consecutive clause

Result clauses are introduced by the relative word ὥστε (rarely by ὡς) as, that, so that. In the principal clause the demonstrative words οὕτως thus, τοιοῦτος such, τοσοῦτος so great, are often expressed. ὥστε is from ὡς and the connective τέ, which has lost its meaning.

a. To a clause with οὕτως, etc. Herodotus sometimes adds a clause either with τέ or without a connective, where Attic would employ ὥστε; cp. 3. 12.

There are two main forms of result clauses: ὥστε with the infinitive and ὥστε with a finite verb. With the infinitive, the negative is generally μή; with a finite verb, οὐ. On the use in indirect discourse and on irregularities, see 2759.

Consecutive ὡς occurs almost always with the infinitive (chiefly in Herodotus, Xenophon, Aeschylus, and Sophocles); with a finite verb occasionally in Herodotus and Xenophon. With the infinitive, the orators and Thucydides (except 7. 34) have ὥστε.

Consecutive ὥστε (ὡς) with a finite verb does not occur in Homer, who uses coördination instead (cp. δέ in A 10). Two cases of ὥς τε occur with the infinitive (I 42; ζ 21 may mean and so), where the infinitive might stand alone, since Homer uses the infinitive to denote an intended or possible result.

A clause with ὥστε and the infinitive is merely added to the clause containing the main thought in order to explain it. The consequence is stated without any distinction of time and only with difference of stage of action.

a. Since the infinitive expresses merely the abstract verbal idea, its use with ὥστε (as with πρίν) outside of indirect discourse cannot explicitly denote a fact. By its datival nature (1969), the infinitive is simply a complement to, or explanation of, the governing word. ὥστε is one of the means to reinforce this explanatory office of the infinitive. The origin of its use is suggested by the comparison with ὅσος sufficient for, οἷος capable of (2003) and the infinitive, which was not originally dependent on these words.

A clause with ὥστε and a finite verb contains the main thought, and is often so loosely connected with the leading verb as to be practically independent and coördinate. ὥστε may thus be simply introductory and take any construction found in an independent sentence. The consequence expresses distinctions of time and stage of action.

Result may also be expressed by relative clauses (2556).

A clause of result with ὥστε stating that something may occur in consequence of an intention, tendency, capacity, and in general in consequence of the nature of an object or action, is regularly expressed by the infinitive. When a consequence is stated without affirming or denying its actual occurrence, the infinitive is in place. The infinitive may therefore denote a fact, but does not explicitly state this to be the case; and is, in general, permissible in all cases where the attainment of the result is expected, natural, or possible, and its actual occurrence is not emphasized; as it is emphasized by the indicative.

a. ὥστε with the infinitive does not state a particular fact. The infinitive is preferred in clauses containing or implying a negative. ὥστε with the indicative is preferred after εἰς τοῦτο ἥκει and like phrases when affirmative (cp. 2265, 2266, 2274).

This difference may be illustrated by examples.

ἔχω τριήρεις ὥστε ἑλεῖν τὸ ἐκείνων πλοῖον I have triremes (so as) to catch their vessel X. A. 1.4.8 (ὥστε εἷλον would mean so that I caught with an essentially different meaning), πάντας οὕτω διατιθεὶς ὥστε αὐτῷ εἶναι φίλους treating all in such a manner that they should be his friends X. A. 1.1.5 (an intended result, 2267), οὕτω διάκειμαι ὑφ᾽ ῡ̔μῶν ὡς οὐδὲ δεῖπνον ἔχω ἐν τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ χώρᾳ I am treated by you in such a manner that I cannot even sup in my own country X. H. 4.1.33 (a fact), ὥστε πάροδον μὴ εἶναι παρὰ πύργον, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ αὐτῶν μέσων διῇσαν so that it was impossible to pass by the side of a tower, but the guards went through the middle of them T. 3.21, κραυγὴν πολλὴν ἐποίουν καλοῦντες ἀλλήλους ὥστε καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀκούειν· ὥστε οἱ μὲν ἐγγύτατα τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἔφυγον they made a loud noise by calling each other so that even the enemy could hear; consequently those of the enemy who were nearest actually fled X. A. 2.2.17. Here the fact that some of the enemy fled is proof that they actually heard the cries; but the Greek states merely that the noise was loud enough to be heard. Had the clause ὥστε . . . ἔφυγον not been added, we could only have inferred that the noise was heard.

