Strong G1536εἴ τις

Related to: εἰ,
Attic dialect-Ionic dialect and [Refs 4th c.AD+ (4th c.AD(?): Arcadius Grammaticus (for εἰκ, see below 11 ad [near the start]), = _Doric dialect_ and _Aeolic dialect_ αἰ, αἰκ (which see), 5th c.AD: Cypria)] ἤ [Refs (“Inscription Cyprian dialect” 135.10 H., both εἰ and αἰ)] in Epic dialect:— Particle used interjectionally with imperative and to express a wish, but usually either in conditions, if, or in indirect questions, whether. In the former use its regular negative is μ; in the latter, οὐ.
A INTERJECTIONALLY, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)], come now! with imperative, εἰ δὲ.. ἄκουσον [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.262; εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ φευγόντων [prev. work] 46; most frequently with ἄγε (which see), 1.302, +others)]
A.2 in wishes, with optative, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις.. καλέσειεν [Refs (10.111, compare 24.74)]; so later, εἴ μοι ξυνείη μοῖρα [Refs 8th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 863 (Lyric poetry); εἴ μοι γένοιτο φθόγγος ἐν βραχίοσιν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hecuba” 836: more frequently followed by γάρ, αἲ γὰρ δὴ οὕτως εἴη 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 4.189, +others; εἰ γὰρ γενοίμην ἀντὶ σοῦ νεκρός 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hippolytus” 1410; εἰ γὰρ γένοιτο 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 6.1.38; εἰ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ εἴη 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 310d)]; of unattained wishes, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus only with _optative_, εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼν.. Διὸς πάϊς αἰγιόχοιο εἴην 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 13.825; Ζεῦ πάτερ, αἰ γὰρ ἐμὸς πόσις εἴη 7th c.BC: Alcman Lyricus 29)]; later with past tenses of indicative, εἰ γάρ μ᾽ ὑπὸ γῆν.. ἧκεν [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 152 (_anapaest meter_))]; εἰ γὰρ τοσαύτην δύναμιν εἶχον ὥστε.. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Alcestis” 1072: twice in 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” with)]infinitive (compare the use of infinitive in commands), αἰ γὰρ τοῖος ἐὼν.. ἐμὸς γαμβρὸς καλέεσθαι [Refs (7.311, compare 24.376.)]
A.2.b εἴθε, Epic dialect αἴθε, is frequently used in wishes in the above constructions, εἴθε οἱ αὐτῷ Ζεὺς ἀγαθὸν τελέσειεν [Refs 8th c.BC+ (2.33; εἴθ᾽ ὣς ἡβώοιμι 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 7.157; ἰὼ γᾶ, εἴθ᾽ ἔμ᾽ ἐδέξω 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 1537 (Lyric poetry); εἴθε σοι, ὦ Περίκλεις, τότε συνεγενόμην 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.2.46)]: later with infinitive, γαίης χθαμαλωτέρη εἴθε.. κεῖσθαι [Refs 1st c.BC+ (“Anthologia Graeca” 9.284 (1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Crinagoras Epigrammaticus).)]
A.2.c εἰ γάρ, εἴθε are also used with ὤφελον (Epic dialect ὤφελλον), of past unattained wishes, αἴθ᾽ ὤφελλες στρατοῦ ἄλλου σημαίνειν [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 14.84)]; εἰ γὰρ ὤφελον [κατιδεῖν] [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 432c.)]
A.2.d followed by a clause expressing a consequence of the fulfilment of the wish, αἰ γὰρ τοῦτο.. ἔπος τετελεσμένον εἴη· τῷ κε τάχα γνοίης.. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.536, compare 17.496, +others)]; sometimes hard to distinguish from εἰ in conditions (which may be derived from this use), εἴ μοί τι πίθοιο, τό κεν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 7.28.)]
