Strong G2228ἤ
or
- Transliteration
- ē
- Pronunciation
- ay
- Morphology
- Greek Conjunction
Definition
Detailed definition
ἤ,
disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11);
1. disjunctive, or;
__(a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.;
__(b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ... ἤ, either... or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6;
__(with) in a disjunctive question (as Lat. an after utrum): Mat.9:5, Mrk.2:9, Luk.7:19, al.; after πότερον, Jhn.7:17; μή, 1Co.9:8; μήτι, 2Co.1:17; ἤ... ἤ... ἤ, Mrk.13:35.
2. Comparative, than: after comparatives, Mat.10:15, Luk.9:13, Jhn.3:19, Rom.13:11, al.; after ἕτερον, Act.17:21; θέλω (Khüner 3, iv, 303), 1Co.14:19; πρὶν ἤ, before, before accusative and inf., Mat.1:18 Mrk.14:30; after a positive adj. (Gen.49:12; cf. Robertson, Gr., 661), Mat.18:8, 9 Mrk.9:43, 45 47.
3. with other particles: ἀλλ᾽ ἤ, see: ἀλλά; ἤ γάρ, see: γάρ; ἢ καί, or even, or also, Mat.7:10, Luk.11:11, 12 Rom.2:15 4:9, al; ἤτοι... ἤ, Rom.6:16 (cf. Wis.11:19).
(AS)
disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11);
1. disjunctive, or;
__(a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.;
__(b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ... ἤ, either... or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6;
__(with) in a disjunctive question (as Lat. an after utrum): Mat.9:5, Mrk.2:9, Luk.7:19, al.; after πότερον, Jhn.7:17; μή, 1Co.9:8; μήτι, 2Co.1:17; ἤ... ἤ... ἤ, Mrk.13:35.
2. Comparative, than: after comparatives, Mat.10:15, Luk.9:13, Jhn.3:19, Rom.13:11, al.; after ἕτερον, Act.17:21; θέλω (Khüner 3, iv, 303), 1Co.14:19; πρὶν ἤ, before, before accusative and inf., Mat.1:18 Mrk.14:30; after a positive adj. (Gen.49:12; cf. Robertson, Gr., 661), Mat.18:8, 9 Mrk.9:43, 45 47.
3. with other particles: ἀλλ᾽ ἤ, see: ἀλλά; ἤ γάρ, see: γάρ; ἢ καί, or even, or also, Mat.7:10, Luk.11:11, 12 Rom.2:15 4:9, al; ἤτοι... ἤ, Rom.6:16 (cf. Wis.11:19).
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G2228 appears in 283 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- or197
- than35
- either8
- else6
- nor4
- and3
- but3
- neither3
- rather3
- what3
- that2
- be1
First verses
- Matthew 1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
- Matthew 5:17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
- Matthew 5:18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
- Matthew 5:36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
- Matthew 6:24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
- Matthew 6:31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
- Matthew 7:4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
- Matthew 7:9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
- Matthew 7:16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- Matthew 9:5For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
- Matthew 10:11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
- Matthew 10:14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
- Matthew 10:15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
- Matthew 10:19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
- Matthew 10:37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- Matthew 11:3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
- Matthew 11:22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
- Matthew 11:24But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
- Matthew 12:5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
- Matthew 12:25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Occurrences by book
Related words
Detailed Greek dictionary
ἤ,
Epic dialect also ἠέ (in signification [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 11 ἤ (or ἠέ) followed by ἦ (or ἦε), see below))], conjunction with two chief senses, Disj. (or) and comparative (than).
A DISJUNCTIVE, or, ἐγὼ.. ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.231, compare 397, 800, 4.142, 7.236, +others)]; θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 116.)]
