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[*] 201. 1. In epic poetry, when the independent subjunctive has nearly the sense of the future indicative (284), it sometimes takes κέ or ἄν. This forms a future potential expression, nearly equivalent to the future indicative with κέ or ἄν, and sometimes approaching the optative with κέ or ἄν. E.g. “Εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώῃσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι,” “and if he does not give her up, I will take her myself.” Il. i. 324 ; see also i. 137. See 285 and 452. For the variety of nearly equivalent future potential forms which the Homeric language presents, reduced to one in Attic Greek, see 235. 2. The epic language has κέ or ἄν with the subjunctive in the constructions of 192, 2; but its use of κέ or ἄν in conditions is less strict, and that with final particles is more free, than the Attic use of ἄν. See 325-328; 450-454; 468-471; 538-541.
Macmillan. London, Melbourne, Toronto. 1889. reprint edition:. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1965.
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