Optative mood

§357INFLECTION: PRELIMINARY REMARKS (355-380)Moods.—Four moods, the indicative, subjunctive, optative, imperative, are called finite, because the person is defined by the ending (366). The infinitive, strictly a verbal noun (…

§359INFLECTION: PRELIMINARY REMARKS (355-380)Tenses.—There are seven tenses in the indicative: present, imperfect, future, aorist, perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect. The future perfect commonly has a passive force, but …

§1760THE MOODSThere are four moods proper in Greek: indicative, subjunctive, optative, and imperative. The infinitive (strictly a verbal noun) and the participle (strictly an adjective form of t…

§169ACCENT: GENERAL PRINCIPLESFinal -αι and -οι are regarded as short: μοῦσαι, βούλομαι, πρόπαλαι, ἄνθρωποι. But in the optative -αι and -οι are long (λῡ́σαι, βουλεύοι), as in contracted syllables. So also in t…

§427ACCENTFinal -αι (and -οι) are regarded as long in the optative (169), elsewhere as short. Hence distinguish the forms of the first aorist. 3. Sing. Opt. Act. Infin. Act. 2. Sing. Imper. …

§366 cINFLECTION: PRELIMINARY REMARKS (355-380)Endings.—The endings in the finite moods (357) show whether the subject is first, second, or third person; and indicate number and voice. See 462 ff. a. The middle has a different …

§464ENDINGS OF THE VERB: PERSONAL ENDINGSSECONDARY ENDINGS OF THE ACTIVE (IND. AND OPT.) The optative usually has the endings of the secondary tenses of the indicative. a. 1 Sing.—-ν stands for μ (133 c), cp. ἔφερο-ν, Skt…

§380STEMSMeanings of the Tenses and Moods.—In the synopsis (382) meanings are given wherever these are not dependent on the use of the various forms in the sentence. The meanings of the sub…

§393REMARKS ON THE CONTRACTED VERBSIn the present optative active there are two forms: (1) that with the modal sign -ιη-, having -ν in the 1 sing., and -σαν in the 3 pl.; (2) that with the modal sign -ῑ-, having -μι…

§459TENSE-SUFFIXES, THEMATIC VOWEL, MOOD-SUFFIXESSuffix of the Optative.—The optative adds the mood suffix -ῑ-, or -ιη- which contracts with the final vowel of the tense-stem: λῡ́οιμι for λῡ́ο-ῑ-μι, φιλοίην for φιλεο-ίη-ν, τιθείη…

§460TENSE-SUFFIXES, THEMATIC VOWEL, MOOD-SUFFIXESιη is used as follows (in all other cases -ῑ-):— a. In contracted verbs in the singular, rarely in the dual and plural. -ῑ- appears in the dual and plural, rarely in the singular. …

§461TENSE-SUFFIXES, THEMATIC VOWEL, MOOD-SUFFIXESa. In the 1 aor. opt. act. of ω-verbs the endings -ειας, -ειε, and -ειαν are more common than -αις, -αι, -αιεν. b. In the aor. opt. passive of all verbs and in the opt. of μι-verbs…

§424 c N. 1ACCENTTo this general rule there are exceptions. a. Enclitics.—All the forms of φημί say, and εἰμί am, except φῄς and εἶ. b. Imperatives.—(1) The second person sing. of the second aorist…

§426 fACCENTExceptions to the recessive accent of compound verbs.—a. The accent cannot precede the augment or reduplication: ἄπειμι am absent, ἀπῆν was absent, εἰσ-ῆλθον they entered, ἀπ-ῆσαν …

§630PRESENT AND IMPERFECT ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (PASSIVE)Optative.—To the tense-stem ending in the thematic vowel (always ο) are added the mood-sign -ῑ- (-ιε-) or -ιη- (459, 460) and the secondary personal endings (except -μι for -ν, whe…

§§637–640CONTRACT VERBSOptative.—άοι becomes ῷ, έοι and όοι become οῖ. Thus. -άο-ῑ-μι = -ῷμι, -αο-ίη-ν = -ῴην, -αο-ῑ́-μην = -ῴμην; -έο-ῑ-μι = -οῖμι, -εο-ίη-ν = -οίην, -εο-ῑ́-μην = -οίμην; -όο-ῑ-μι = -οῖμ…

