Topic · from the English index · as printed
Subjunctive 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…
endings
§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 …
§463ENDINGS OF THE VERB: PERSONAL ENDINGSPRIMARY ENDINGS OF THE ACTIVE (IND. AND SUBJ.) a. 1 Sing.—-μι is found only in μι-verbs. Verbs in -ω have no ending and simply lengthen the thematic vowel (λῡ́ω, λείπω). The perfec…
§465ENDINGS OF THE VERB: PERSONAL ENDINGSENDINGS OF THE MIDDLE (INDIC., SUBJ., OPT.) a. 2 Sing.—Primary -σαι retains its ς in the perfect of all verbs (λέλυ-σαι), and in the pres. of μι-verbs (τίθε-σαι). Elsewhere ς drops…
§636CONTRACT VERBSSubjunctive.—The subjunctive adds the primary endings. For the contractions see 59.
meaning
§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…
of compound verbs, accent
§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 …
thematic vowel
§457TENSE-SUFFIXES, THEMATIC VOWEL, MOOD-SUFFIXESSubjunctive.—In the subjunctive of all verbs the thematic vowel is ώη-. Thus, λῡ́ω-μεν, λῡ́η-τε, λῡ́σω-μεν, στείλη-τε. a. Verbs in -νῡμι form their subjunctive like ω-verbs. Hom. h…
§458TENSE-SUFFIXES, THEMATIC VOWEL, MOOD-SUFFIXESIn the present and second aorist of μι-verbs, and in the aorist passive, ώη is added to the tense stem. Thus τιθῶμεν from τιθέ-ω-μεν, θῶ from θέ-ω, τιθῆτε from τιθέ-η-τε, λυθῶ from…
and future, identical
§532II. FUTURE SYSTEMMany, if not all, future forms in ς are in reality subjunctives of the first aorist. λῡ́σω, παιδεύσω, λείψω, στήσω are alike future indicative and aorist subjunctive in form. In po…
§541 aII. FUTURE SYSTEMFutures with Present Forms.—The following verbs have no future suffix, the future thus having the form of a present: ἔδομαι (ἐδ-) eat, πῑ́ομαι (πι-) drink, χέω (χυ-) and χέομαι, po…
§667 DFIRST AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (542)Subjunctive.—In the subjunctive the long thematic vowel -ώη- is substituted for the α of the indicative, and these forms are inflected like the present subjunctive: λῡ́σω λῡ́σωμαι,…
present
§629PRESENT AND IMPERFECT ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (PASSIVE)Subjunctive.—The present subjunctive adds the primary endings to the tense-stem with the long thematic vowel. For the endings -ῃς, -ῃ see 463. Thus, λῡ́ω, -ῃς, -ῃ, τῑμᾷς ( = τῑμά-ῃ…
§749PRESENT AND IMPERFECT ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (PASSIVE)Subjunctive.—Attic τιθῶ, etc., are derived by contraction from the forms of the weak stem to which the thematic vowel ώη has been added. Thus τιθέω, -έῃς, -έῃ, τιθέωμεν, -έητε, -έω…
first aorist active and middle
§667FIRST AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (542)Subjunctive.—In the subjunctive the long thematic vowel -ώη- is substituted for the α of the indicative, and these forms are inflected like the present subjunctive: λῡ́σω λῡ́σωμαι,…
first and second aorist passive
§674FIRST AND SECOND AORIST PASSIVE (585, 590)Subjunctive.—The subjunctive adds -ώη- to the tense stem ending in -θε- or -ε- and contracts: λυθῶ, -ῇς, -ῇ, etc., from λυθέω, -έῃς, -έῃ, etc.; φανῶ, -ῇς, -ῇ from φανέω, -έῃς, -έῃ,…
second aorist active and middle
§682SECOND AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLE (546)The indicative is inflected like ἔστην (p. 138); the subjunctive, like δῶ (p. 138). ἔ-γνω-ν ἔ-γνω-μεν γνῶ γνῶ-μεν ἔ-γνω-ς ἔ-γνω-τον ἔ-γνω-τε γνῶ-ς γνῶ-τον γνῶ-τε ἔ-γνω ἐ-γνώ-την ἔ-…
§757SECOND AORIST ACTIVE AND MIDDLESecond Aorist Subjunctive.—All the forms of the 2 aor. subj. are due to contraction of the thematic vowel with the weak stem-vowel. Thus θῶ, etc., from θέω, θέῃς, θέῃ, θέωμεν, etc.…
first and second perfect active
§§691–693FIRST AND SECOND PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT ACTIVE (555, 561)Subjunctive.—The perfect subjunctive is commonly formed periphrastically by the perfect active participle and ὦ, ᾖς, ᾖ, etc. Thus λελυκὼς (γεγραφὼς) ὦ, etc., λελυκότες (γεγραφότες)…
§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 (…
§763FIRST AND SECOND PERFECT (AND PLUPERFECT) ACTIVESubjunctive.—ἑστήκω and ἑστῶ appear in prose and poetry, ἑστηκὼς ὦ in prose.