B IN CONDITIONS, if:
B.I with INDIC.,
B.I.1 with all tenses (for future, see below [Refs (2), to state a condition, with nothing implied as to its fulfilment, εἰ δ᾽ οὕτω τοῦτ᾽ ἐστίν, ἐμοὶ μέλλει φίλον εἶναι but)]if this is so, it will be.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.564)]: any form of the Verb may stand in apodosi, εἰ θεοί τι δρῶσιν αἰσχρόν, οὐκ εἰσὶν θεοί [Refs 8th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 292.7; εἰ δοκεῖ, πλέωμεν 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 526; εἰ Φαῖδρον ἀγνοῶ, καὶ ἐμαυτοῦ ἐπιλέλησμαι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 228a; κάκιστ᾽ ἀπολοίμην, Ξανθίαν εἰ μὴ φιλῶ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 579, compare 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 17.475; εἰ θεοῦ ἦν, οὐκ ἦν αἰσχροκερδής· εἰ δ᾽ αἰσχροκερδής, οὐκ ἦν θεοῦ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 408c; εἰ ταῦτα λέγων διαφθείρω τοὺς νέους, ταῦτ᾽ ἂν εἴη βλαβερά [prev. author] “Ap.” 30b, compare 25b)]; εἰ οὗτοι ὀρθῶς ἀπέστησαν, ὑμεῖς ἂν οὐ χρεὼν ἄρχοιτε if these were right in their revolt, (it would follow that) you rule when you have no right, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.40.)]
B.I.1.b to express a general condition, if ever, whenever, sometimes with present, εἴ τις δύο ἢ καὶ πλείους τις ἡμέρας λογίζεται, μάταιός ἐστιν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Trachiniae” 943)]: with imperfect, εἴ τίς τι ἠρώτα ἀπεκρίνοντο [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 7.10)]: rarely with aorist, [Refs 1st c.BC+ (1st c.BC: Diodorus Siculus Historicus 31.26.1, 2nd c.AD: Sextus Empiricus Philosophus “Πυρρώνειοι ὑποτυπώσεις” 1.84; compare 111.2.)]
B.I.2 with future (much less frequently than ἐάν with subjunctive), either to express a future supposition emphatically, εἰ φθάσομεν τοὺς πολεμίους κατακαίνοντες οὐδεὶς ἡμῶν ἀποθανεῖται [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 7.1.19; εἰ μὴ βοηθήσετε οὐ περιέσται τἀκεῖ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.91; εἰ αὕτη ἡ πόλις ληφθήσεται, ἔχεται ἡ πᾶσα Σικελία [prev. passage];)] in threats or warnings, εἰ μὴ καθέξεις γλῶσσαν ἔσται σοι κακά [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 5; εἰ τιμωρήσεις Πατρόκλῳ, αὐτὸς ἀποθανῇ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 28c, compare 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 28.21: or,)]
B.I.2.b to express a present intention or expectation, αἶρε πλῆκτρον εἰ μαχεῖ if you mean to fight, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 759; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἀνήρ.. εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀνατεὶ τῇδε κείσεται κράτη 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 485, compare 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.61, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hecuba” 863.)]
B.I.3 with historical tenses, implying that the condition is or was unfulfilled.
B.I.3.a with imperfect, referring to present time or to continued or repeated action in past time (in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus always the latter, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 24.715, +others): ταῦτα οὐκ ἂν ἐδύναντο ποιεῖν, εἰ μὴ διαίτῃ μετρίᾳ ἐχρῶντο they would not be able to do this (as they do))], if they did not live an abstemious life, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 1.2.16, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 489b; οὐκ ἂν νήσων ἐκράτει, εἰ μή τι καὶ ναυτικὸν εἶχεν he (from Agamemnon))] would not have been master of islands, if he had not had also some naval force, [Refs 7th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.9; αἰ δ᾽ ἦχες ἔσλων ἴμερον ἢ κάλων.. αἴδως κεν.. ἦχεν 7th-6th c.BC: Sappho Lyrica 28)]; εἰ ἦσαν ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ.. οὐκ ἄν ποτε ταῦτα ἔπασχον if they had been good men, they would never have suffered as they did, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 516e, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.1.5)]; εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ τάδε ᾔδἐ.. οὐκ ἂν ὑπεξέφυγε if I had known this.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 8.366.)]