§750PRESENT AND IMPERFECT ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (PASSIVE)Present Optative.—The optative active has the secondary endings and the mood sign -ιη- in the singular, -ῑ- (-ιε- 3 pl.) in the dual and plural. In the dual and plural the longer (…

§660FUTURE ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (532 ff.). FUTURE PERFECT (580 ff.)Optative.—The inflection is like the present: λῡ́σο-ῑ-μι, λῡσο-ῑ́-μην. In the optative singular of liquid verbs, -ιη-ν, -ιη-ς, -ιη, in the dual and plural -ῑ-τον, -ῑ-την, -ῑ-μεν, -…

§663FIRST AND SECOND FUTURE PASSIVE (589, 597)All verbs inflect the first and second future passive alike, that is, like the future middle.

§664FIRST AND SECOND FUTURE PASSIVE (589, 597)The indicative adds -μαι to the stem ending in -θησο- or -ησο-, as λυθήσο-μαι, φανή-σο-μαι. For the two forms of the second person singular see 628. The optative adds -ῑ-μην, as λυ…

§668FIRST AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (542)Optative.—To the stem ending in α the mood-suffix ῑ is added, making αι, to which the same endings are affixed as in the present: λῡ́σα-ῑ-μι = λῡ́σαιμι, λῡσα-ῑ́-μην = λῡσαίμην, φήν…

§675FIRST AND SECOND AORIST PASSIVE (585, 590)Optative.—The optative adds -ῑ- or -ιη- to the tense-stem ending in -θε- or -ε-, and contracts. In the singular -ιη- is regular; in the dual and plural -ῑ- is generally preferred. …

§683SECOND AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (546)The optative is inflected like δοίην (p. 138). γνοίην γνοῖμεν or γνοίημεν γνοίης γνοῖτον or γνοίητον γνοῖτε or γνοίητε γνοίη γνοίτην or γνοιήτην γνοῖεν or γνοίησαν a. So βαίην, βαῖ…

§758SECOND AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLESecond Aorist Optative.—The forms of the optative of the second aorist are made and inflected like those of the present except for the reduplication. Thus, in the active: θείην (θε…

§§694–696FIRST AND SECOND PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT ACTIVE (555, 561)Optative.—The perfect optative is commonly formed periphrastically by the perfect active participle and εἴην, εἴης, εἴη, etc. Thus λελυκὼς (γεγραφὼς) εἴην, etc., λελυκότες (γεγραφό…

§702SECOND PERFECTS OF THE μι-FORMA few ω-verbs form their second perfects in the dual and plural without α by adding the endings directly to the stem. Herein these forms agree with the second perfect of μι-verbs (…

§764FIRST AND SECOND PERFECT (AND PLUPERFECT) ACTIVEOptative.—ἑστήκοιμι occurs in comp. in prose, ἀφεστῶτες εἶεν in Plato, τεθηκὼς εἴης and δεδωκότες εἶεν in Demosthenes. ἑσταίην is poetical.

§710PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT MIDDLE AND PASSIVE (574)Optative.—The perfect middle optative is commonly formed by the periphrasis of the perfect middle participle and εἴην, εἴης, εἴη, etc. Thus λελυμένος εἴην, etc.

§711PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT MIDDLE AND PASSIVE (574)Some verbs add -ῑ́-μην, -ο-ῑ́-μην to the tense-stem (709).—a. κτάομαι (κτα-) acquire, perf. κέκτημαι possess (1946): opt. κεκτη-ῑ́-μην = κεκτῄμην, κεκτήῑ-σο = κεκτῇο, κεκτή-ῑ-το = …

§§1814–1823OPTATIVE WITHOUT ἄνOptative of Wish.—In independent sentences the optative without ἄν is used to express a wish referring to the future (negative μή): ὦ παῖ, γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος ah, boy, mayes…

§§1814–1819OPTATIVE WITHOUT ἄνOptative of Wish.—In independent sentences the optative without ἄν is used to express a wish referring to the future (negative μή): ὦ παῖ, γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος ah, boy, mayes…

§1820OPTATIVE WITHOUT ἄνImperative Optative.—The optative may express a command or exhortation with a force nearly akin to the imperative: Χειρίσοφος ἡγοῖτο let Chirisophus lead X. A. 3.2.37.