A.2 ἢ.. ἤ either.. or, ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ᾽ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.27, compare 151, 5.484)], etc.; so ἢ.. ἤτοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 6.4, “fragment” 138; ἤτοι.. ἤ.. 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 662, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 1182, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.40, etc. (in Classical Gr. the alternative introduced by ἤτοι)] is emphasized, later no distinction is implied, [NT+2nd c.BC+ (NT.Rom.6.16; ἤτοι.. ἢ.. ἤ.. “PTeb.” 5.59 (2nd c.BC)))]; ἤ repeated any number of times, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας ἢ Ὀδυσῆος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.138, compare 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.84, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 707)]; ἤ is probably wrongly accented in codices of [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.289, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 3.348, 19.109, see.{ἦ})] adverb [Refs 4th c.BC+ (1.3: ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοίως 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 524 (Lyric poetry) is exceptional.)]
A.3 or else, otherwise, εἰδέναι δεῖ περὶ οὗ ἂν ᾖ ἡ βουλή, ἢ παντὸς ἁμαρτάνειν ἀνάγκη [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 237c; μή με λυπεῖτε, ἢ φεύξομ᾽ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίης 3rd c.BC: Herodas Mimographus 5.74)]; ζῶντα κακῶς λέγειν ἐκώλυσε.., ἢ τρεῖς δραχμὰς ἀποτίνειν ἔταξε Legal [Refs 6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Solon Lyricus cited in 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Solon” 21, compare 24, “IG” 12.94.10, 4th c.AD: Themistius Sophista “Orationes” 21.260a.)]
A.II in Questions or Deliberations in Disj. form(the accentuation is ἢ (ἠέ) followed by ἦ (ἦε), [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Herodianus Grammaticus Gr. 2.24, +others, 2nd c.AD: Apollonius Dyscolus Grammaticus “de Conjunctionibus;” 224.28):)]
A.II.1 Direct questions,
A.II.1.a introduced by ἢ (ἠέ), ἢ δολιχὴ νοῦσος ἦ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα.. κατέπεφνε; [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.172; ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε..; 3.72, compare 1.408, 16.462, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 6.378, 15.735, 16.12, etc.)]
A.II.1.b without an introductory Particle, θεός νύ τις ἦ βροτός ἐσσ; art thou a goddess or a mortal? [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.149, compare 1.226, 4.314, 372, 643, 20.130, 21.194, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.63, 425, 534, 15.203: accented ἦ, Hdn.Gr. 2.145, +others, but ἤ)] frequently in codices of [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus and always in codices of later writers: ἤκουσας ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσας ἢ κωφῇ λέγ; 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 202)]; ἄρτι δὲ ἥκεις ἢ πάλα; [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Crito” 43a; κακουργεῖν δεῖ ἢ ο; [prev. work] 49c)]; preceded by πότερον, πότερον δοκεῖ σοι κάκιον εἶναι, τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἢ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθα; [Refs ([prev. author] “Grg.” 474c, etc.)]
A.II.2 Indirect questions, frequently epexegetic of a preceding question and identical in form with direct questions.
A.II.2.a εἴπ᾽ ἄγε,.. ἤ ῥ᾽ ἐθέλει.., ἦ ἀπέειπε.. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.674; ὄφρα δαῶμεν ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί 2.300; διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν ἢ ὅ γε.. ἐναρίζοι ἦε χόλον παύσειεν 1.190; later with εἰ.. ἤ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Choephori” 890, “Ag.” 478, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Coloneus” 80, etc.)]; πότερον or πότερα.. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “Pers.” 148, 352, “Ag.” 630, etc.; sometimes εἴτε.. ἤ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 897; ἢ.. εἴτε 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 177.)]
A.II.2.b without introductory Particle, οὐδέ τι οἶδα ζώει ὅ γ᾽ ἦ τέθνηκε [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.464, compare 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.546, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 24.238.)]
