will or desire

Connection of Final with Object Clauses.—(1) Final clauses proper denote a purpose to accomplish or avert a result, which purpose is set forth in a definite action. (2) Object clauses after verbs of effort consider means to accomplish or avert a result; the action of the subordinate clause is the object purposed. Such clauses are incomplete final clauses, because, though the purpose is expressed, the action taken to effect the purpose is not expressed. (3) Object clauses after verbs of fearing deprecate an undesired result or express fear that a desired result may not be accomplished. According to the form of expression employed, the construction of these three kinds of clauses may differ in varying degree or be identical. Thus compare these usages of Attic prose:

(1) παρακαλεῖ ῑ̓ᾱτρὸν ὅπως μὴ ἀποθάνῃ (common)

παρακαλεῖ ῑ̓ᾱτρὸν ὅπως μὴ ἀποθανεῖται (occasionally)

παρακαλεῖ ῑ̓ᾱτρὸν μὴ ἀποθάνῃ (rare)

he summons a physician in order that he may not die.

(2) ἐπιμελεῖται ὅπως μὴ ἀποθανεῖται (common)

ἐπιμελεῖται ὅπως μὴ ἀποθάνῃ (occasionally)

he takes care that he shall not die.

ὅρᾱ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς (occasionally) see to it that you do not die.

(3) φοβεῖται μὴ ἀποθάνῃ (common)

φοβεῖται ὅπως μὴ ἀποθάνῃ (occasionally)

φοβεῖται ὅπως μὴ ἀποθανεῖται (occasionally)

he is afraid lest he die.

Verbs of effort include verbs denoting to take care or pains, to strive.

ἐπιμελοῦμαι, μέλει μοι, μελετῶ, φρουρῶ, πρόνοιαν ἔχω, βουλεύομαι, μηχανῶμαι, παρασκευάζομαι, προθῡμοῦμαι, πρᾱ́ττω, πάντα ποιῶ (ποιοῦμαι), σπουδάζω, etc.

a. The same construction follows certain verbs of will signifying to ask, command, entreat, exhort , and forbid, and which commonly take the infinitive (αἰτῶ, δέομαι, παραγγέλλω, ἱκετεύω, δια- or παρακελεύομαι, ἀπαγορεύω, etc.).

b. Some verbs take, by analogy, but in negative clauses only, the construction either of verbs of effort or of verbs of fearing. These verbs signify to see to a thing: ὁρῶ, σκοπῶ (-οῦμαι), ἐσκεψάμην, σκεπτέον ἐστί, τηρῶ; to be on one's guard: εὐλαβοῦμαι, φροντίζω, φυλάττω (-ομαι). See 2220.

These verbs may take μή with the infinitive. εὐλαβοῦμαι and φυλάττομαι take the infinitive when they mean to guard against doing something.

Object clauses after verbs of effort take the future indicative with ὅπως after primary and secondary tenses (rarely the optative after secondary tenses, 2212).

ἐπιμελοῦμαι ὅπως ταῦτα ποιήσει I take care that he shall do this.

ἐπιμελοῦμαι ὅπως μὴ ταῦτα ποιήσει I take care that he shall not do this.

ἐπεμελούμην ὅπως ταῦτα ποιήσει (ποιήσοι) I took care that he should do this.

ἐπεμελούμην ὅπως μὴ ταῦτα ποιήσει (ποιήσοι) I took care that he should not do this.

εἰ ἀνάγκη ἐστὶ μάχεσθαι, τοῦτο δεῖ παρασκευάσασθαι ὅπως ὡς κράτιστα μαχούμεθα if it is necessary to fight, we must prepare to fight bravely X. A. 4.6.10, ἔπρᾱσσον ὅπως τις βοήθεια ἥξει they were managing (this, that) how some reinforcements should come T. 3.4, σκοπεῖσθε τοῦτο, ὅπως μὴ λόγους ἐροῦσιν μόνον . . . ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργον τι δεικνύειν ἕξουσιν see to this, that they not only make speeches but also are able to show some proof D. 2.12, σκεπτέον μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι . . . ὅπως ὡς ἀσφαλέστατα ἄπιμεν (774) καὶ ὅπως τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἕξομεν it seems to me that we must consider how we shall depart in the greatest security and how we shall procure our provisions X. A. 1.3.11. In δεῖ σε ὅπως δείξεις it is needful that thou prove S. Aj. 556 there is a confusion between δεῖ δεῖξαι and the construction of 2213.