§§1824–1834OPTATIVE WITH ἄνPotential Optative.—The potential optative with ἄν states a future possibility, propriety, or likelihood, as an opinion of the speaker; and may be translated by may, might, can (es…

§1859THE TENSES OUTSIDE OF THE INDICATIVEThe tenses of the moods except the indicative do not express time in independent sentences.

§§1861–1863THE TENSES OUTSIDE OF THE INDICATIVEOptative (not in indirect discourse).—The reference is always to future time. The tenses do not refer to differences of time, and denote only the stage of the action. Present (cont…

§2186ASSIMILATION OF MOODSAssimilation 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…

§2187ASSIMILATION OF MOODSAn optative referring to general past time in a general supposition usually assimilates the mood of a conditional relative or temporal clause depending on that optative. ἔχαιρεν ὁπ…

§2205PURPOSE CLAUSES (FINAL CLAUSES)By assimilation of mood, final clauses may take a past tense of the indicative without ἄν (2185 c) or the optative without ἄν (2186 c.)

§§2196–2206PURPOSE CLAUSES (FINAL CLAUSES)The verb of a final clause stands in the subjunctive after an introductory primary tense, in the optative (sometimes in the subjunctive, 2197) after a secondary tense. γράφω ἵνα ἐκ…

§2211OBJECT CLAUSES AFTER VERBS OF EFFORTObject clauses after verbs of effort take the future indicative with ὅπως after primary and secondary tenses (rarely the optative after secondary tenses, 2212). ἐπιμελοῦμαι ὅπως τα…

§2212OBJECT CLAUSES AFTER VERBS OF EFFORTAfter secondary tenses the future optative occasionally occurs. ἐπεμέλετο ὅπως μήτε ἄσῑτοι μήτε ἄποτοί ποτε ἔσοιντο he took care that they should never be without food or drink X. …

§§2214–2219OBJECT CLAUSES AFTER VERBS OF EFFORTVerbs of effort sometimes have the construction of final clauses, and take, though less often, ὅπως with the present or second aorist subjunctive or optative (cp. 2196). The subjun…

§§2220–2232VERBS OF CAUTIONVerbs 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 . . . …

§2242CAUSAL CLAUSESBut causal clauses denoting an alleged or reported reason (implied indirect discourse, 2622) take the optative after secondary tenses. (οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι) τὸν Περικλέᾱ ἐκάκιζον ὅτι στρατ…

§2269 bὥστε (RARELY ὡς) WITH THE INFINITIVEA result clause with ὥστε and the indicative, dependent on an infinitive in indirect discourse, and itself quoted, takes the infinitive, and usually retains the negative of the dir…

§2278ὥστε (ὡς) WITH A FINITE VERBὥστε (ὡς) is used rarely with the optative without ἄν (by assimilation to a preceding optative) and with the potential optative with ἄν. εἴ τις τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν σὴν οὕτω θεραπεύσειε…

§2300 d, eFirst Form of Conditions: SIMPLE PRESENT AND PAST CONDITIONSThe 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 …

§2356LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe optative with ἄν (the potential optative) may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and Past conditions (2300 e), εἰ with the past indicative in U…

§2311Second Form of Conditions: PRESENT AND PAST UNREAL CONDITIONSHomeric Constructions.—In Homer the imperfect in unreal conditions refers only to past time. The apodosis may have κέ or ἄν with the optative. a. The present unreal condition with …

§2312Second Form of Conditions: PRESENT AND PAST UNREAL CONDITIONSUnreal conditions with ἄν and the optative in apodosis (cp. 2311) in Attic are rare and some are suspected. Either the common reading is at fault (X. M. 3.5.8), or we have a simple…

§2356LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe optative with ἄν (the potential optative) may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and Past conditions (2300 e), εἰ with the past indicative in U…

§2322FUTURE CONDITIONSThe difference between the More Vivid Future and the Less Vivid Future, like the difference between if I (shall) do this and if I should do this, depends on the mental attitude of …