The infinitive with ὥστε is usually present or aorist, rarely perfect (e.g. D. 18.257). The future is common only in indirect discourse (D. 19.72).

ὥστε (ὡς) with the infinitive is used when its clause serves only to explain the principal clause. Thus,

(I) After expressions denoting ability, capacity , or to effect something.

πολλὰ πρᾱ́γματα παρεῖχον οἱ βάρβαροι . . . ἐλαφροὶ γὰρ ἦσαν, ὥστε καὶ ἐγγύθεν φεύγοντες ἀποφεύγειν the barbarians caused great annoyance; for they were so nimble that they could escape even though they made off after they had approached quite near X. A. 4.2.27, ὁ ποταμὸς τοσοῦτος βάθος ὡς μηδὲ τὰ δόρατα ὑπερέχειν the river of such a depth that the spears could not even project above the surface 3. 5. 7 (on τοσοῦτος ὅσος etc. see 2003), τοσαύτην κραυγὴν . . . ἐποίησαν ὥστε . . . τοὺς ταξιάρχους ἐλθεῖν they made such an uproar as to bring the taxiarchs D. 54.5.

a. The idea of effecting may be unexpressed: (Κλέαρχος) ἤλαυνεν ἐπὶ τοὺς Μένωνος ὥστ᾽ ἐκείνους ἐκπεπλῆχθαι Clearchus advanced against the soldiers of Menon so (i.e. by so doing he brought it about) that they were thoroughly frightened X. A. 1.5.13; cp. 2267. Several verbs of effecting take ὥστε when the result is intended and where the simple infinitive is common (2267 b).

(II) After a comparative with ἤ than.

ᾔσθοντο αὐτὸν ἐλᾱ́ττω ἔχοντα δύναμιν ἢ ὥστε τοὺς φίλους ὠφελεῖν they perceived that he possessed too little power to benefit his friends X. H. 4.8.23, οἱ ἀκοντισταὶ βραχύτερα ἠκόντιζον ἢ ὡς ἐξικνεῖσθαι τῶν σφενδονητ ῶν the javelin throwers hurled their javelins too short a distance to reach the slingers X. A. 3.3.7. After a comparative, ὡς is as common as ὥστε.

a. ὥστε may here be omitted: κρείσσον᾽ ἢ φέρειν κακά evils too great to be endured E. Hec. 1107.

b. On positive adjectives with a comparative force, see 1063.

(III) After a principal clause that is negatived.

οὐκ ἔχομεν ἀργύριον ὥστε ἀγοράζειν τὰ ἐπιτήδεια we have no money (so as) to buy provisions X. A. 7.3.5, οὐδεὶς πώποτ᾽ εἰς τοσοῦτ᾽ ἀναιδείᾱς ἀφῑ́κετο ὥστε τοιοῦτόν τι τολμῆσαι ποιεῖν no one ever reached such a degree of shamelessness as to dare to do anything of the sort D. 21.62 (cp. 2258 a). Here are included questions expecting the answer no: τίς οὕτως ἐστὶ δεινὸς λέγειν ὥστε σε πεῖσαι; who is so eloquent as to persuade you? X. A. 2.5.15. After negative (as after comparative, 2264) clauses, the infinitive is used, since there would be no reason for the ὥστε clause if the action of the principal clause did not take place. But the indicative occurs occasionally (L. 13.18, Ant. 5.43).

(IV) After a principal clause that expresses a condition.

