O.9.1, A.Pers.176, X.An.1.7.17:—by μέντοι, Hdt.1.36, S.Ph. 350, D.21.189, etc.:—by ἀτάρ, Il.6.84,124, A.Pr.342, S.OT1051sq., Pl. Tht.172c, etc. (so μέν . . , αὐτάρ in Ep., Il.1.50, Od.19.513, etc.):— by αὖ, Il.11.108, Od.4.210:—by αὖθις, S.Ant.165:—by αὖτε, Il.1.234, Od.22.5:—by temporal Particles, πρῶτα μέν . . , εἶτα . . S.El.261; πρῶτον μέν . . , μετὰ τοῦτο . . X.An.6.1.5-7; μάλιστα μὲν δὴ . . , ἔπειτα μέντοι . . S.Ph.350, cf. OT647:—rarely by μήν with neg., “οὐδὲν μὴν κωλύειPl.Phdr.268e; “οὐ μὴν αὐταί γεId.Phlb.12d.
b. when the opposition is emphatic, δέ is sts. strengthd., as ὅμως δέ . . S.OT785, Ph.473, 1074, etc. (so “ἀλλ᾽ ὅμωςEl.450); δ᾽ αὖ . . Il.4.415, X.An.1.10.5; δ᾽ ἔμπης . . Il.1.561-2.
B. μέν before other Particles:
I. where each Particle retains its force,
2.μὲν γάρS.OT62, Th.1.142, etc.:— in Hom. there is freq. no second clause, Od.1.173,392, cf. S.OT1062, etc.; “μὲν γὰρ δήIl.11.825; “μὲν γάρ τε17.727.
3. μέν γε, when a general statement is explained in detail, “Κορινθίοις μέν γε ἔνσπονδοί ἐστεTh.1.40, cf. 70, 6.86, Hdt.6.46, Antipho 5.14, Lys. 13.27, Is.4.8, Ar.Nu.1382, V.564, E.Fr.909.4.
4.μὲν δήIl.1.514, Hdt.1.32, etc.: freq. used to express positive certainty, “ἀλλ᾽ οἶσθα μὲν δήS. Tr.627, cf. OT294; “τὰ μὲν δὴ τόξ᾽ ἔχειςId.Ph.1308; esp. as a conclusion, “τοῦτο μὲν δὴ . . ὁμολογεῖταιPl.Grg.470b, cf. X.Cyr.1.1.6, etc.: in closing a statement, “τοιαῦτα μὲν δὴ ταῦταA.Pr.500, etc.: used in answers to convey full assent, μὲν δή (cf. supr. A) Il.9.348, Od.4.33; “καὶ μὲν δή . . γεPl.R.409b; οὐ μὲν δή, to deny positively, Il.8.238, X.Cyr.1.6.9, Pl.Tht.148e, etc.; “οὐ μὲν δή . . γεX.An.2.2.3, 3.2.14; ἀλλ᾽ οὔ τι μὲν δή . . Pl.Tht.187a.
5. μὲν οὖν, v. infr.11.2.
II. where the Particles combine so as to form a new sense,
1. μέν γε at all events, at any rate (not in Trag.), “τοῦτο μέν γ᾽ ἤδη σαφέςAr.Ach. 154, cf. Nu.1172, Lys.1165, Ra.80, Th.3.39; “μέν γέ πουPl.R.559b, Tht.147a.
2. μὲν οὖν is freq. used with a corresponding δέ, so that each Particle retains its force, Od.4.780, Pi.O.1.111, S.OT244, 843; Ph.359, D.2.5, etc.: but freq. also abs., so then, S.Ant.65; “ταῦτα μὲν οὖν παραλείψωD.2.3; esp. in replies, sts. in strong affirmation, “παντάπασι μὲν οὖνPl.Tht.158d; κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν ib.159e; πάνυ μὲν οὖν ib.159b; ἀνάγκη μὲν οὖν ib.189e; also to substitute a new statement so as to correct a preceding statement, nay rather, κακοδαίμων; Answ. βαρυδαίμων μὲν οὖν! Ar.Ec.1102; μου πρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποψῶ wipe your nose on my head: Answ. ἐμοῦ μὲν οὖν . . nay on mine, Id.Eq.911, cf. A.Pers.1032 (lyr.), Ag.1090 (lyr.), 1396, S.Aj. 1363, El.1503, OT705, Ar.Ra.241, Pl.Cri.44b, Grg.466a, 470b, Prt. 309d, etc.; also “μὲν οὖν δήS.Tr.153; “καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖνId.OC31; cf. οὐμενοῦν: in NT μενοῦν and μενοῦνγε, to begin a sentence, yea rather, Ev.Luc.11.28, Ep.Rom.9.20, etc., cf. Phryn.322, Hsch.—In Ion., μέν νυν is used for μὲν οὖν, Hdt.1.18, 4.145, etc.