B.I.3.b with aorist referring to past time, εἰ μὴ ἔφυσε θεὸς μέλι.. ἔφασκον γλύσσονα σῦκα πέλεσθαι [Refs 6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Xenophanes Poeta Philosophus 38)]; εἰ μὴ ὑμεῖς ἤλθετε, ἐπορευόμεθα ἂν ἐπὶ βασιλέα had you not come, we should be on our way.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 2.1.4; καὶ ἴσως ἂν ἀπέθανον, εἰ μὴ ἡ ἀρχὴ διὰ ταχέων κατελύθη 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 32d, compare 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.680, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.364, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.5, 27.63)]: with pluperfect in apodosi, εἰ τριάκοντα μόναι μετέπεσον τῶν ψήφων, ἀπεπεφεύγη ἄν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 36a.)]
B.I.3.c rarely with pluperfect referring to action finished in past or present time, λοιπὸν δ᾽ ἂν ἦν ἡμῖν ἔτι περὶ τῆς πόλεως διαλεχθῆναι, εἰ μὴ προτέρα τῶν ἄλλων τὴν εἰρήνην ἐπεποίητο if she had not (as she has done) made peace before the rest, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 5.56, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 21c.)]
B.II with SUB[Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Josephus Historicus, εἰ is regularly joined with ἄν)] (Epic dialect κε, κεν), compare ἐάν: [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.AD(?): Arcadius Grammaticus εἰκαν in Tegean Inscrr. of 4th c.BC (“IG” 5(2).3.16, 31, 6.2, “SIG” 306.34) should be understood as εἰκ ἄν (εἰ: εἰκ ={οὐ}: οὐκ), since εἰ δ᾽ ἄν is also found in “IG” 5(2).3.2, 6.45, and εἰκ alone, [prev. work]3.21)]; but ἄν (κε, κεν) are frequently absent in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus as 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.221, 14.373 (and compare below 2), and Lyric poetry, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus (who never uses εἰ with ἄν or κε (ν)) “P.” 4.266, +others; in dialects, αἰ δείλητ᾽ ἀγχωρεῖν “IG” 9(1).334.6 (_Locrian dialect_, 5th c.BC))], cf. Foed.Doric dialect cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 5.79; rarely in 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus, εἰ μὴ ἀναβῇ 2.13)]; occasionally in Trag., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 234, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 198 (Lyric poetry), etc.)]; very rarely in Attic dialect Prose, εἰ ξυστῶσιν αἱ πόλεις [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.21; εἴ τι που ἄλσος ἢ τέμενος ἀφειμένον ᾖ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 761c)]: in later Prose, εἴ τις θελήσῃ [NT+3rd c.AD+ (NT.Rev.11.5; εἰ φονεύῃ 3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 2.9.9, compare 5th c.AD: Proclus Philosophus “Inst.” 26.)]
B.II.1 when the apodosis is future, to express a future condition more distinctly and vividly than εἰ with optative, but less so than εἰ with future indicative (above [Refs (1.2a))]; εἰ δέ κεν ὣς ἕρξῃς καί τοι πείθωνται Ἀχαιοί, γνώσῃ ἔπειθ᾽.. if thou do thus.., thou shalt know, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.364, compare 1.128, 3.281, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 17.549; ἂν δέ τις ἀνθιστῆται, σὺν ὑμῖν πειρασόμεθα χειροῦσθαι 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 7.3.11)]; ἂν μὴ νῦν ἐθέλωμεν ἐκεῖ πολεμεῖν αὐτῷ, ἐνθάδ᾽ ἴσως ἀναγκασθησόμεθα τοῦτο ποιεῖν if we be not now willing, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.50, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 5.3.27: followed by _imperative_, ἢν εἰρήνης δοκῆτε δεῖσθαι, ἄνευ ὅπλων ἥκετε [prev. work] 3.2.13, compare 5.4.30.)]
B.II.2 when the apodosis is present, denoting customary or repeated action, to express a general condition, if ever, ἤν ποτε δασμὸς ἵκηται, σοὶ τὸ γέρας πολὺ μεῖζον (i.e. ἐστί) whenever a division comes, your prize is (always) greater, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.166)]; ἢν ἐγγὺς ἔλθῃ θάνατος, οὐδεὶς βούλεται θνῄσκειν if death come near, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Alcestis” 671)]; with ἄν omitted, εἴ περ γάρ τε χόλον.. καταπέψῃ ἀλλά.. ἔχει κότον [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.81.)]
