Object clauses

Assimilation to the Optative.—When an optative of the principal clause refers to future time (potential optative and optative of wish), the subordinate clause takes the optative by assimilation in the following cases.

a. Conditional relative clauses (regularly): πῶς γὰρ ἄν (1832) τις, ἅ γε μὴ ἐπίσταιτο, ταῦτα σοφὸς εἴη; for how could any one be wise in that which he does not know? X. M. 4.6.7, τίς μῑσεῖν δύναιτ᾽ ἄν ὑφ᾽ οὗ εἰδείη καλός τε καὶ ἀγαθὸς νομιζόμενος; who could hate one by whom he knew that he was regarded as both beautiful and good? X. S. 8. 17, ἔρδοι τις ἣν ἕκαστος εἰδείη τέχνην would that every man would practise the craft that he understood Ar. Vesp. 1431, τίς ἂν . . . μόλοι (1832), ὅστις διαγγείλειε τᾱ̓μ᾽ εἴσω κακά would that some one would come to report within my tale of woe E. Hel. 435.

N. 1.—If the relative has a definite antecedent, assimilation does not take place; but not all relative clauses with an indefinite antecedent are assimilated. Cp. ὥσπερ ἂν ῡ̔μῶν ἕκαστος αἰσχυνθείη τὴν τάξιν λιπεῖν ἣν ἂν ταχθῇ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ as each one of you would be ashamed to leave the post to which he may be appointed in war Aes. 3.7.

N. 2.—A relative clause depending on an infinitive rarely takes the optative: ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὲν αὐτὸν λέγειν ἃ μὴ σαφῶς εἰδείη εἵργεσθαι δεῖ one should abstain from saying oneself what one does not know for certain X. C. 1.6.19. (See 2573.)

b. Temporal clauses (regularly): τεθναίην, ὅτε μοι μηκέτι ταῦτα μέλοι may I die when these things no longer delight me Mimnermus 1. 2, ὁ μὲν ἑκὼν πεινῶν φάγοι ἂν ὁπότε βούλοιτο he who starves of his own free will can eat whenever he wishes X. M. 2.1.18, εἰ δὲ πάνυ σπουδάζοι φαγεῖν, εἴποιμ᾽ ἂν ὅτι παρὰ ταῖς γυναιξίν ἐστιν, ἕως παρατείναιμι τοῦτον κτλ. but if he was very desirous of eating, I would tell him that “he was with the women” until I had tortured him, etc. X. C. 1.3.11, ὄλοιο μήπω, πρὶν μάθοιμι perish not yet . . . until I learn S. Ph. 961. But οὐκ ἂν ἀπέλθοιμι πρὶν ἂν παντάπᾱσιν ἡ ἀγορᾱ̀ λυθῇ I shall not be leaving until the gathering in the market-place is quite dispersed X. O. 12.1.

c. Final and object clauses (rarely in prose, but occasionally after an optative of wish in poetry): πειρῴμην (ἂν) μὴ πρόσω ῡ̔μῶν εἶναι, ἵνα, εἴ που καιρὸς εἴη, ἐπιφανείην I will try to keep not far away from you, in order that, if there should be any occasion, I may show myself X. C. 2.4.17 (and five other cases in Xen.); ἔλθοι ὅπως γένοιτο τῶνδ᾽ ἐμοὶ λυτήριος may she come to prove my liberator from this affliction A. Eum. 297. Ordinarily the subjunctive or future indicative is retained, as ὀκνοίην ἂν εἰς τὰ πλοῖα ἐμβαίνειν ἃ Κῦρος ἡμῖν δοίη μὴ ἡμᾶς . . . καταδῡ́σῃ I should hesitate to embark on the vessels which Cyrus might give us lest he sink us X. A. 1.3.17, τεθναίην, δίκην ἐπιθεὶς τῷ ἀδικοῦντι, ἵνα μὴ ἐνθάδε μένω καταγέλαστος let me die, when I have punished him who has done me wrong, that I may not remain here a laughing-stock P. A. 28d.