perfect middle and passive
§708PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT MIDDLE AND PASSIVE (574)Subjunctive.—The perfect middle subjunctive is commonly formed by periphrasis of the perfect middle participle and ὦ, ᾖς, ᾖ, etc. Thus λελυμένος ὦ. Hdt. has μεμνεώμεθα, and this fo…
§709PERFECT AND PLUPERFECT MIDDLE AND PASSIVE (574)From two verbs, whose perfect stem ends in η-(α), the simple forms are constructed. κτάομαι (κτα-) acquire, perf. κέκτημαι possess (1946), forms its subjunctive by adding the thema…
With ἄν
§1768DEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH ἄνSubjunctive with ἄν.—Conditional, relative, and temporal clauses requiring the subjunctive must have ἄν, which is more closely attached to the conditional, relative, and temporal w…
§1813SUBJUNCTIVE WITH ἄνThe subjunctive with ἄν (more commonly κέν) is used in Homer in independent sentences and clauses (negative οὐ). Cp. 1810. Thus, ἐγὼ δέ κ᾽ ἄγω Βρῑσηίδα but in that case I will take…
in simple sentence, without ἄν
§§1795–1811SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνThe chief uses of the independent subjunctive are the hortatory (1797), the prohibitive (1800), and the deliberative (1805). a. The name subjunctive is due to the belief of the anc…
hortatory
§§1797–1799SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνHortatory Subjunctive.—The hortatory subjunctive (present or aorist) is used to express a request or a proposal (negative μή). a. Usually in the first person plural: νῦν ἴωμεν καὶ …
prohibition
§1800SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνProhibitive Subjunctive.—The subjunctive (in the second and third persons of the aorist) is often used to express prohibitions (negative μή). a. Usually in the second person: μηδὲν…
§§1840–1844NEGATIVE (PROHIBITIONS)Prohibitions are expressed by μή with the present or aorist subjunctive in the first person plural; by μή with the present imperative or the aorist subjunctive in the second and th…
§2756 bοὐ μή(II) In strong prohibitions (cp. 1919). a. With the future indicative (second person singular). Thus, οὐ μὴ καταβήσει don't come down Ar. Vesp. 397. b. With the aorist subjunctive …
of doubtful assertion
§1801SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνDoubtful Assertion.—The present subjunctive with μή may express a doubtful assertion, with μὴ οὐ a doubtful negation. The idea of apprehension or anxiety (real or assumed) is due t…
of fear, warning, danger
§1802SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνIn Hom. μή with the independent subjunctive is used to indicate fear and warning, or to suggest danger: μή τι χολωσάμενος ῥέξῃ κακὸν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν may he not (as I fear he may) in hi…
of emphatic denial
§1804SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνFrom the use in 1801 is probably developed the construction of οὐ μή with the aorist (less often the present) subjunctive to denote an emphatic denial; as οὐ μὴ παύσωμαι φιλοσοφῶν …
§2755οὐ μή(I) In negative predictions to denote a strong denial. a. With the (first or second) aorist subjunctive, less often with the present subjunctive (1804). Thus, ἢν νῑκήσωμεν, οὐ μή π…
deliberative
§§1805–1808SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνDeliberative Subjunctive.—The deliberative subjunctive (present or aorist) is used in questions when the speaker asks what he is to do or say (negative μή). a. Usually in the first…
anticipatory (Homeric)
§1810SUBJUNCTIVE WITHOUT ἄνAnticipatory Subjunctive (Homeric Subjunctive).—In Homer the subjunctive is often closely akin to the future indicative, and refers by anticipation to a future event (negative οὐ):…
§2707 aμή WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVE AND IMPERATIVEIndependent clauses take μή: the hortatory subjunctive (1797), the prohibitive subjunctive (1800), the deliberative subjunctive (1805), the subjunctive of doubtful assertion (1801)…
tenses
§1859THE TENSES OUTSIDE OF THE INDICATIVEThe tenses of the moods except the indicative do not express time in independent sentences.
