[*] 305. PRESENT: “νικῴη δ᾽ ὅ τι πᾶσιν μέλλει συνοίσειν”, DEM.4.51; May that prevail which shall advantage all! “ἔρδοι τις ἣν ἕκαστος εἰδείη τέχνην”, AR. Vesp. 1431. AORIST: “ὑμεῖς δ᾽ ἕλοισθ̓ ὅ τι καὶ τῇ πόλει καὶ ἅπασι συνοίσειν ὑμῖν μέλλει”, DEM.3.36; May you choose that which shall advantage both the state and all of you! PERFECT: Chiefly with such perfects as are equivalent to presents. “αὐτίκα τεθναίην”, HOM. Il. 18.98; May I be dead forthwith! “αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοιόσδε πόσις κεκλημένος εἴη”, Od. 6.244 (periphrastic perfect).1 For further examples see under the Optative Mood.
1 The analysis which involves the future ascertainment of a past action, while not infrequent in sentences of opinion (optative and “ἄν”), is naturally rare in sentences of wish, which are not analytical, so that for an example of this form of wish, we must have recourse to the manufactured sentences of a grammarian. “εἴθε νενικήκοι μου ὁ παῖς, εἴθε δεδοξασμένος εἴη”, APOLLONIUS DYSC. p. 251.25-6 (Bekk.); May my son have conquered (action decided, ascertainment still in suspense); may he have covered himself with glory
Syntax of Classical Greek from Homer to Demosthenes. Basil L. Gildersleeve. New York. American Book Company. 1900.
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