Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges

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[*] 1840. Prohibitions are expressed by μή with the present or aorist subjunctive in the first person plural; by μή with the present imperative or the aorist subjunctive in the second and third person singular or plural (cp. 1800). The aorist imperative is rare in prohibitions.

A. I Person.—μὴ γράφωμεν (μὴ γράψωμεν): ““μὴ μαινώμεθα μηδ᾽ αἰσχρῶς ἀπολώμεθα” let us not act like madmen nor perish disgracefully” X. A. 7.1.29.

B. 2 Person.—μὴ γράφε (μὴ γράφετε): ““μὴ θαύμαζε” don't be astonished” P. G. 482a, ““μὴ θορυβεῖτε” don't raise a disturbance” P. A. 21a, ““τὰ μὲν ποίει, τὰ δὲ μὴ ποίει” do this and refrain from doing that” P. Pr. 325d, ““μὴ μέγα λέγε” don't boast so” P. Ph. 95b.—μὴ γράψῃς (μὴ γράψητε): ““μηδὲ θαυμάσῃς τόδε” and do not wonder at this” A. Ag. 879, ““μὴ θορυβήσητε” don't raise a disturbance” P. A. 20e, ““μὴ ἄλλως ποιήσῃς” don't do otherwise” P. Lach. 201b, μηδαμῶς ἄλλως ποιήσῃς Ar. Av. 133.

N.—The type μὴ γράφῃς is never used. μὴ γράψον occurs rarely in poetry (Δ 410, Σ 134.—ω 248, S. fr. 453 parodied in Ar. Thesm. 870).

C. 3 Person.—μὴ γραφέτω (μὴ γραφόντων): ““μηδεὶς διδασκέτω” let no one tell me” T. 1.86, ““μηδεὶς τοῦτ᾽ ἀγνοείτω” let no one be ignorant of this fact” Aes. 3.6. μὴ γραψάτω (μὴ γραψάντων): ““μηδεὶς νομισάτω” let no one think” X. C. 7.5.73, ““μήτ᾽ ἀπογνώτω μηδὲν μήτε καταγνώτω” let him neither acquit nor condemn in any way” Aes. 3.60; and in five other passages giving the actual usage of the orators. In the third person the aorist imperative is much less common than the present imperative.

N.—The type μὴ γράφῃ is used only when the third person represents the first person (1800 c). μὴ γράψῃ is much more common than μὴ γραψάτω in the orators, e.g. ““μηδεὶς θαυμάσῃ” let no one be astonished” D. 18.199, ““μηδεὶς νομίσῃ” let no one think” T. 3.13, D. 23.1.

D. The perfect imperative is rare in prohibitions (μὴ πεφόβησθε T 6. 17) and is usually poetical. Cp. 698, 712.