B.II.2.b with Rhet. present in apodosis, ἐὰν μὴ οἱ φιλόσοφοι βασιλεύσωσιν, οὐκ ἔστι κακῶν παῦλα there is (i.e. can be, will be) no rest.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 473d.)]
B.III with OPTATIVE (never with ἄν in early Gr., later ἐάν with optative, [Refs 5th c.AD+ (5th-6th c.AD: Damascius Philosophus “de Principiis” 114, +others),)]
B.III.1 to express a future condition less definitely than ἐάν with subjunctive, usually with optative with ἄν in apodosis, ἦ κεν γηθήσαι Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες.. εἰ σφῶιν τάδε πάντα πυθοίατο μαρναμένοιιν surely they would exult, if they should hear.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.255, compare 7.28, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 3.223; εἴης φορητὸς οὐκ ἄν, εἰ πράσσοις καλῶς 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 979; οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄν με ἐπαινοίη, εἰ ἐξελαύνοιμι τοὺς εὐεργέτας 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 7.7.11; οἶκος δ᾽ αὐτός, εἰ φθογγὴν λάβοι, σαφέστατ᾽ ἂν λέξειεν 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 37, etc.)]: future optative is falsa lectio in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 164a)]: with present indicative in apodosis, [Refs 6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Xenophanes Poeta Philosophus 34.3, 3rd c.AD: Democritus Epigrammaticus 253)]: with future indicative, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Melissus Philosophus 5.)]
B.III.1.b in Hom.sometimes with present optative, to express an unfulfilled present condition, εἰ μὲν νῦν ἐπὶ ἄλλῳ ἀεθλεύοιμεν, ἦ τ᾽ ἂν ἐγὼ τὰ πρῶτα φεροίμην if we were now contending, etc., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.274: rarely in Trag., εἰ μὴ κνίζοι (={εἰ μὴ ἔκνιζε}) 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Medea” 568; also εἰ ἀναγκαῖον εἴη ἀδικεῖν ἢ ἀδικεῖσθαι, ἑλοίμην ἂν μᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθαι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 469c.)]
B.III.2 when the apodosis is past, denoting customary or repeated action, to express a general condition in past time (corresponding to use of subjunctive in present time, above [Refs (11.2))]; once in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, εἴ τίς με.. ἐνίπτοι, ἀλλὰ σὺ τόν γ᾽.. κατέρυκες 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 24.768)]; εἰ δέ τινας θορυβουμένους αἴσθοιτο.., κατασβεννύναι τὴν ταραχὴν ἐπειρᾶτο if he should see (whenever he saw) any troops in confusion, he (always) tried, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 5.3.55, compare “An.” 4.5.13, “Mem.” 4.2.40)]; εἴ τις ἀντείποι, εὐθὺς ἐτεθνήκει if any one made objection, he was a dead man at once, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 8.66; ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν, ὤτρυνεν φέρειν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Alcestis” 755. For εἰ with _indicative_ in this sense see above 1.1)]: indicative and optative are found in same sentence, ἐμίσει, οὐκ εἴ τις κακῶς πάσχων ἠμύνετο, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις εὐεργετούμενος ἀχάριστος φαίνοιτο [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Agesilaus” 11.3.)]