d. Indirect questions, when the direct question was a deliberative subjunctive: οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις ἐξελθὼν ὅ τι χρῷο σαυτῷ if you should escape, you would not know what to do with yourself P. Cr. 45b ( = τί χρῶμαι;). But when a direct question or a direct quotation stood in the indicative, that mood is retained, as εἰ ἀποδειχθείη τίνας χρὴ ἡγεῖσθαι τοῦ πλαισίου if it should be settled who must lead the square X. A. 3.2.36.

e. Very rarely in relative clauses of purpose (P. R. 578e possibly); after ὥστε (X. C. 5.5.30), and in dependent statements with ὅτι or ὡς (X. C. 3.1.28).

f. Assimilation and non-assimilation may occur in the same sentence (E. Bacch. 1384 ff.)

In subordinate clauses μή or οὐ is used.

a. Final clauses have μή, as φίλος ἐβούλετο εἶναι τοῖς μέγιστα δυναμένοις, ἵνα ἀδικῶν μὴ διδοίη δίκην he wished to be on friendly terms with men in power in order that he might not pay the penalty for his wrong-doing X. A. 2.6.21, ἔδει τὰ ἐνέχυρα τότε λαβεῖν, ὡς μηδ᾽ εἰ ἐβούλετο ἐδύνατο ἐξαπατᾶν quoted in 2185 c.

b. Object clauses with ὅπως after verbs of effort have μή, as φρόντιζ᾽ ὅπως μηδὲν ἀνάξιον τῆς τῑμῆς ταύτης πρᾱ́ξεις see to it that you do nothing unworthy of this honour I. 2.37, 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.

c. Conditional clauses regularly have μή. Thus, εἰ μὴ ῡ̔μεῖς ἤλθετε, ἐπορευόμεθα ἂν ἐπὶ βασιλέᾱ if you had not come, we should be marching against the king X. A. 2.1.4, οὐκ ἀπελείπετο αὐτοῦ, εἰ μή τι ἀναγκαῖον εἴη he never left him unless there was some necessity for it X. M. 4.2.40. So in concessive clauses (2369). On οὐ adherescent in conditional clauses see 2696.

d. Relative Clauses, if conditional, have οὐ with a definite antecedent, μή with an indefinite antecedent (2505). μή is thus used when the case in question is typical of a class (μή ‘generic’). Thus, προσημαίνουσιν ἅ τε χρὴ ποιεῖν καὶ ἃ οὐ χρή they signify beforehand what one must do and what not X. C. 1.6.46, ἃ μὴ οἶδα οὐδὲ οἴομαι εἰδέναι what I do not know, I do not even think I know P. A. 21d.

N. 1.—Homer has ὃς (ὅσος) οὐ with the indicative (μή B 301).

N. 2.—οὐ is regular in relative clauses when an opposition is expressed (T. 1.11. 2), and when a negative clause precedes; as οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις (ὅπως) οὐ οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ, etc. (X. C. 1.4.25, X. A. 2.4.3).

e. The expression τοιοῦτος, ὅς (ὅστις, etc.), when preceded by a negative, takes οὐ; as ταμιεῖον μηδενὶ εἶναι μηδὲν τοιοῦτον, εἰς ὃ οὐ πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος εἴσεισι it is necessary that no one shall have (such) a storehouse that anybody who pleases may not enter it P. R. 416d. But even when no negative precedes, we have οὐ, when the relative clause makes an assertion or defines attributively; as συγγραφεὺς τῶν λόγων . . . τοιοῦτος, οἷος οὐδεὶς ἄλλος γέγονε such a writer of speeches as no one had been I. 15.35. When the antecedent is general or is thought of in respect of its character we have μή; as βουληθεὶς τοιοῦτον μνημεῖον καταλιπεῖν, ὃ μὴ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεώς ἐστιν wishing to leave behind him such a memorial as would surpass human nature I. 4.89; cp. 2705 g.