§1860THE TENSES OUTSIDE OF THE INDICATIVESubjunctive.—The subjunctive mood as such refers to the future. The tenses do not refer to differences of time, and denote only the stage of the action (continuance, simple occurre…
assimilation to
§2188ASSIMILATION OF MOODSAssimilation to the Subjunctive.—Conditional relative clauses and temporal clauses referring to future or general present time, if dependent on a subjunctive, take the subjunctive.…
in final clause
§§2196–2199PURPOSE 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…
§2201PURPOSE CLAUSES (FINAL CLAUSES)ὅπως with the subjunctive sometimes takes ἄν in positive clauses. τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχ᾽, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω tell me now this very thing, that I may learn S. O. C. 575, ἄξεις ἡμᾶς ὅπως…
after verbs of effort
§§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…
of fear and caution
§§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 . . . …
after ὥστε
§2275ὥστε (ὡς) WITH A FINITE VERBWith an imperative, a hortatory or prohibitory subjunctive, or an interrogative verb, a clause with ὥστε is coördinate rather than subordinate, and ὥστε has the force of καὶ οὕτως.…
in apodosis of simple present or past conditions
§2300 cFirst 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 …
§2357LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe subjunctive of exhortation, prohibition, or deliberation, the optative of wish, and the imperative, may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and …
in future conditions
§§2322–2324FUTURE 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 …
in apodosis of more vivid future conditions
§2326 cThird 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…
§2327Third Form of Conditions: MORE VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONSHomeric Constructions.—a. εἰ alone without κέ or ἄν with the subjunctive with no appreciable difference from εἴ κε (ἄν): εἴ περ γάρ σε κατακτάνῃ, οὔ σ᾽ . . . κλαύσομαι for if he sl…
§2357LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe subjunctive of exhortation, prohibition, or deliberation, the optative of wish, and the imperative, may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and …
in apodosis of emotional future conditions
§2328Third Form of Conditions: MORE VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONSEmotional Future Conditions.—When the protasis expresses strong feeling, the future indicative with εἰ is commonly used instead of ἐᾱ́ν with the subjunctive, and may often be rende…
§2357LESS USUAL COMBINATIONS OF COMPLETE PROTASIS AND APODOSISThe subjunctive of exhortation, prohibition, or deliberation, the optative of wish, and the imperative, may be used as the apodosis of εἰ with the indicative in Simple Present and …
in apodosis of less vivid future conditions
§2334 cFourth Form of Conditions: LESS VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONSHomeric Constructions.—a. In the protasis, εἴ κε (εἰ ἄν) with the optative with the same force as εἰ alone. This use is exclusively Homeric. Thus, οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακώτερον ἄλλο πάθο…
in general conditions
§2336GENERAL CONDITIONSAny simple or unreal condition of present or past time, or any future condition, may refer to a customary or frequently repeated act or to a general truth. But for the present and …
§2337Fifth Form of Conditions: PRESENT GENERAL CONDITIONSPresent general conditions have, in the protasis, ἐᾱ́ν (ἤν, ᾱ̓́ν) with the subjunctive; in the apodosis, the present indicative or an equivalent. ἐᾱ̀ν ταῦτα ποιῇς (ποιήσῃς), σὲ ἐπα…
in apodosis of conditions of type εἰ with optative
§2359εἰ with the Optative, Apodosis a primary tense of the Indicative, etc.εἰ with the optative (instead of ἐᾱ́ν with the subjunctive) is not infrequent in the protasis with a primary tense of the indicative, a subjunctive, or an imperative, in the apodos…
§2363εἰ with the Optative, Apodosis a primary tense of the Indicative, etc.Subjunctive (very rare).—εἰ δὲ βούλοιό γε, καὶ τὴν μαντικὴν εἶναι συγχωρήσωμεν ἐπιστήμην τοῦ μέλλοντος ἔσεσθαι but if you will, let us agree that mantic too is a knowledge of the f…
in temporal clause
§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, …
§§2401–2403FUTURE TEMPORAL CLAUSES WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVETemporal clauses referring to the future take the subjunctive with ἄν in sentences corresponding to more vivid future conditions. The principal clause has the future indicative or …
§2407 aFUTURE TEMPORAL CLAUSES WITH THE OPTATIVEThe principal clause rarely has the present or future indica tive, when the temporal clause has the optative without ἄν (cp. 2360, 2361, 2573 b, c). φρονήσεως δεῖ πολλῆς πρὸς τοὺς …
§§2409–2412TEMPORAL CLAUSES IN GENERIC SENTENCESIf the leading verb denotes a repeated or customary action or a general truth, a temporal clause takes the subjunctive with ἄν after primary tenses, the optative after secondary te…
§§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 …
§2423ἕως so long as, while: Temporal Limit as to Duration (during the time when)Subjunctive (present) with ἄν, when the action lies in the a. Future, and the verb of the main clause is future indicative or an equivalent form. b. Present, and the verb of the ma…
§2426ἕως until, till: Temporal Limit as to Termination (up to the time when)Subjunctive with ἄν, when the action lies in the a. Future, and the main clause contains a verb referring to the future (except the optative without ἄν). The tense is usually the a…
with πρίν
§§2430–2432GENERAL 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.