B.III.3 in oratio obliqua after past tenses, representing ἐάν with subjunctive or εἰ with a primary (never an historical) tense of the indicative in oratio recta, ἐλογίζοντο ὡς, εἰ μὴ μάχοιντο, ἀποστήσοιντο αἱ πόλεις (representing ἐὰν μὴ μαχώμεθα, ἀποστήσονται) [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 6.4.6, compare 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.104, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 5.2.2)]; ἔλεγεν ὅτι, εἰ βλαβερὰ πεπραχὼς εἴη, δίκαιος εἴη ζημιοῦσθαι (representing εἰ βλαβερὰ πέπραχε, δίκαιός ἐστι)[Refs ([prev. work] 32, compare “An.” 6.6.25)]; εἰ δέ τινα φεύγοντα λήψοιτο, προηγόρευεν ὅτι ὡς πολεμίῳ χρήσοιτο (representing εἴ τινα λήψομαι, χρήσομαι) [Refs ([prev. author] “Cyr.” 3.1.3)]; also, where oratio obliqua is implied in the leading clause, οὐκ ἦν τοῦ πολέμου πέρας Φιλίππῳ, εἰ μὴ Θηβαίους.. ἐχθροὺς ποιήσειε τῇ πόλει, i.e. Philip thought there would be no end to the war, unless he should make.. (his thought having been ἐὰν μὴ ποιήσω), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.145; ἐβούλοντο γὰρ σφίσιν, εἴ τινα λάβοιεν, ὑπάρχειν ἀντὶ τῶν ἔνδον, ἢν ἄρα τύχωσί τινες ἐζωγρημένοι 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.5.)]
B.III.4 with optative with ἄν, only when the clause serves as apodosis as well as protasis,[Refs 5th c.BC+ (compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 329b, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.18, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.5.3 (see. ἄν 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 111. d).)]
B.IV with infinitive, in oratio obliqua, only in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus, εἰ γὰρ δὴ δεῖν πάντως περιθεῖναι ἄλλῳ τέῳ τὴν βασιληΐην, [ἔφη] δικαιότερον εἶναι κτλ. 1.129; εἰ εἶναι τοῦτο μὴ φίλον 2.64, compare 172, 3.105, 108.)]
B.V after Verbs denoting wonder, delight, indignation, disappointment, contentment, and similar emotions, εἰ with indicative is used instead of ὅτι, to express the object of the feeling in a hypothetical form, θαυμάζω εἰ μηδεὶς ὑμῶν μήτ᾽ ἐνθυμεῖται μήτ᾽ ὀργίζεται, ὁρῶν.. I wonder that no one of you is either concerned or angry when he sees.., [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.43; οὐκ ἀγαπᾷ εἰ μὴ δίκην δέδωκεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὴ καὶ χρυσῷ στεφάνῳ στεφανωθήσεται ἀγανακτεῖ 4th c.BC: Aeschines Orator 3.147)]: after past tenses, ἐθαύμασε δ᾽ εἰ μὴ φανερόν ἐστιν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.1.13; δεινὸν εἰσῄει, εἰ μὴ.. δόξει 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.33; ἐθαύμαζον εἴ τι ἕξει τις χρήσασθαι τῷ λόγῳ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 95a; οὐδὲ ᾐσχύνθη εἰ.. ἐπάγει 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.105: in oratio obliqua (expressed or implied) with _optative_, ἐπεῖπεν ὡς δεινὸν (i.e. εἴη) εἰ.. μεγαλόψυχος γένοιτο 4th c.BC: Aeschines Orator 2.157; ᾤκτιρον εἰ ἁλώσοιντο 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 1.4.7)]; ἐθαύμαζε δ᾽ εἴ τις ἀρετὴν ἐπαγγελλόμενος ἀργύριον πράττοιτο he wondered that any one should demand money, [Refs ([prev. author] “Mem.” 1.2.7)]; ἔχαιρον ἀγαπῶν εἴ τις ἐάσοι I rejoiced, being content if any one should let it pass, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 450a:)] —in this use the _negative_ οὐ is also found, ἀγανακτῶ εἰ ὁ Φίλιππος ἁρπάζων οὐ λυπεῖ [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 8.55; δεινὸν ἂν εἴη εἰ οἱ ἐκείνων ξύμμαχοι οὐκ ἀπεροῦσιν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.121; τέρας λέγεις, εἰ οὐκ ἂν δύναιντο λαθεῖν 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Meno” 91d, etc.)]