B COMPARATIVE, than, as, after a comparative, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 11.162, etc.: after positive _adjectives_ which imply comparison, ἄλλος, ἕτερος ἤ.., 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 595, “Tr.” 835 (Lyric poetry); ἐναντίος ἤ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 481c; ἴδιόν τι πάσχειν πάθος ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι [prev. passage]: after _adverbs_ or adverbial phrases, πλήν, πρίν, πρόσθεν, χωρίς (which see), ἀλλά (see. ἀλλ᾽ ἤ); τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἤ.. [prev. author] “Cri.” 44a (_falsa lectio_ in “Smp.” 173a); ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ϝέτει ἀπὸ τῶ ποτεχεῖ ϝέτεος ἢ Ἀριστίων ἐφορεύει “Tab.Heracl.” 1.121; παρὰ δόξαν ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.79, compare 8.4; διαφερόντως ἤ.. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 85b)]; οὐδ᾽ ὅσον ἤ.. not so much as.. , not more than.. , [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 9.21: after Verbs implying comparison, βούλεσθαι ἤ..)] to wish rather than.. , see at {βούλομαι} IV, αἱρέω [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 11.1b)]; so φθάνειν ἤ.. to come sooner than.. , [NT+8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.445, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.58; ἐπιθυμεῖν ἤ.. 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 1.4.3; δέχεσθαι ἤ.. 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 10.21: less frequently after a word not implying comparison, δίκαιον ἡμέας ἔχειν.. (i.e. μᾶλλον) ἤ περ Ἀθηναίους 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 9.26; ἐμοὶ πικρὸς.. ἢ κείνοις γλυκύς 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 966 (assuming variant); δεδικαιωμένος ἢ ἐκεῖνος NT.Luke.18.14.)]
B.2 joining two Comparatives which refer to the same subject, πάντες κ᾽ ἀρησαίατ᾽ ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι ἢ ἀφνειότεροι [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.165; ταχύτερα ἢ σοφώτερα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.65; μανικώτεροι ἢ ἀνδρειότεροι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 144b, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 1078.)]
B.3 rarely after a superlative, πλεῖστα θωμάσια ἔχει Αἴγυπτος ἢ ἄλλη πᾶσα χώρη [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.35 (assuming variant); πίθοιτό κεν ὔμμι μάλιστα ἢ ἐμοί 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 3.91.)]
B.4 ἢ οὐ is used when a negative precedes, οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ἐπ᾽ ἡμέας ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπ᾽ ὑμέας [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.118, compare 5.94, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.62, etc.)]: after an implied negative, ὠμὸν.. πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs ([prev. author] 3.36.)]
B.5 frequently omitted with numerals after πλείων, ἐλάττων, μείων, ἔτη.. πλείω ἑβδομήκοντα variant in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 17d; οὐ μεῖον πεντακοσίους 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 6.4.24)]: sometimes with an infinitive or conditional clause, τί γὰρ ἀνδρὶ κακὸν μεῖζον ἁμαρτεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Alcestis” 879)]; τίς εὐπραξία σπανιωτέρα.., εἰ [δύναμις] πάρεστιν (for ἢ δύναμιν παρεῖναι); [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.33.)]
B.6 pleonastic with a genitive, τίς ἂν αἰσχίων εἴη ταύτης δόξα, ἢ δοκεῖν.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Crito” 44c, compare 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 10.28.)]
B.7 the Disj. and comparative uses are found together in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 15.511 βέλτερον, ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι, ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῆ δηϊοτῆτι)] better, either to die once for all or win life, than long to toil in battle. [ἢ οὐ, ἢ οὐκ combine by Synizesis into one syllable in Trag. and Comedy texts, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 330, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 334, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Lysistrata” 128)]; so usually in Epic dialect, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.298, +others; ἢ αὐτός 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Fragmenta” 194; ἢ εἰ 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 201.])]
Epic dialect also ἠέ (in signification [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 11 ἤ (or ἠέ) followed by ἦ (or ἦε), see below))], conjunction with two chief senses, Disj. (or) and comparative (than).