§2326 dThird Form of Conditions: MORE VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONSThe apodosis of the more vivid future condition is the future indicative or any other form of the simple sentence that refers to future time. a. Future Indicative: ἐᾱ̀ν ζητῇς καλῶς…

§2356LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe optative with ἄν (the potential optative) may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and Past conditions (2300 e), εἰ with the past indicative in U…

§§2329–2334Fourth Form of Conditions: LESS VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONSLess vivid future conditions (should . . . would conditions) have in the protasis εἰ with the optative, in the apodosis ἄν with the optative. εἰ ταῦτα ποιοίης, καλῶς ἂν ποιοίης or …

§2340 aSixth Form of Conditions: PAST GENERAL CONDITIONSPast general conditions have, in the protasis, εἰ with the optative; in the apodosis, the imperfect indicative or an equivalent. εἰ ταῦτα ποιοίης (ποιήσειας), σὲ ἐπῄνουν if ever yo…

§2349MODIFICATIONS OF THE PROTASISOmission of the Protasis.—The potential optative, and the indicative, with ἄν stand in independent sentences; in many cases a protasis may be supplied either from the context or ge…

§2353PROTASIS AND APODOSIS COMBINEDεἰ and ἄν both in Protasis.—The potential optative with ἄν or the unreal indicative with ἄν, standing as the apodosis in the conditional clause with εἰ, is the apodosis of another …

§2356LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe optative with ἄν (the potential optative) may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and Past conditions (2300 e), εἰ with the past indicative in U…

§2394TEMPORAL CLAUSESWhen the time is definite, the indicative is used; when indefinite, the subjunctive with ἄν, the optative, or (rarely) the indicative. Temporal conjunctions with the subjunctive ta…

§2399TEMPORAL CLAUSES REFERRING TO THE FUTURETemporal clauses referring indefinitely to the future take either the subjunctive with ἄν or the optative without ἄν. a. The addition of ἄν produces the forms ὅταν, ὁπόταν; ἐπᾱ́ν, …

§§2403–2409FUTURE TEMPORAL CLAUSES WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVEThe principal clause may be a potential optative, which is at times nearly equivalent to the future: ἐγὼ δὲ ταύτην μὲν τὴν εἰρήνην, ἕως ἂν εἷς Ἀθηναίων λείπηται, οὐδέποτ᾽ ἂν συμβου…

§2414TEMPORAL CLAUSES IN GENERIC SENTENCESIn temporal sentences of indefinite frequency the temporal clause has the optative when the principal clause has the imperfect or any other tense denoting a past customary or repea…

§2415TEMPORAL CLAUSES IN GENERIC SENTENCESThe optative is rare after a primary tense, and occurs only when that tense includes a reference to the past (ω 254; cp. 2573).—ὅτε κεν with the optative occurs once (I 525).

§§2418–2421TEMPORAL CLAUSES DENOTING PURPOSETemporal conjunctions denoting limit as to duration (so long as, while) or limit as to termination (until, till) may imply purpose. a. So ἕως till, against the time when, in order …

§2424ἕως so long as, while: Temporal Limit as to Duration (during the time when)The present optative (of future time) is very rare: in dependence on a past tense (X. H. 5.4.37, Aristotle, Athen. Pol. 28 end); by regular assimilation (2186 b) in a less vivid co…

§2427ἕως until, till: Temporal Limit as to Termination (up to the time when)Optative (usually aorist), when the action lies in the a. Future, and depends on an optative with ἄν. b. Past, and depends on a secondary tense expressing or implying indirect disc…

§§2430–2440GENERAL RULE FOR πρίν BEFORE, UNTILπρίν is construed like other conjunctions meaning until except that it takes the infinitive as well as the indicative, subjunctive, and optative.

§§2448–2452πρίν WITH THE OPTATIVEπρίν with the optative is used only in indirect discourse or by assimilation to another optative.