B.VI in citing a fact as a ground of argument or appeal, as surely as, since, εἴ ποτ᾽ ἔην γε if there was [as there was], i.e. as sure as there was such an one, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 3.180, +others; εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα, νῦν αὖτέ με γῆρας ὀπάζει 4.321)]; πολλοὺς γὰρ οἶκε εἶναι εὐπετέστερον διαβάλλειν ἢ ἕνα, εἰ Κλεομένεα μὲν μοῦνον οὐκ οἷός τε ἐγένετο διαβαλεῖν, τρεῖς δὲ μυριάδας Ἀθηναίων ἐποίησε τοῦτο it seems easier to deceive many than one, if (as was the fact, i.e. since) he was not able.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 5.97, compare 1.60, +others)]
B.VII ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTIONS:
B.VII.1 with apodosis implied in the context, εἰ having the force of in case, supposing that, πρὸς τὴν πόλιν, εἰ ἐπιβοηθοῖεν, ἐχώρουν they marched towards the city [so as to meet the citizens], in case they should rush out, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.100)]; ἱκέται πρὸς σὲ δεῦρ᾽ ἀφίγμεθα, εἴ τινα πόλιν φράσειας ἡμῖν εὔερον we have come hither to you, in case you should tell us of some fleecy city (i.e. that we might hear of it), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 120)]; παρέζεο καὶ λαβὲ γούνων, αἴ κέν πως ἐθέλῃσιν ἐπὶ Τρώεσσιν ἀρῆξαι sit by him and grasp his knees [so as to persuade him], in case he be willing to help the Trojans, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.408, compare 66, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.94, 3.92)]; ἄκουσον καὶ ἐμοῦ, ἐάν σοι ἔτι ταὐτὰ δοκῇ hear me also [that you may assent], in case the same opinion please you, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 358b)]; ἰδὲ δή, ἐάν σοι ὅπερ ἐμοὶ συνδοκῇ look now, in case you approve what I do, [Refs ([prev. work] 434a.)]
B.VII.2 with apodosis suppressed for rhetorical reasons, εἴ περ γάρ κ᾽ ἐθέλῃσιν Ὀλύμπιος.. στυφελίξαι if he wish to thrust him away, [he will do so], [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.580)]; εἰ μὲν δώσουσι γέρας—· εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they shall give me a prize, [well and good]; but if they give not, then I will take one for myself, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (1.135, compare 6.150, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Plutus” 468)]; καὶ ἢν μὲν ξυμβῇ ἡ πεῖρα—· εἰ δὲ μή.. and if the attempt succeed, [well]; otherwise.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.3, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 325d.)]
B.VII.3 with the Verb of the protasis omitted, chiefly in the following expressions:
B.VII.3.a εἰ μή except, οὐδὲν ἄλλο σιτέονται, εἰ μὴ ἰχθῦς μοῦνον [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.200)]; μὰ τὼ θεώ, εἰ μὴ Κρίτυλλά γ᾽ [εἰμί]—nay, if I'm not Critylla! i.e. I am, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Thesmophoriazusae” 898)]; εἰ μὴ ὅσον except only, ἐγὼ μέν μιν οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ ὅσον γραφῇ [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.73, compare 1.45, 2.20; εἰ μὴ εἰ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.17, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 480b, etc.)]; εἰ μή τι οὖν, ἀλλὰ σμικρόν γέ μοι τῆς ἀρχῆς χάλασον if nothing else, yet.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “Men.” 86e; ironical, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπιμέλεια διαφθορά ἐστιν 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.2.8; εἰ μή πέρ γε τὸν ὑοσκύαμον χρήματα εἶναι φήσομεν [prev. author] “Oec.” 1.13.)]
B.VII.3.b εἰ δὲ μή but if not, i.e. otherwise, προηγόρευε τοῖς Λαμψακηνοῖσι μετιέναι Μιλτιάδεα, εἰ δὲ μή, σφέας πίτυος τρόπον ἀπείλεε ἐκτρίψειν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 6.37, compare 56)]; after μάλιστα μέν, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.32, 35, etc.:)] —after a preceding _negative_, μὴ τύπτ᾽· εἰ δὲ μή, σαυτόν ποτ᾽ αἰτιάσει don't beat me; otherwise, you will have yourself to blame, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Nubes” 1433; ὦ Κῦρε, μὴ οὕτω λέγε· εἰ δὲ μή, οὐ θαρροῦντά με ἕξεις 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 3.1.35; οὔτ᾽ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι τὰ ὅπλα ἦν ἔχειν· εἰ δὲ μή [prev. author] “An.” 4.3.6, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.28, 131, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 91c.)]