A DISJUNCTIVE, or, ἐγὼ.. ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.231, compare 397, 800, 4.142, 7.236, +others)]; θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 116.)]
A.2 ἢ.. ἤ either.. or, ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ᾽ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.27, compare 151, 5.484)], etc.; so ἢ.. ἤτοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 6.4, “fragment” 138; ἤτοι.. ἤ.. 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 662, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 1182, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.40, etc. (in Classical Gr. the alternative introduced by ἤτοι)] is emphasized, later no distinction is implied, [NT+2nd c.BC+ (NT.Rom.6.16; ἤτοι.. ἢ.. ἤ.. “PTeb.” 5.59 (2nd c.BC)))]; ἤ repeated any number of times, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας ἢ Ὀδυσῆος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.138, compare 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.84, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 707)]; ἤ is probably wrongly accented in codices of [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.289, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 3.348, 19.109, see.{ἦ})] adverb [Refs 4th c.BC+ (1.3: ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοίως 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 524 (Lyric poetry) is exceptional.)]
A.3 or else, otherwise, εἰδέναι δεῖ περὶ οὗ ἂν ᾖ ἡ βουλή, ἢ παντὸς ἁμαρτάνειν ἀνάγκη [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 237c; μή με λυπεῖτε, ἢ φεύξομ᾽ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίης 3rd c.BC: Herodas Mimographus 5.74)]; ζῶντα κακῶς λέγειν ἐκώλυσε.., ἢ τρεῖς δραχμὰς ἀποτίνειν ἔταξε Legal [Refs 6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Solon Lyricus cited in 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Solon” 21, compare 24, “IG” 12.94.10, 4th c.AD: Themistius Sophista “Orationes” 21.260a.)]
A.II in Questions or Deliberations in Disj. form(the accentuation is ἢ (ἠέ) followed by ἦ (ἦε), [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Herodianus Grammaticus Gr. 2.24, +others, 2nd c.AD: Apollonius Dyscolus Grammaticus “de Conjunctionibus;” 224.28):)]
A.II.1 Direct questions,
A.II.1.a introduced by ἢ (ἠέ), ἢ δολιχὴ νοῦσος ἦ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα.. κατέπεφνε; [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.172; ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε..; 3.72, compare 1.408, 16.462, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 6.378, 15.735, 16.12, etc.)]
A.II.1.b without an introductory Particle, θεός νύ τις ἦ βροτός ἐσσ; art thou a goddess or a mortal? [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.149, compare 1.226, 4.314, 372, 643, 20.130, 21.194, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.63, 425, 534, 15.203: accented ἦ, Hdn.Gr. 2.145, +others, but ἤ)] frequently in codices of [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus and always in codices of later writers: ἤκουσας ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσας ἢ κωφῇ λέγ; 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 202)]; ἄρτι δὲ ἥκεις ἢ πάλα; [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Crito” 43a; κακουργεῖν δεῖ ἢ ο; [prev. work] 49c)]; preceded by πότερον, πότερον δοκεῖ σοι κάκιον εἶναι, τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἢ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθα; [Refs ([prev. author] “Grg.” 474c, etc.)]
A.II.2 Indirect questions, frequently epexegetic of a preceding question and identical in form with direct questions.
A.II.2.a εἴπ᾽ ἄγε,.. ἤ ῥ᾽ ἐθέλει.., ἦ ἀπέειπε.. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.674; ὄφρα δαῶμεν ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί 2.300; διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν ἢ ὅ γε.. ἐναρίζοι ἦε χόλον παύσειεν 1.190; later with εἰ.. ἤ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Choephori” 890, “Ag.” 478, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Coloneus” 80, etc.)]; πότερον or πότερα.. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “Pers.” 148, 352, “Ag.” 630, etc.; sometimes εἴτε.. ἤ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 897; ἢ.. εἴτε 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 177.)]
