Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar for Colleges

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[*] 2222. The construction of μή after verbs of fearing has been developed from an earlier coördinate construction in which μή was not a conjunction (that, lest) but a prohibitive particle. Thus, δείδω μή τι πάθῃσιν (Λ 470) I fear lest he may suffer aught was developed from I fear + may he not suffer aught (1802); φυλακὴ δέ τις . . . ἔστω, μὴ λόχος εἰσέλθῃσι πόλιν (Θ 521) but let there be a guard, lest an ambush enter the city, where the clause μὴ—εἰσέλθῃσι meant originally may an ambush not enter. Here μή expresses the desire to avert something (negative desire).

a. When μή had become a pure conjunction of subordination, it was used even with the indicative and with the optative with ἄν. Some scholars regard μή with the indicative as standing for ἆρα μή (hence an indirect interrogative). Observe that the character of μή after verbs of fearing is different from that in final clauses, though the construction is the same in both cases.