3. by μέν τε, if δέ τε follows, the two clauses are more closely combined than by τε . . , τε . . , Il.5.139, al.; μέν τε is freq. answered by δέ alone, 16.28, al.; by ἀλλά, αὐτάρ, 17.727, Od.1.215, al.; perh. by ἠδέ, Il.4.341:— Hom. also uses μέν τε abs., when τε loses its force, as after , τίς, etc., Il.2.145, al.
4. μέν τοι in Hom. always occurs in speeches, where τοι can be regarded as the dat. of the Pron.: later, μέντοι is written as a single word, and is used:
a. with a conj. force, yet, nevertheless, A.Pr.320, 1054 (anap.), S.Tr.413, etc.; and sts. stands for δέ, answering to μέν, v. supr. A.11.6 a.
b. as an Adv., in strong protestations, οὐ μέντοι μὰ Δία . . D.4.49; in eager or positive assent, of course, φαμέν τι εἶναι . . ; Answ. “φαμὲν μέντοι νὴ ΔίαPl.Phd.65d, al.: with a neg. to give emphasis to a question, οὐ σὺ μέντοι . . ; why, are you not . . ? Id.Prt.309a, cf. Phdr.229b, R.339b, etc.: sts. to express impatience, ὄμνυμι γάρ σοιτίνα μέντοι, τίνα θεῶν; Id.Phdr. 236d; τί μ. πρῶτον ἦν, τί πρῶτον ἦν; nay what was the first? Ar.Nu. 787; “οὗτος, σὲ λέγω μ.Id.Ra.171; σὺ μέντοι . . Luc.Alex.44: with imper., to enforce the command, τουτὶ μ. σὺ φυλάττου only take heed . . , Ar.Pax1100, cf.Av.661, X.An.1.4.8: in answers, γελοῖον μέντἂν εἴη nay it would be absurd, Pl.Tht.158e; summing up a long temporal clause, And.1.130.
c.μέντοι γεX.Cyr.5.5.24, etc.; “οὐ μ. γεDiog.Apoll.5: in later Gr. μέντοιγε stands first in the sentence, “μ. οὐ θέλωPLond.3.897.13 (i A.D.); also “γε μέντοιA.Ag.938, S.OT778, 1292, E.Hec.600; “ὅμως γε μ.Ar.Ra.61.
d. καὶ μ. καί is used to add a point to be noted, Heraclit.28, Pl.R.331d; also καί . . μ., νῦν σοι καιρός ἐστιν ἐπιδείξασθαι τὴν παιδείαν, καὶ φυλάξασθαι μέντοι . . and of course to take care . . , X.An.4.6.15 (v.l.), cf. 1.8.20, Pl.Prt.339c, Tht.143a.
e. ἀλλὰ μέντοι well, if it comes to that, X.An.4.6.16; well, of course, Pl.R.331e, etc.; cf. μέντον.
C. for μέν after other Particles, see each Particle.
D. Position of μέν. Like δέ, it usu. stands as the second word in a sentence. But when a sentence begins with words common to its subordinate clauses, μέν stands second in the first of these clauses, as “ἥδε γὰρ γυνὴ δούλη μέν, εἴρηκεν δ᾽ ἐλεύθερον λόγονS.Tr.63; οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐτάξαντο μέν . . , ἡσύχαζον δέ . . Th.4.73, cf. 113, etc. It also attaches itself to words which mark opposition, as πρῶτον μέν, τότε μέν, ἐγὼ μέν, even when these do not stand first: sts. however it precedes them, “ὡς μὲν ἐγὼ οἶμαιPl.Phdr.228b; “ὡς μέν τινες ἔφασανX.Cyr.5.2.28. It generally stands between the Art. and Noun, or the Prep. and its Case: but if special stress is laid on the Noun, this is sts. neglected, as “οἱ Τεγεᾶται μὲν ἐπηυλίσαντο, Μαντινῆς δὲ ἀπεχώρησανTh.4.134; ἀνὰ τὸ σκοτεινὸν μέν . . Id.3.22; also “τῇ σῇ μὲν εὐδαιμονίῃ, τῇ ἐμεωυτοῦ δὲ κακοδαιμονίῃHdt. 1.87.
II. μέν is freq. repeated:
1. when, besides the opposition of two main clauses, a subordinate opposition is introduced into the first, μὲν ἀνὴρ τοιαῦτα μὲν πεποίηκε τοιαῦτα δὲ λέγει, ὑμῶν δέ . . X.An.1.6.9, cf. 5.8.24, Th.8.104, D.18.214, 23.208.
3. μέν used absolutely is freq. folld. by a correlative “μέν, εἰ μὲν οὖν ἡμεῖς μὲν . . ποιοῦμενId.R.421a.
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