After secondary tenses the future optative occasionally occurs.

ἐπεμέλετο ὅπως μήτε ἄσῑτοι μήτε ἄποτοί ποτε ἔσοιντο he took care that they should never be without food or drink X. C. 8.1.43.

a. The future optative occurs especially in Xenophon, and represents a thought that was originally expressed by the future indicative. Here the indicative would present the thought vividly, i.e. as it was conceived in the mind of the subject.

ὅπως and ὅπως μή with the future indicative may be used without any principal clause, to denote an urgent exhortation or a warning. Originally the ὅπως clause depended on σκόπει (σκοπεῖτε), ὅρᾱ (ὁρᾶτε) see to it; but the ellipsis was gradually forgotten and the construction used independently.

ὅπως οὖν ἔσεσθε ἄνδρες ἄξιοι τῆς ἐλευθερίᾱς ἧς ἧς κέκτησθε be men worthy of the freedom which you possess X. A. 1.7.3, ὅπως δὲ τοῦτο μὴ διδάξεις μηδένα but don't tell anybody this Ar. Nub. 824, and very often in Ar. This use is also preceded by ἄγε (X. S. 4. 20). The third person is very rare (L. 1.21).

Verbs of effort sometimes have the construction of final clauses, and take, though less often, ὅπως with the present or second aorist subjunctive or optative (cp. 2196). The subjunctive may be used after secondary tenses.

ἔπρᾱσσεν . . . ὅπως πόλεμος γένηται he tried to bring it about that war should be occasioned T. 1.57, ὅρᾱ . . . ὅπως μὴ παρὰ δόξαν ὁμολογῇς see to it that it does not prove that you acquiesce in what you do not really think P. Cr. 49c, οὐ φυλάξεσθ᾽ ὅπως μὴ . . . δεσπότην εὕρητε; will you not be on your guard lest you find a master? D. 6.25. Future and subjunctive occur together in X. A. 4.6.10. In Xenophon alone is the subjunctive (and optative) more common than the future.

a. The object desired by the subject of a verb of effort is here expressed by the same construction as is the purpose in the mind of the subject of a final clause.

ἄν is sometimes added to ὅπως with the subjunctive to denote that the purpose is dependent on certain circumstances.

ὅπως ἂν . . . οἱ στρατιῶται περὶ τοῦ στρατεύεσθαι βουλεύωνται, τούτου πειρᾱ̔σομαι ἐπεμέλεσθαι I will endeavour to make it my care that the soldiers deliberate about continuing the war X. C. 5.5.48, μηχανητέον ὅπως ἂν διαφύγῃ plans must be made for his escape P. G. 481a (the same passage has ὅπως with the subjunctive and the future). In Attic this use occurs in Aristophanes, Xenophon, and Plato.

ὡς and ὡς ἄν with subjunctive and optative and ὅπως ἄν with the optative occur in Xenophon, ὡς ἄν and ὅπως ἄν with the optative being used after primary and secondary tenses. Hdt. has ὅκως ἄν after secondary tenses. The optative with ὡς ἄν and ὅπως ἄν is potential.

After verbs meaning to consider, plan , and try ὄπως or ὡς with the subjunctive (with or without κέ) or optative is used by Homer, who does not employ the future indicative in object clauses denoting a purpose. Thus, φράζεσθαι . . . ὅππως κε μνηστῆρας . . . κτείνῃς consider how thou mayest slay the suitors α 295, πείρᾱ ὅπως κεν δὴ σὴν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἵκηαι try that thou mayest come to thy native land δ 545. Here ὅπως with the future indicative would be the normal Attic usage.

Verbs of will or desire signifying to ask, command, entreat, exhort , and forbid, which usually have an infinitive as their object, may take ὅπως (ὅπως μή) with the future indicative (or optative) or the subjunctive (or optative). The ὅπως clause states both the command, etc. and the purpose in giving it. Between take care to do this and I bid you take care to do this the connection is close. Cp. impero, postulo with ut (ne).

