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[*] 285. This Homeric subjunctive, like the future indicative, is sometimes joined with κέ or ἄν in a potential sense. This enabled the earlier language to express an apodosis with a sense between that of the optative with ἄν and that of the simple future indicative, which the Attic was unable to do. (See 201 and 452.) E.g. Εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώῃσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι, but if he does not give her up, I will take her myself. Il. i. 324. (Here ἕλωμαί κεν has a shade of meaning between ἑλοίμην κεν, I would take, and αἱρήσομαι, I will take, which neither Attic Greek nor English can express. See 235, end.) Τὴν μὲν πέμψω, ἐγὼ δέ κ᾽ ἄγω Βρισηίδα, “her I will send; but I shall take Briseis.” Il. i. 184. Νῦν δ᾽ ἂν πολλὰ πάθῃσι φίλου ἀπὸ πατρὸς ἁμαρτών, but now he must suffer much, etc. Il. xxii. 505. Ἧις ὑπεροπλίῃσι τάχ᾽ ἄν ποτε θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ, “by his own insolence he may perchance lose his life.” Il. i. 205.
Macmillan. London, Melbourne, Toronto. 1889. reprint edition:. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1965.
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