B.VII.3.c εἰ δέ sometimes stands for εἰ δὲ μή, εἰ μὲν βούλεται, ἑψέτω· εἰ δ᾽, ὅτι βούλεται, τοῦτο ποιείτω [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Euthydemus” 285c, compare “Smp.” 212c; εἰ δ᾽ οὖν 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 722; εἰ δ᾽ οὕτως 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ethica Nicomachea” 1094a24)]; εἰ δὲ τοῦτο and if so, [Refs 1st c.BC+ (1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 2.1.29.)]
B.VII.3.d εἰ γάρ for if so, [Refs ([prev. author] 7.3.6.)]
B.VII.3.e εἴ τις if any, i. e. as much as or more than any, τῶν γε νῦν αἴ τις ἐπιχθονίων, ὀρθῶς [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 5.5; ὄτλον ἄλγιστον ἔσχον, εἴ τις Αἰτωλὶς γυνή 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Trachiniae” 8, compare “OC” 734)]; εἴ τις ἄλλος, siquis alius, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Andromache” 6, etc.; εἴ τινες καὶ ἄλλοι 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.2, etc.; εἴπερ τις ἄλλος 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 501d)]; also κατ᾽ εἰ δέ τινα τρόπον in any way, [Refs (“IG” 5(2).6.27 (from Tegea).)]
B.VII.3.f εἴ ποτε or εἴπερ ποτέ now if ever, ἡμῖν δὲ καλῶς, εἴπερ ποτέ, ἔχει.. ἡ ξυναλλαγή [Refs 7th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.20, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Equites” 594; αἴ ποτα κἄλλοτα 7th-6th c.BC: Alcaeus Lyricus “Supp.” 7.11, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 6.4.12, etc.)]; but in prayers, εἴ ποτέ τοι ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα.. τόδε μοι κρήηνον ἐέλδωρ [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.39.)]
B.VII.3.g εἴ ποθεν (i.e. δυνατόν ἐστι) if from any quarter, i.e. from some quarter or other, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 1204 (Lyric poetry))]; so εἴ ποθι somewhere, anywhere, [Refs 8th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “Aj.” 885 (Lyric poetry); εἴ που 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.193.)]
B.VII.3.h εἴ πως[Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 388, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 2.3.11)]: in an elliptical sentence (cf. VII. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (1), πρέσβεις πέμψαντες, εἴ πως πείσειαν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.58.)]
B.VIII with other PARTICLES:
B.VIII.1 for the distinction between καὶ εἰ (or καὶ ἐάν, or κἄν) even if, and εἰ καί (or ἐὰν καί) even though, see at {καί}:—the opposite of καὶ εἰ is οὐδ᾽ εἰ, not even if; that of εἰ καί is εἰ μηδέ, if (although) not even.
B.VIII.2 for ὡς εἰ, ὡς εἴ τε, ὥσπερ εἰ, etc., see at {ὡς} and ὥσπερ.
B.VIII.3 for εἰ ἄρα, see at {ἄρα}; for εἰ δή, εἴπερ, see at {εἰ δή, εἴπερ}; for εἴ γε, see at {γέ}.
B.IX in negative oaths, = Hebrew im, [LXX+NT (LXX.Psa.94(95).11, NT.Mark.8.12, +others)]
C IN INDIRECT QUESTIONS, whether, followed by the indicative, subjunctive, or optative, according to the principles of oratio obliqua:
C.1 with IN[Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator after primary tenses, representing the same tense in the direct question, σάφα δ᾽ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ εἰ θεός ἐστιν)] whether he is a god, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.183; εἰ ξυμπονήσεις.. σκόπει 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 41.)]
C.2 with SUB[Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Josephus Historicus after primary tenses, representing a dubitative)]subjunctive in the direct question, τὰ ἐκπώματα οὐκ οἶδ᾽ εἰ Χρυσάντᾳ τουτῳῒ δῶ whether I should give them, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 8.4.16: sometimes elliptical, ἐς τὰ χρηστήρια ἔπεμπε, εἰ στρατεύηται ἐπὶ τοὺς Πέρσας 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.75.)]