§2545USE OF THE MOODS IN RELATIVE CLAUSESThe ordinary uses of the moods in relative clauses are as follows: a. The present and past tenses of the indicative without ἄν express a fact or the assumption of a fact. The futur…

§2552THE USE OF THE MOODS IN CERTAIN RELATIVE CLAUSESThe optative without ἄν (probably potential) occurs in Attic poetry after οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις (ὅπως, ὅποι) and the interrogative τίς ἐστίν ὅς (ὅστις) and ἔσθ᾽ ὅπως. Thus, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστ…

§2553CLASSES OF RELATIVE CLAUSESOrdinary Relative Clauses define more exactly a definite antecedent, and show the mood and the negative of simple sentences. Indicative: ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶν ἃ ἐγὼ δέομαι this is what I wan…

§2554 cCLASSES OF RELATIVE CLAUSESRelative Clauses of Purpose (Final Relative Clauses) regularly take the future indicative, even after past tenses (negative μή). The antecedent of final relative clauses is usually…

§2556CLASSES OF RELATIVE CLAUSESRelative Clauses of Result (Consecutive Relative Clauses) usually take the indicative (for οἷος, ὅσος with the infinitive see 2497). The negative is οὐ when the relative clause app…

§2557CLASSES OF RELATIVE CLAUSESThe indicative is normal in consecutive relative clauses introduced by οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις (οὐ), οὐδείς ἐστιν ὅστις (οὐ), οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως (οὐ), εἰσὶν οἵ, ἔστιν οἷς, etc. οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεὶ…

§2566Fourth Form: LESS VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONAL RELATIVESConditional relative clauses that set forth less vividly the realization of a future event take the optative. The main clause has the optative with ἄν. ὀκνοίην ἂν εἰς τὰ πλοῖα ἐμβα…

§§2568–2573Sixth Form PAST GENERAL CONDITIONAL RELATIVESPast general conditional relative clauses have the optative. The main clause has the imperfect or an equivalent. ἀεὶ πρὸς ᾧ (= εἰ πρός τινι) εἴη ἔργῳ, τοῦτο ἔπρᾱττεν whatever work …

§§2599–2615GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF INDIRECT DISCOURSE(II) After secondary tenses, primary tenses of the indicative and all subjunctives may be changed to the same tense of the optative; but an indicative denoting unreality (with or w…

§§2617–2621COMPLEX SENTENCES IN INDIRECT DISCOURSEWhen a complex sentence passes into indirect discourse, its principal verb is treated like the verb of a simple sentence and stands either in a finite mood (after ὅτι or ὡς) or in …

§2624 cREMARKS ON THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF INDIRECT DISCOURSEInserted Statement of Fact.—When the present or perfect indicative would have stood in the direct discourse, a past tense of historical narration is often used as a statement of fa…

§§2625–2627REMARKS ON THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF INDIRECT DISCOURSEAn optative with or without ἄν is regularly retained after ὅτι (ὡς). ἐδίδασκον ὡς . . . συνεστρατεύοντο ὅποι ἡγοῖντο they showed that they always followed them in their campaigns w…

§2629REMARKS ON THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF INDIRECT DISCOURSEAn optative dependent on ὅτι (ὡς) may be followed, in a parenthetical or appended clause (often introduced by γάρ or οὖν), by an independent optative, which is used as if it itself…

§2632REMARKS ON THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF INDIRECT DISCOURSEFor the sake of variation, a mood of the direct form may be used in the same sentence with a mood of the indirect. The main verb may be kept in the direct form, while the subordina…

§2662 cMOODS IN DIRECT QUESTIONSThe moods used in direct questions are the same as those used in statements. a. Indicative (examples in 2642): sometimes in a past tense with ἄν, as πῶς δὲ πάντες ἐζήλουν ἂν τοὺς τ…

§§2677–2679MOODS IN INDIRECT QUESTIONSThe moods and tenses of indirect questions follow the same rules as govern clauses in indirect discourse. The person may be changed. After primary tenses, the mood and tense of the…

§2686EXCLAMATORY SENTENCESDependent exclamatory clauses follow, as regards mood and tense, the same rules as govern indirect questions (2677). An original indicative remains unchanged after primary tenses o…

§§2703–2705SIMPLE SENTENCES AND INDEPENDENT CLAUSESStatements (2153) expressed by simple sentences and independent clauses take οὐ. Direct questions take either οὐ or μή (2651). The independent future indicative has μή only in ques…