Gnomic

Gnomic Aorist (γνώμη maxim, proverb).—The aorist may express a general truth. The aorist simply states a past occurrence and leaves the reader to draw the inference from a concrete case that what has occurred once is typical of what often occurs: παθὼν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω a fool learns by experience Hesiod, Works and Days, 218, κάλλος μὲν γὰρ ἢ χρόνος ἀνήλωσεν ἢ νόσος ἐμάρᾱνε for beauty is either wasted by time or withered by disease I. 1.6.

a. The gnomic aorist often alternates with the present of general truth (1877): οὐ γὰρ ἡ πληγὴ παρέστησε τὴν ὀργήν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἀτῑμίᾱ· οὐδὲ τὸ τύπτεσθαι τοῖς ἐλευθέροις ἐστὶ δεινόν . . . ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐφ᾽ ὕβρει for it is not the blow that causes anger, but the disgrace; nor is it the beating that is terrible to freemen, but the insult D. 21.72. Cp. P. R. 566e.

b. The gnomic aorist is regarded as a primary tense (1858): οἱ τύραννοι πλούσιον ὃν ἂν βούλωνται παραχρῆμ᾽ ἐποίησαν tyrants make rich in a moment whomever they wish D. 20.15.

The gnomic aorist is equivalent to the present indicative in apodosis. ἢν δέ τις τούτων τι παραβαίνῃ, ζημίᾱν αὐτοῖς ἐπέθεσαν but if any one ever transgresses any one of these regulations, they always impose punishment upon them (him) X. C. 1.2.2.

Present general conditional relative clauses have ἄν with the subjunctive. The main clause has the present indicative or an equivalent.

νέος δ᾽ ἀπόλλυθ᾽ ὅντιν᾽ (= εἴ τινα) ἂν φιλῇ θεός ‘he dieth young, whome'er a god doth love’ Stob. Flor. 120.13, οὓς (= εἴ τινας) ἂν ὁοᾷ φιλοκινδῡ́νως ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους, τῑμᾷ whomever he sees zealous of danger in the face of the enemy, these he honours X. H. 6.1.6, γαμοῦσί τε ὁπόθεν ἂν βούλωνται, ἐκδιδόωσί τε εἰς οὓς ἂν ἐθέλωσι they both get a wife from whatever family they please and give their daughters in marriage to whomsoever they choose P. R. 613d, πατρὶς γάρ ἐστι πᾶσ᾽ ἵν᾽ ἂν πρᾱ́ττῃ τις εὖ for every land is a man's own country wheresoever he fares well Ar. Plut. 1151.

a. Gnomic aorist in the main clause: ὅς κε θεοῖς ἐπιπείθηται, μάλα τ᾽ ἔκλυον αὐτοῦ whoever obeys the gods, him they most do hear A 218.

b. The subjunctive without ἄν (κέ) is usual in Homer and occurs occasionally in Attic and lyric poetry. Thus, ἀνθρώπους ἐφορᾷ καὶ τῑ́νυται ὅς τις ἁμάρτῃ he watches over men and punishes whoever transgresses ν 214, τῶν δὲ πημονῶν μάλιστα λῡποῦσ᾽ αἳ φανῶσ᾽ αὐθαίρετοι but those griefs pain the most which are seen to be self-sought S. O. T. 1231. Cases of the sort appear in Hdt., but are very rare in Attic prose, e.g. T. 4.18. The subjunctive without ἄν (κέ) is much commoner in Homer than in the corresponding clauses with εἰ (2339).

c. The apodosis here usually expresses a general truth, less often iterative action. In 2568 the apodosis refers to iterative action, usually on the part of designated individuals.

Gnomic Future.—The future may express a general truth: ἀνὴρ ἐπιεικὴς υἱὸν ἀπολέσᾱς ῥᾷστα οἴσει τῶν ἄλλων a reasonable man, if he loses a son, will (is expected to) bear it more easily than other men P. R. 603e (cp. 1434).

a. Hdt. uses the future in descriptions of customs and in directions to travellers (1. 173, 2. 29).

Empiric Perfect.—The perfect may set forth a general truth expressly based on a fact of experience: ἡ ἀταξίᾱ πολλοὺς ἤδη ἀπολώλεκεν lack of discipline ere now has been the ruin of many X. A. 3.1.38. Cp. 1930.