§§2443–2447πρίν WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVEπρίν with the subjunctive and ἄν refers to the future or to general present time.
with πρότερον ἤ
§2458πρότερον ἤ, πρόσθεν ἤ, πρὶν ἤ, πάροςπρότερον ἤ sooner than, before is used especially in Herodotus and Thucydides. (a) With the indicative: οὐ πρότερον ἐνέδοσαν ἢ αὐτοὶ ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς . . . ἐσφάλησαν they did not s…
with πρὶν ἤ
§2460πρότερον ἤ, πρόσθεν ἤ, πρὶν ἤ, πάροςπρὶν ἤ sooner than, before with the infinitive occurs in Homer (only E 288, X 266) and Hdt. (2. 2); and in Hdt. also with the indicative (6. 45) and subjunctive (7. 10 η, without ἄ…
ordinary use in relative clause
§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…
deliberative, in relative clause
§§2546–2549THE USE OF THE MOODS IN CERTAIN RELATIVE CLAUSESAn extension of the deliberative subjunctive not infrequently occurs in relative clauses after such expressions as οὐκ ἔχω, οὐκ ἔστι, etc., which usually denote baffled will, the e…
in ordinary relative clause
§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…
in final relative clause in Homer
§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…
in vivid future conditional relative clause
§2565Third Form: MORE VIVID FUTURE CONDITIONAL RELATIVESConditional relative clauses that vividly anticipate the realization of a future event take the subjunctive with ἄν. The main clause has the future indicative or any other form ref…
in general conditional relative clause
§2567Fifth Form PRESENT GENERAL CONDITIONAL RELATIVESPresent 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 …
§2570 aINDICATIVE FORM OF GENERAL CONDITIONAL RELATIVE CLAUSESThe indicative is generally used in parenthetical or appended relative clauses with ὅστις (ὅστις ποτέ). Thus, δουλεύομεν θεοῖς, ὅ τι ποτ᾽ εἰσὶν οἱ θεοί we serve the gods, whatever …
§2571LESS USUAL FORMS OF CONDITIONAL RELATIVE SENTENCESThe potential optative with ἄν in the main clause with the indicative (2562) or subjunctive (2565) in the relative clause.
in indirect discourse
§§2599–2613GENERAL 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…
§§2618–2621COMPLEX SENTENCES IN INDIRECT DISCOURSEAfter primary tenses, all subordinate verbs retain the original mood and tense. λέγουσιν ὡς, ἐπειδάν τις ἀγαθὸς ὤν τελευτήσῃ, μεγάλην μοῖραν καὶ τῑμὴν ἔχει they say that, when a go…
in direct questions
§2662 bMOODS 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…
in indirect questions
§§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…
μή with
§§2706–2708μή WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVE AND IMPERATIVEThe subjunctive is a mood of will, and therefore takes μή.
μή and μὴ οὐ with
§2751μή AND μὴ οὐ WITH THE SUBJUNCTIVE AND INDICATIVEThe use of μή and μὴ οὐ with the subjunctive is different from that with the infinitive. a. In doubtful assertions (1801-1802) expressing anxiety, suspicion, surmise, μή is used of…