accusative of time

The accusative of time implies that the action of the verb covers the entire period. When emphasis is laid on the uninterrupted duration of an action, παρά with the accusative (1692. 3. b) and διά with the genitive (1685. 1. b) are used. The accusative of time is rarely employed where the dative (1540) is properly in place: τήνδε τὴν ἡμέρᾱν Aes. 3.7.

Duration of life may be expressed by γεγονώς: ἔτη γεγονὼς ἑβδομήκοντα seventy years old P. A. 17d. (Also by εἶναι and the genitive, 1327.)

To mark (a) how long a situation has lasted or (b) how much time has elapsed since something happened, an ordinal is used without the article, but often with the addition of οὑτοσῑ́. The current day or year is included. Thus (a) τὴν μητέρα τελευτήσᾱσαν τρίτον ἔτος τουτῑ́ my mother who died two years ago L. 24.6, ἐπιδεδήμηκε τρίτην ἤδη ἡμέρᾱν he has been in the city since day before yesterday P. Pr. 309d. (b) ἀπηγγέλθη Φίλιππος τρίτον ἢ τέταρτον ἔτος τουτῑ̀ Ἡραῖον τεῖχος πολιορκῶν this is the third or fourth year since it was announced that Philip was besieging fort Heraeum D. 3.4.

On the accusative of extent in degree, see 1609. With a comparative we find πολύ and ὀλίγον as well as πολλῷ and ὀλίγῳ (1514); and always τί, τὶ, οὐδέν with the comparative.

Time and degree are often expressed by prepositions with the accusative. See Prepositions under ἀμφί, ἀνά, διά, ἐπί, κατά, παρά, πρός, ὑπό.