εἰ μὴ εἰς τοῦτο μανίᾱς ἀφῑκόμην ὥστε ἐπιθῡμεῖν . . . πολλοῖς μάχεσθαι if I had not reached such a degree of madness as to desire to contend with many L. 3.29 (cp. 2258 a).

(V) To express an intended result, especially after a verb of effecting, as ποιῶ, διαπρᾱ́ττομαι, etc.

πᾶν ποιοῦσιν ὥστε δίκην μὴ διδόναι they use every effort (so as) to avoid being punished P. G. 479c, διφθέρᾱς . . . συνέσπων ὡς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι τῆς κάρφης τὸ ὕδωρ they stitched the skins so that the water should not touch the hay X. A. 1.5.10.

a. The infinitive here expresses only the result, while the idea of purpose comes only from the general sense and especially from the meaning of the leading verb. ἵνα μή in the above examples would express only purpose.

b. A clause of intended result is often used where ὅπως might occur in an object clause after a verb of effort (2211); as μηχανᾱ̀ς εὑρήσομεν ὥστ᾽ ἐς τὸ πᾶν σε τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαλλάξαι πόνων we will find means (so as) to free thee entirely from these troubles A. Eum. 82. The infinitive alone, denoting purpose, is here more usual.

(VI) To state a condition or a proviso (on condition that, provided that).

πολλὰ μὲν ἂν χρήματ᾽ ἔδωκε Φιλιστίδης ὥστ᾽ ἔχειν Ὠρεόν Philistides would have given a large sum on condition of his holding Oreus D. 18.81, ὑπῑσχνοῦντο ὥστε ἐκπλεῖν they gave their promise on the condition that they should sail out X. A. 5.6.26. On condition that is commonly expressed by ἐφ᾽ ᾧ or ἐφ᾽ ᾧτε (2279) with or without a preceding ἐπὶ τούτῳ.

A result clause with ὥστε and the indicative, dependent on an infinitive in indirect discourse, and itself quoted, takes the infinitive, and usually retains the negative of the direct form.

ἔφασαν τοὺς στρατιώτᾱς εἰς τοῦτο τρυφῆς ἐλθεῖν ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἐθέλειν πῑ̔νειν, εἰ μὴ ἀνθοσμίᾱς εἴη they said that the soldiers reached such a degree of daintiness as to be unwilling to drink wine unless it had a strong bouquet X. H. 6.2.6 (direct: ὥστε οὐκ ἤθελον πῑ̔νειν, with οὐ retained in indirect discourse). See also 2270 b.

So even when the principal verb takes ὅτι, as ἐννοησάτω ὅτι οὕτως ἤδη τότε πόρρω τῆς ἡλικίᾱς ἦν ὥστ᾽ . . . οὐκ ἂν πολλῷ ὕστερον τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον let him consider that he was then so far advanced in years that he would have died soon afterwards X. M. 4.8.1.

a. The future infinitive here represents the future indicative: οἴεται ῡ̔μᾶς εἰς τοσοῦτον εὐηθείᾱς ἤδη προβεβηκέναι ὥστε καὶ ταῦτα ἀναπεισθήσεσθαι he thinks that you have already reached such a degree of simplicity as to allow yourselves to be persuaded even of this Aes. 3.256. Outside of indirect discourse, the future infinitive with ὥστε is rare (γενήσεσθαι D. 16.4, εἴσεσθαι D. 29.5).

b. ὥστε with the optative in indirect discourse is very rare (X. H. 3.5.23, I. 17.11).