f. Relative clauses of purpose take μή, as θαλάσσιον ἐκρῑ́ψατ᾽, ἔνθα μήποτ᾽ εἰσόψεσθ᾽ ἔτι cast me out into the sea where ye may never see me more S. O. T. 1411, κρύψᾱσ᾽ ἑαυτήν, ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι hiding herself where no one might see her S. Tr. 903.

g. Clauses with a relative pronoun referring to an antecedent thought of in respect of its character (of such a sort) take μή. The use of μή characteristic comes from the generic meaning of μή, i.e. the antecedent is not regarded simply as a person who does something but as a person of such a nature as, one who typifies a class. In such cases ὃς μή may refer to a definite person or thing. So especially in relative clauses of cause and result, which ordinarily take οὐ. Thus, ταλαίπωρος ἄρα τις σύ γε ἄνθρωπος εἶ . . ., ᾧ μήτε θεοὶ πατρῷοί εἰσι μήτε ἱερά a wretched being art thou then, who hast neither ancestral gods nor shrines P. Eu. 302b, ψηφίσασθε τοιαῦτα ἐξ ὧν μηδέποτε ῡ̔μῖν μεταμελήσει pass such a vote that you will never repent of it And. 3.41, τοιαῦτα λέγειν . . ., οἷς μηδεὶς ἂν νεμεσήσαι to use language at which no one could feel just resentment D. 21.161, ὁ . . . μηδὲν ἂν ὀμόσᾱς the man who would not take an oath 54. 40. Sophocles is especially fond of the generic μή.

h. Consecutive clauses (and consecutive relative clauses) with ὤστε take οὐ with the indicative and optative. Thus, (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) εἰς τοῦτ᾽ ἀπληστίᾱς ἦλθον ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἐξήρκεσεν αὐτοῖς ἔχειν τὴν κατὰ γῆν ἀρχήν the Lacedaemonians became so insatiate in their desires that they were not satisfied with their empire on the land I. 12.103, ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν γνωρίσαιμ᾽ ἂν εἰσιδών so that I should not recognize him, if I were to see him E. Or. 379. On τοιοῦτος ὃς οὐ see 2705 e.

i. Oaths and protestations in the indicative with μή express a solemn denial or refusal, or repudiate a charge. Thus, ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς . . . μὴ μὲν τοῖς ἵπποισιν ἀνὴρ ἐποιχήσεται ἄλλος let Zeus now know (i.e. I swear by Zeus) that no other man shall mount these horses K 329, μὰ τὴν Ἀφροδῑ́την . . . μὴ ᾽γώ σ᾽ ἀφήσω by Aphrodite, far be it from me that I should release you Ar. Eccl. 999. Cp. 2716.

Verbs of caution (2210 b, 2224 a) have, in negative clauses, the construction either of

a. Verbs of effort, and take ὅπως μή with the future indicative:

εὐλαβούμενοι ὅπως μὴ . . . οἰχήσομαι taking care that I do not depart P. Ph. 91c, ὅρᾱ ὅκως μή σευ ἀποστήσονται beware lest they revolt from thee Hdt. 3.36.

b. Verbs of fearing, and take μή (μὴ οὐ) or ὅπως μή (2230) with the subjunctive (or optative):

ὁρᾶτε μὴ πάθωμεν take care lest we suffer X. C. 4.1.15, φυλάττου ὅπως μὴ . . . εἰς τοὐναντίον ἔλθῃς be on your guard lest you come to the opposite X. M. 3.6.16, ὑποπτεύομεν . . . ῡ̔μᾶς μὴ οὐ κοινοὶ ἀποβῆτε we suspect that you will not prove impartial T. 3.53, ὑποπτεύσᾱς μὴ τὴν θυγατέρα λέγοι, ἤρετο κτλ. suspecting that he meant his daughter, he asked, etc. X. C. 5.2.9. So with a past indicative (2233).