διακελεύονται ὅπως τῑμωρήσεται they urge him to take revenge P. R. 549e, δεήσεται δ᾽ ῡ̔μῶν ὅπως . . . δίκην μὴ δῷ he will entreat you that he may not suffer punishment Ant. 1.23, παραγγέλλουσιν ὅπως ἂν (2215) τῇδε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τελευτήσῃ they give orders (to the end) that he die to-day P. Ph. 59e, Λακεδαιμονίων ἐδέοντο τὸ ψήφισμ᾽ ὅπως μεταστραφείη they begged the Lacedaemonians that the decree might be changed Ar. Ach. 536, ἀπηγόρευες ὅπως μὴ τοῦτο ἀποκρινοίμην you forbade me to give this answer P. R. 339a.

Dawes' Canon.—The rule formulated by Dawes and afterwards extended (that the first aorist subjunctive active and middle after ὅπως, ὅπως μή, and οὐ μή is incorrect and should be emended) is applicable only in the case of verbs of effort. After these verbs the future is far more common than subjunctive or optative (except in Xenophon), and some scholars would emend the offending sigmatic subjunctives where they occur in the same sentence with second aorists (as And. 3.14) or even where the future has a widely different form (as ἐκπλευσεῖται, subj. ἐκπλεύσῃ, cp. X. A. 5.6.21).

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.

For the use of the subjunctive, without a verb of fearing, with μή, see 1801, 1802; with μὴ οὐ see 1801, with οὐ μή see 1804.

Verbs and expressions of fear are: φοβοῦμαι, δέδοικα or δέδια, ταρβῶ, τρῶ and πέφρῑκα (mostly poetical); δεινός εἰμι, δεινόν ἐστι, δέος ἐστί, φοβερός εἰμι, φοβερόν ἐστι, etc.

a. Sometimes it is not actual fear that is expressed but only apprehension, anxiety, suspicion, etc. These are the verbs and expressions of caution: ὀκνῶ, ἀθῡμῶ, ἀπιστῶ, ἀπιστίᾱν ἔχω (παρέχω), ὑποπτεύω, ἐνθῡμοῦμαι, αἰσχῡ́νομαι (rare), κίνδῡνός ἐστι, προσδοκίᾱ ἐστί. Here belong also, by analogy, ὁρῶ, σκοπῶ, ἐννοῶ, εὐλαβοῦμαι, φροντίζω, φυλάττω (-ομαι), which admit also the construction of verbs of effort (2210 b).

After secondary tenses, the subjunctive presents the fear vividly, i.e. as it was conceived by the subject. Cp. 2197.

ἐφοβοῦντο μή τι πάθῃ they feared lest she might (may) meet with some accident X. S. 2. 11, ἐφοβήθησαν μὴ καὶ ἐπὶ σφῖς ὁ στρατὸς χωρήσῃ they became fearful that the army might (may) advance against themselves too T. 2.101. So when the fear extends up to the present time: ἐφοβήθην . . . καὶ νῦν τεθορύβημαι μή τινες ῡ̔μῶν ἀγνοήσωσί με I was struck with fear and even now I am in a state of agitation lest some of you may disregard me Aes. 2.4. The vivid use of subjunctive is common in the historians, especially Thucydides.

The optative after a primary tense is rare and suspected (I 245, Hdt. 7.103, S. Aj. 279).

The subjunctive and optative after μή (or ὅπως μή) may denote what may prove to be an object of fear (future ascertainment).

δέδοικα μὴ ἄριστον ᾖ I am afraid lest it prove to be best S. Ant. 1114, ἔδεισαν μὴ λύττα τις . . . ἡμῖν ἐμπεπτώκοι they feared lest some madness might prove to have fallen upon us X. A. 5.7.26. The aorist subjunctive refers to the past in δείδοικα . . . μή σε παρείπῃ I fear it may prove that she beguiled thee A 555; cp. K 99, ν 216, ω 491 (after ὁρῶ).

The future is rare with verbs of fearing after μή.

φοβοῦμαι δὲ μή τινας ἡδονᾱ̀ς ἡδοναῖς εὑρήσομεν ἐναντίᾱς and I apprehend that we shall find some pleasures opposite to other pleasures P. Phil. 13a. So with verbs of caution: ὅρᾱ μὴ πολλῶν ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν χειρῶν δεήσει see to it lest each one of us may have need of many hands X. C. 4.1.18.

a. The future optative seems not to occur except in X. H. 6.4.27, X. M. 1.2.7, P. Euth. 15d.