ἄν with the infinitive expressing possibility, and representing either a potential indicative or a potential optative, occasionally follows ὥστε (ὡς).

a. Not in indirect discourse: καί μοι οἱ θεοὶ οὕτως ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐσήμηναν ὥστε καὶ ἰδιώτην ἂν γνῶναι (= ἰδιώτης ἔγνω ἄν or γνοίη ἄν) ὅτι τῆς μοναρχίᾱς ἀπέχεσθαί με δεῖ and the gods declared to me so clearly in the sacrifices that even a common man could understand that I must keep aloof from sovereignty X. A. 6.1.31, ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἤδη ἔσομαι ὡς μηδὲν ἂν ἔτι κακὸν παθεῖν ( = οὐδὲν ἂν ἔτι πάθοιμι) I shall soon be safe from suffering any further evil X. C. 8.7.27. The difference in meaning is very slight between the construction with the potential optative and that with the infinitive with ἄν representing the potential optative.

N.—Rarely in other cases. Thus, τὰ δὲ ἐντὸς οὕτως ἐκαίετο ὥστε . . . ἥδιστα ἂν ἐς ὕδωρ ψῡχρὸν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ῥῑ́πτειν ( = ἔρρῑπτον, 2304) but their internal parts were inflamed to such a degree that they would have been most glad to throw themselves into cold water (had they been permitted) T. 2.49.

b. In indirect discourse: ἆρ᾽ οὖν δοκεῖ τῳ ῡ̔μῶν ὀλιγώρως οὕτως ἔχειν χρημάτων Νῑκόδημος ὥστε παραλιπεῖν ( = παρέλιπεν) ἄν τι τῶν τοιούτων; does it seem to any one of you that Nicodemus so despised money that he would have neglected any agreement of the sort? Is. 3.37.

ὥστε is often used with the infinitive when the infinitive without ὥστε is regular or more common.

a. So with many verbs, especially of will or desire. Thus, ἔπεισαν τοὺς Ἀθηναίους ὥστε ἐξαγαγεῖν ἐκ Πύλου Μεσσηνίους they prevailed upon the Athenians (so as) to withdraw the Messenians from Pylus T. 5.35, δεηθέντες . . . ἑκάστων ἰδίᾳ ὥστε ψηφίσασθαι τὸν πόλεμον having begged each privately (so as) to vote for the war 1. 119, ἐποίησα ὥστε δόξαι τούτῳ τοῦ πρὸς ἐμὲ πολέμου παύσασθαι I brought it about so that it seemed best to him to desist from warring against me X. A. 1.6.6.

N.—Such verbs are: ἀπέχομαι, δέομαι ask, διαπρᾱ́ττομαι, διδάσκω, δικαιῶ, δύναμαι, ἐθέλω, εἴργω, ἐλπίδα τινὰ ἔχω, ἐπαγγέλλομαι, ἐπαίρω, ἔχω am able, θέσφατόν τί τινι ἱκνεῖται, a phrase with καθίσταμαι, ξυγχωρῶ, παραδίδωμι, πείθω (and παρασκευάζω = πείθω), πέφῡκα, ποιῶ, προθῡμοῦμαι, προτρέπομαι, φυλάττομαι (2239), ψηφίζομαι.

b. When the infinitive is the subject: πάνυ γάρ μοι ἐμέλησεν ὥστε εἰδέναι for it concerned me exceedingly to know X. C. 6.3.19.

N.—So with ἔστι, γίγνεται, etc., δόξαν when it was decreed, συνέβη (Thuc.), συνέπῑπτε, συνήνεικε (Hdt.), προσήκει. Cp. 1985.

c. With adjectives, especially such as are positive in form but have a comparative force and denote a deficiency or the like (1063); as ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἔτι νέοι ὥστε τοσοῦτον πρᾶγμα διελέσθαι for we are still too young to decide so important a matter P. Pr. 314b. So with ἰδιώτης, ὀλίγος, ψῡχρός, γέρων; and with ἱκανός, ἀδύνατος (and with δύνασθαι).

On the absolute infinitive with ὡς (less often with ὥστε) see 2012.

ὥστε so that with the indicative states the actual result of the action of the leading verb. This is especially common in narrative statements with the aorist tense. The negative is οὐ.