C.3 OPT. after past tenses, representing either of the two previous constructions in the direct question, ἤρετο εἴ τις ἐμοῦ εἴη σοφώτερος he asked whether any one was wiser than I (direct ἔστι τις σοφώτερο;), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 21a; ἐπεκηρυκεύετο Πεισιστράτῳ, εἰ βούλοιτό οἱ τὴν θυγατέρα ἔχειν γυναῖκα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.60: rarely)]aorist optative for the aorist indicative, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν εἰ ἀναπλεύσειεν I asked him whether he had set sail (direct ἀνέπλευσα;), [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 50.55: but)]aorist optative usually represents aorist subjunctive, τὸν θεὸν ἐπήροντο εἰ παραδοῖεν Κορινθίοις τὴν πόλιν.. καὶ τιμωρίαν τινὰ πειρῷντ᾽ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ποιεῖσθαι they asked whether they should deliver their city to the Corinthians, and should try.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.25:)] —in both constructions the _indicative_ or subjunctive may be retained, ψῆφον ἐβούλοντο ἐπαγαγεῖν εἰ χρὴ πολεμεῖν[Refs ([prev. work] 119)]; ἐβουλεύοντο εἴτε κατακαύσωσιν.. εἴτε τι ἄλλο χρήσωνται whether they should burn them or should dispose of them in some other way, [Refs ([prev. author] 2.4)]; ἀνακοινοῦσθαι αὐτὸν αὑτῷ εἰ δῷ ἐπιψηφίσαι τοῖς προέδροις [he said that] he consulted him whether he should give.., [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aeschines Orator 2.68.)]
C.4 with OPT. and ἄν when this was the form of the direct question, ἠρώτων εἰ δοῖεν ἂν τούτων τὰ πιστά they asked whether they would give (direct δοιήτε ἄ;), [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 4.8.7.)]
C.5 the NEG. used with εἰ in indirect questions is οὐ, when οὐ would be used in the direct question, ἐνετέλλετο.. εἰρωτᾶν εἰ οὔ τι ἐπαισχύνεται whether he is not ashamed, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.90, etc.)]; but if μή would be required in the direct form, it is retained in the indirect, οὐ τοῦτο ἐρωτῶ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ τοῦ μὲν δικαίου μὴ ἀξιοῖ πλέον ἔχειν μηδὲ βούλεται ὁ δίκαιος, τοῦ δὲ ἀδίκου (the direct question would be μὴ ἀξιοῖ μηδὲ βούλετα; he does not see fit nor wish, does he?) [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 349b)]:—in double indirect questions, εἴτε.. εἴτε..; εἰ.. εἴτε..; εἴτε.. ἢ.., either οὐ or μή can be used in the second clause, ὅπως ἴδῃς εἴτ᾽ ἔνδον εἴτ᾽ οὐκ ἔνδον [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 7; σκοπῶμεν εἰ ἡμῖν πρέπει ἢ οὔ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 451d)]; εἰ ἀληθὲς ἢ μή, πειράσομαι μαθεῖν[Refs 4th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 339a; πολλὰ ἂν περιεσκέψω, εἴτε ἐπιτρεπτέον εἴτε οὔ·.. οὐδένα λόγον οὐδὲ συμβουλὴν ποιῇ, εἴτε χρὴ ἐπιτρέπειν σαυτὸν αὐτῷ εἴτε μή [prev. author] “Prt.” 313a, 313b; ἀνάγκη τὴν ἐμὴν μητέρα, εἴτε θυγάτηρ ἦν Κίρωνος εἴτε μή, καὶ εἰ παρ᾽ ἐκείνῳ διῃτᾶτο ἢ οὔ, καὶ γάμους εἰ διττοὺς ὑπὲρ ταύτης εἱστίασεν ἢ μὴ.. πάντα ταῦτα εἰδέναι τοὺς οἰκέτας 4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 8.9)]; τοὺς νόμους καταμανθάνειν εἰ καλῶς κεῖνται ἢ μή.. τοὺς λόγους εἰ ὀρθῶς ὑμᾶς διδάσκουσιν ἢ οὔ [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.14.)]