Antecedent

The demonstrative antecedents of the relative pronouns are commonly: οὗτος . . . ὅς, τοιοῦτος . . . οἷος, τοσοῦτος . . . ὅσος, τηλικοῦτος . . . ἡλίκος, etc.

a. The antecedent of ὅς is often τοιοῦτος (1249). The antecedent of ὅς, ὅσπερ, οἷος, may be ὅμοιος, παραπλήσιος, ἴσος.

ὅσος preceded by an Adjective.—Here the subject of the relative clause is identical with that of the main clause, and is omitted together with the copula: χρήματα ἔλαβε θαυμαστὰ ὅσα (for θαυμαστόν ἐστιν ὅσα) he received a wonderful amount of money P. Hipp. M. 282c, μετὰ ἱδρῶτος θαυμαστοῦ ὅσου (for θαυμαστόν ἐστιν μεθ᾽ ὅσου) with an astonishing amount of sweat P. R. 350d. So θαυμασίως ὡς (for θαυμαστόν ἐστιν ὡς) P. Ph. 92a.

The relatives οἷος, ὅσος, ἡλίκος, ὅστις δή, ὁστισοῦν (and some others) and a following nominative with the copula may be attracted to the case of the antecedent. Thus, χαριζόμενος τοιούτῳ ἀνδρὶ οἷος δὺ εἶ showing favour to such a man as you are is commonly condensed to χαριζόμενος οἵῳ σοι ἀνδρί (X. M. 2.9.3). Here the whole relative clause (with copula omitted) is attracted. The antecedent, if expressed, is often incorporated (2536) in the relative clause.

πρὸς ἄνδρας τολμηροὺς οἵους καὶ Ἀθηναίους (for οἷοι καὶ Ἀθηναῖοί εἰσι) to bold men such as the Athenians T. 7.21, ἀνίστη Ἀγριᾶνας . . . καὶ ἄλλα ὅσα ἔθνη Παιονικά he called out the Agrianes and all the other Paeonian tribes 2. 96, χειμῶνος ὄντος οἵου λέγεις when the weather is such as you describe X. A. 5.8.3, ἀνέλαμψεν οἰκίᾱ . . . ὅτου δὴ ἐνάψαντος (for ἐνάψαντός τινος ὅστις δὴ ἦν) the house burst into flames, some one or other having set it on fire 5. 2. 24.

a. οἷος is often attracted with superlatives: ὄντος πάγου οἵου δεινοτάτου (for τοιούτου οἷός ἐστι δεινότατος) when the frost was tremendous P. S. 220b. Cp. 1087.

b. The article may appear in this construction with οἷος and ἡλίκος, the relative clause being treated like a substantive: τοῖς οἵοις ἡμῖν to such as we are X. H. 2.3.25.

c. The subject of the relative clause rarely stands in the nominative, not being attracted along with οἷος. Thus, κιναίδους οἵουσπερ σύ rascals just like you Aes. 2.151. This occurs only when the number of the subject is different from that of the attracted relative. When the article precedes, as in Σόλων ἐμῑ́σει τοὺς οἷος οὗτος ἀνθρώπους Solon detested men like him (D. 19.254), editors generally read τοὺς οἵους οὗτος.

Appositives to the antecedent may be drawn into the relative clause as the nearest construction or for the sake of emphasis. Thus, εὑρήσει τοὺς . . . δικαστᾱ́ς, οἵπερ καὶ λέγονται ἐκεῖ δικάζειν, Μῑ́νως τε καὶ Ῥαδάμανθυς κτλ. he will find the judges, who are said to pronounce judgment there, Minos and Rhadamanthys, etc. P. A. 41a.

A substantive, usually with the article, is often taken over into the relative clause, to explain, by a necessary addition, the idea conveyed by that clause; and stands in the same case as the relative. Thus, εἰ μανθάνεις ὃ βούλομαι λέγειν τὸ εἶδος if you understand the class I wish to describe P. R. 477c, οὔτε αὐτοὶ οὔτε οὕς φαμεν ἡμῖν παιδευτέον εἶναι τοὺς φύλακας neither ourselves nor the guardians whom we say we must instruct 402 c.

An attributive adjective, or an attributive genitive belonging to a substantive standing in the main clause, may be placed either in the relative clause (if either is emphatic) or in the main clause. Two adjectives may be divided between the two clauses. The substantives may remain in the main clause or be transferred to the relative clause. Thus, τὸ τείχισμα δ̀ ἦν αὐτόθι τῶν Συρᾱκοσίων αἱροῦσι they captured the fort of the Syracusans which was there T. 7.43, ὧν ἐγὼ ἤθελον τούτῳ ταύτην ἥτις εἴη μεγίστη πίστις δοῦναι of which I was willing to offer to the plaintiff the assurance that was most solemn D. 52.12, ἐπιδεῖξαι . . . τὴν δικαίᾱν ἥτις ἐστὶν ἀπολογίᾱ to show what the fair line of defence is 19. 203, ἔφρῑξεν δὲ μάχη . . . ἐγχείῃσιν μακρῇς, ᾱ̔̀ς εἶχον ταμεσίχροας and the battle bristled with the long spears, the flesh-piercing spears, which they grasped N 339.

a. From the transference of superlatives to the relative clause arise such expressions as ἤγαγον συμμάχους ὁπόσους πλείστους ἐδυνάμην (1087). Similarly ὡς τάχιστα (scil. δύνασαι or the like) as soon as, as soon as possible, ἐπεὶ (ὅτε) τάχιστα as soon as.

The antecedent may be reserved for the main clause, which follows the relative clause. Thus, καθ᾽ οὓς μὲν ἀπήχθην, οὐκ ἔνοχός εἰμι τοῖς νόμοις I am not subject to the laws in virtue of which I was arrested Ant. 5.85.