Deliberation

Deliberation in the past may be expressed by ἔδει, χρῆν (ἐχρῆν), ἔμελλον with the infinitive, and by -τέον (verbal adj.) ἦν.

Deliberative Questions ask what is to be done or what was to be done. Questions asking what is to be done in the present or future are expressed by the deliberative subjunctive (negative μή, 1805), by δεῖ or χρή and the infinitive, by the verbal in -τέον with ἐστί (1808) or by the deliberative future (1916). Questions asking what was to be done are expressed by χρῆν (ἐχρῆν) or ἔδει with the infinitive, or by the verbal in -τέον with ἦν. In direct questions the optative is not used to denote what was to be done.