Inference

The apodosis may be the simple indicative or any other form of the simple sentence appropriate to the thought.

a. Simple Indicative: εἰ τοῦτ᾽ ἔχει καλῶς, ἐκεῖνο αἰσχρῶς if this is excellent, that is disgraceful Aes. 3.188, εἰ μὲν (Ἀσκληπιὸς) θεοῦ ἦν, οὐκ ἦν αἰσχροκερδής· εἰ δ᾽ αἰσχροκερδής, οὐκ ἦν θεοῦ if Asclepius was the son of a god, he was not covetous; if he was covetous, he was not the son of a god P. R. 408c, εἴ τέ τι ἄλλο . . . ἐγένετο ἐπικίνδῡνον τοῖς Ἕλλησι, πάντων . . . μετέσχομεν and if any other danger befell the Greeks, we took our share in all T. 3.54, ἦ καλὸν . . . τέχνημα ἄρα κέκτησαι, εἴπερ κέκτησαι in truth you do possess a noble art, if indeed you do possess it P. Pr. 319a, εἴπερ γε Δᾱρείου . . . ἐστι παῖς . . . , οὐκ ἀμαχεὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐγὼ λήψομαι if indeed he is a son of Darius, I shall not gain this without a battle X. A. 1.7.9, Κλέαρχος εἰ παρὰ τοὺς ὅρκους ἔλῡε τᾱ̀ς σπονδᾱ́ς, τὴν δίκην ἔχει assuming that Clearchus broke the truce contrary to his oath, he has his deserts 2. 5. 41, εἰ δὲ δύο ἐξ ἑνὸς ἀγῶνος γεγένησθον, οὐκ ἐγὼ αἴτιος but if two trials have been made out of one, I am not responsible Ant. 5.85.

b. Indicative with ἄν (unreal indicative, 1786): καίτοι τότε . . . τὸν Ὑπερείδην, εἴπερ ἀληθῆ μου νῦν κατηγορεῖ, μᾶλλον ἂν εἰκότως ἢ τόνδ᾽ ἐδίωκεν and yet, if indeed his present charge against me is true, he would have had more reason for prosecuting Hyperides than he now has for prosecuting my client D. 18.223 (here ἂν ἐδίωκεν implies εἰ ἐδίωκεν, 2303). So also an unreal indicative without ἄν, 1774: τοῦτο, εἰ καὶ τἄλλα πάντ᾽ ἀποστεροῦσιν . . . ἀποδοῦναι προσῆκεν even if they steal everything else, they should have restored this D. 27.37. In the above examples each clause has its proper force.

c. Subjunctive of exhortation or prohibition (cp. the indicative δεῖ or χρή with the infinitive, 1807): ὅθεν δὲ ἀπελίπομεν ἐπανέλθωμεν, εἴ σοι ἡδομένῳ ἐστίν but let us return to the point whence we digressed, if it is agreeable to you P. Ph. 78b, εἰ μὲν ἴστε με τοιοῦτον . . . μηδὲ φωνὴν ἀνάσχησθε if you know that I am such a man . . . do not even endure the sound of my voice D. 18.10.

d. Optative of wish (cp. the indicative ἐλπίζω): κάκιστ᾽ ἀπολοίμην, Ξανθίᾱν εἰ μὴ φιλῶ may I perish most vilely, if I do not love Xanthias Ar. Ran. 579.

e. Potential optative: θαυμάζοιμ᾽ ἂν εἰ οἶσθα I should be surprised if you know P. Pr. 312c. The potential optative (or indicative with ἄν, above b) sometimes suggests an inference (cp. the indicative δοκεῖ and inf. with ἄν). Thus, εἰ μὲν γὰρ τοῦτο λέγουσιν, ὁμολογοίην ἂν ἔγωγε οὐ κατὰ τούτους εἶναι ῥήτωρ for if they mean this, I must admit (it seems to me that I must admit) that I am an orator, but not after their style P. A. 17b (cp. τοῦτό γέ μοι δοκεῖ καλὸν εἶναι, εἴ τις οἷός τ᾽ εἴη παιδεύειν ἀνθρώπους this seems to me a fine thing, if any one should be able to train men 19 e), εἰ γὰρ οὗτοι ὀρθῶς ἀπέστησαν, ῡ̔μεῖς ἂν οὐ χρεὼν ἄρχοιτε<*> for if they were right in revolting, you must be wrong in holding your empire T. 3.40 (cp. οὐκ ἄρα χρὴ ῡ̔μᾶς ἄρχειν).

f. Imperative (cp. the indicative κελεύω order, ἀπαγορεύω forbid): εἴ τις ἀντιλέγει, λεγέτω if any one objects, let him speak X. A. 7.3.14.

In Attic, and in part also in Homer, ἄρα marks an inference (conse- quently, so then, therefore, it seems, after all, of course, etc.). Thus, εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι βασιλεὺς οὐ μαχεῖται δέκα ἡμερῶν· Κῦρος δ᾽ εἶπεν· οὐκ ἄρα ἔτι μαχεῖται, εἰ ἐν ταύταις οὐ μαχεῖται ταῖς ἡμέραις the seer said to him that the king would not fight within ten days. And Cyrus answered: “Well then if he does not fight within that time he will not fight at all” X. A. 1.7.18, οὐδεὶ<*> ποτοῦ ἐπιθῡμεῖ, ἀλλὰ χρηστοῦ ποτοῦ . . ., πάντες γὰρ ἄρα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπιθῡμοῦσιν no one desires drink merely, but good drink, since of course everybody desires good things P. R. 438a.

Consecutive and Resumptive δή is used to set forth an inference, draw a conclusion, denote a consequence, and mark a transition (μὲν δὴ . . . δέ). Here δή is a sentence adverb: accordingly, then, of course, clearly, you see, I say. Thus, ἔλεγον ὅτι κατίδοιεν νύκτωρ πολλὰ πυρὰ φαίνοντα. ἐδόκει δὴ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς εἶναι διασκηνοῦν they said that they had seen many fires visible in the night; accordingly it seemed to the generals to be unsafe to encamp apart X. A. 4.4.10, φεραύλᾱς μὲν δὴ οὕτως εἶπεν· ἀνῑ́σταντο δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοί Pherauias then spake thus; and many others also rose to speak X. C. 2.3.16.

δῆτα assuredly, really, in truth, is rare outside of Attic. It occurs: (a) In answers, often when a word is repeated with assent; as γιγνώσκεθ᾽ ῡ̔μεῖς ἥτις ἔσθ᾽ ἥδ᾽ ἡ γυνή; γιγνώσκομεν δῆτα do you know who this woman is? Yes indeed we do Ar. Thesm. 606; οὐ δῆτα surely not, in strong or indignant denial. (b) In questions, to mark an inference or consequence, as πῶς δῆτα; how in truth? τί δῆτα; what then? καὶ δῆτα ἐτόλμας; and didst thou really dare? S. Ant. 449. (c) In wishes and deprecations (stronger than δή), as σκόπει δῆτα only look P. G. 452b, μὴ δῆτα, θῡμέ, μή σύ γ᾽ ἐργάσῃ τάδε no indeed, my heart, do not this deed E. Med. 1056.