ὅπως μή with the subjunctive or optative is sometimes used instead of μή after verbs of fear and caution to imply fear that something will happen.

οὐ φοβεῖ . . . ὅπως μὴ ἀνόσιον πρᾶγμα τυγχάνῃς πρᾱ́ττων; are you not afraid that you may chance to be doing an unholy deed? P. Euth. 4e, ἡδέως γ᾽ ἄν (θρέψαιμι τὸν ἄνδρα), εἰ μὴ φοβοίμην ὅπως μὴ ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν με τράποιτο I should gladly keep the man if I did not fear lest he might turn against me X. M. 2.9.3; see also 2220 b.

ὅπως μή with the future indicative (as after verbs of effort) is sometimes used instead of μή with the subjunctive.

δέδοικα ὅπως μὴ . . . ἀνάγκη γενήσεται (v. l. γένηται) I fear lest a necessity may arise D. 9.75. The future optative occurs once (I. 17.22). On μή or ὅπως μή with verbs of caution, see 2220 a.

The potential optative with ἄν is rarely used after μή.

δεδιότες μὴ καταλυθείη ἂν (Mss. καταλυθείησαν) ὁ δῆμος fearful lest the people should be put down L. 13.51. The potential use is most evident when an optative occurs in the protasis: εἰ δέ τινες φοβοῦνται μὴ ματαίᾱ ἂν γένοιτο αὕτη ἡ κατασκευή, εἰ πόλεμος ἐγερθείη, ἐννοησάτω ὅτι κτλ. if some are afraid that this condition of things may prove vain, if war should arise, let them (him) consider that, etc. X. Vect. 4.41.

In Indirect Discourse with ὡς (rarely ὅπως) that.—Verbs of fearing may have the construction of verbs of thinking and be followed by a dependent statement. This occurs regularly only when the expression of fear is negatived. Thus, ἀνδρὸς δὲ τῇ θυγατρὶ μὴ φοβοῦ ὡς ἀπορήσεις do not fear that you will be at a loss for a husband for your daughter X. C. 5.2.12. Here μή or ὅπως μή would be regular. With ὡς the idea is fear, thinking that.

With ὅτι (ὡς) Causal.—ἐφοβεῖτο ὅτι ἀπὸ Διὸς . . . τὸ ὄναρ ἐδόκει αὐτῷ εἶναι he was afraid because the dream seemed to him to be from Zeus X. A. 3.1.12.

With a Causal Participle.—οὔτε τὴν ἀκρόπολιν . . . προδιδοὺς ἐφοβήθη nor was he terrified at having betrayed the Acropolis Lyc. 17.

With the Infinitive.—Verbs of fearing often take an object infinitive (present, future or aorist) with or without the article; and with or without μή (2741). Thus, φοβήσεται ἀδικεῖν he will be afraid to injure X. C. 8.7.15, οὐ φοβούμεθα ἐλασσώσεσθαι we are not afraid that we shall be beaten T. 5.105 (the future infinitive is less common than μή with the subjunctive), φυλαττόμενος τὸ λῡπῆσαί τινα ( = μὴ λῡπήσω) taking care to offend no one D. 18.258, ἐφυλάξατο μὴ ἄπιστος γενέσθαι he took precautions not to become an object of distrust X. Ag. 8. 5.

a. With the articular infinitive, φοβοῦμαι, etc. means simply I fear; with the infinitive without the article, φοβοῦμαι commonly has the force of hesitate, feel repugnance, etc. Cp. φοβοῦμαι ἀδικεῖν and φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀδικεῖν; I fear to do wrong (and do not do it); φοβοῦμαι τὸ ἀδικεῖν I fear wrong-doing (in general, by myself or by another), like φοβοῦμαι τὴν ἀδικίᾱν.

With ὥστε of Result (after a verb of caution).—ἢν οὖν ἔλθωμεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς πρὶν φυλάξασθαι ὥστε μὴ ληφθῆναι if then we move against them before they take precautions (so as) not to be caught X. A. 7.3.35.