ἐπιπῑ́πτει χιὼν ἄπλετος ὥστε ἀπέκρυψε καὶ τὰ ὅπλα καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους an immense amount of snow fell so that it buried both the arms and the men X. A. 4.4.11, εἰς τοσοῦτον ὕβρεως ἦλθον ὥστ᾽ ἔπεισαν ῡ̔μᾶς ἐλαύνειν αὐτόν they reached such a pitch of insolence that they persuaded you to expel him I. 16.9 (cp. 2258 a), οὕτω σκαιὸς εἶ . . . ὥστ᾽ οὐ δύνασαι κτλ. are you so stupid that you are not able, etc. D. 18.120 (of a definite fact; with μὴ δύνασθαι the meaning would be so stupid as not to be able, expressing a characteristic). So after the locution τοσούτου δέω, as τοσούτου δέω περὶ τῶν μὴ προσηκόντων ἱκανὸς εἶναι λέγειν, ὥστε δέδοικα κτλ. I am so far from able to speak about that which does not refer to my case that I fear, etc. L. 17.1. ὡς is very rare: νομίζω οὕτως ἔχειν ὡς ἀποστήσονται αὐτοῦ αἱ πόλεις I consider that it is the case that the cities will revolt from him X. H. 6.1.14.

a. So when ὥστε introducing an independent sentence practically has the force of οὖν, τοίνυν, τοιγαροῦν and so therefore, consequently. Thus καὶ εἰς μὲν τὴν ὑστεραίᾱν οὐχ ἧκεν· ὥσθ᾽ οἱ Ἕλληνες ἐφρόντιζον and on the next day he did not come; consequently the Greeks were anxious X. A. 2.3.25. Cp. 2275. This use appears sometimes with the infinitive: ὥστ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνερωτᾶν and so I kept asking myself P. A. 22e.

With an imperative, a hortatory or prohibitory subjunctive, or an interrogative verb, a clause with ὥστε is coördinate rather than subordinate, and ὥστε has the force of καὶ οὕτως.

ὥστε θάρρει and so be not afraid X. C. 1.3.18, ὥστε . . . μὴ θαυμάσῃς and so do not wonder P. Phae. 274a, ὥστε πόθεν ἴσᾱσιν; and so how do they know? D. 29.47.

ὥστε (ὡς) occurs rarely with the participle (instead of the infinitive) by attraction to a preceding participle (And. 4.20, X. C. 7.5.46, D. 10.40, 58. 23).

ὥστε (ὡς) may be used with a past tense of the indicative with ἄν (potential indicative and unreal indicative).

τοιοῦτόν τι ἐποίησεν ὡς πᾶς ἂν ἔγνω ὅτι ἀσμένη ἤκουσε she made a movement so that every one could recognize that she heard the music with pleasure X. S. 9. 3, κατεφαίνετο πάντα αὐτόθεν ὥστε οὐκ ἂν ἔλαθεν αὐτὸν ὁρμώμενος ὁ Κλέων τῷ στρατῷ everything was clearly visible from it, so that Cleon could not have escaped his notice in setting out with his force T. 5.6.

ὥστε (ὡς) is used rarely with the optative without ἄν (by assimilation to a preceding optative) and with the potential optative with ἄν.

εἴ τις τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν σὴν οὕτω θεραπεύσειεν ὥστε φιλεῖν αὐτὴν μᾶλλον ποιήσειεν ἑαυτὸν ἢ σέ κτλ. if some one should pay such attention to your wife as to make her love him better than yourself X. C. 5.5.30 (cp. 2266), τοσούτου δεῖς ἐλέου τινὸς ἄξιος εἶναι ὥστε μῑσηθείης ἂν δικαιότατ᾽ ἀνθρώπων you are so far unworthy of compassion that you would be detested most justly of all men D. 37.49, ὡς ἄν X. Ag. 6. 7, X. C. 7.5.37, 7. 5. <*>