enclit. Particle:
1.at some time or other, at some time, Hom., etc.
2.at any time, ever, Soph., etc.; often after relat. words, ὅστις ποτέ, ὅστις δήποτε, ὅστις δηποτοῦν, v. δήποτε; also after πω, v. πώποτε; and after negatives, when it often becomes one word with the negat., οὔποτε, μήποτε, οὐδέποτε, μηδέποτε.
3.in correl. clauses it stands first, with accent, ποτὲ μέν . . , ποτὲ δέ . . , at one time . . , at another . . , Lat. modo . . , modo . . , Plat.
II.of some unknown point of time,
1.the past, once, erst, Il., Trag.; in telling a story, once upon a time, Ar.