A.II.2.b without introductory Particle, οὐδέ τι οἶδα ζώει ὅ γ᾽ ἦ τέθνηκε [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.464, compare 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.546, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 24.238.)]
B COMPARATIVE, than, as, after a comparative, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 11.162, etc.: after positive _adjectives_ which imply comparison, ἄλλος, ἕτερος ἤ.., 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 595, “Tr.” 835 (Lyric poetry); ἐναντίος ἤ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 481c; ἴδιόν τι πάσχειν πάθος ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι [prev. passage]: after _adverbs_ or adverbial phrases, πλήν, πρίν, πρόσθεν, χωρίς (which see), ἀλλά (see. ἀλλ᾽ ἤ); τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἤ.. [prev. author] “Cri.” 44a (_falsa lectio_ in “Smp.” 173a); ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ϝέτει ἀπὸ τῶ ποτεχεῖ ϝέτεος ἢ Ἀριστίων ἐφορεύει “Tab.Heracl.” 1.121; παρὰ δόξαν ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.79, compare 8.4; διαφερόντως ἤ.. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 85b)]; οὐδ᾽ ὅσον ἤ.. not so much as.. , not more than.. , [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 9.21: after Verbs implying comparison, βούλεσθαι ἤ..)] to wish rather than.. , see at {βούλομαι} IV, αἱρέω [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 11.1b)]; so φθάνειν ἤ.. to come sooner than.. , [NT+8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.445, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 11.58; ἐπιθυμεῖν ἤ.. 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 1.4.3; δέχεσθαι ἤ.. 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 10.21: less frequently after a word not implying comparison, δίκαιον ἡμέας ἔχειν.. (i.e. μᾶλλον) ἤ περ Ἀθηναίους 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 9.26; ἐμοὶ πικρὸς.. ἢ κείνοις γλυκύς 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 966 (assuming variant); δεδικαιωμένος ἢ ἐκεῖνος NT.Luke.18.14.)]
B.2 joining two Comparatives which refer to the same subject, πάντες κ᾽ ἀρησαίατ᾽ ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι ἢ ἀφνειότεροι [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.165; ταχύτερα ἢ σοφώτερα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.65; μανικώτεροι ἢ ἀνδρειότεροι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 144b, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 1078.)]
B.3 rarely after a superlative, πλεῖστα θωμάσια ἔχει Αἴγυπτος ἢ ἄλλη πᾶσα χώρη [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.35 (assuming variant); πίθοιτό κεν ὔμμι μάλιστα ἢ ἐμοί 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 3.91.)]
B.4 ἢ οὐ is used when a negative precedes, οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ἐπ᾽ ἡμέας ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπ᾽ ὑμέας [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.118, compare 5.94, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.62, etc.)]: after an implied negative, ὠμὸν.. πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs ([prev. author] 3.36.)]
B.5 frequently omitted with numerals after πλείων, ἐλάττων, μείων, ἔτη.. πλείω ἑβδομήκοντα variant in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 17d; οὐ μεῖον πεντακοσίους 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 6.4.24)]: sometimes with an infinitive or conditional clause, τί γὰρ ἀνδρὶ κακὸν μεῖζον ἁμαρτεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Alcestis” 879)]; τίς εὐπραξία σπανιωτέρα.., εἰ [δύναμις] πάρεστιν (for ἢ δύναμιν παρεῖναι); [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.33.)]
B.6 pleonastic with a genitive, τίς ἂν αἰσχίων εἴη ταύτης δόξα, ἢ δοκεῖν.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Crito” 44c, compare 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 10.28.)]
B.7 the Disj. and comparative uses are found together in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 15.511 βέλτερον, ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι, ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῆ δηϊοτῆτι)] better, either to die once for all or win life, than long to toil in battle. [ἢ οὐ, ἢ οὐκ combine by Synizesis into one syllable in Trag. and Comedy texts, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 330, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 334, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Lysistrata” 128)]; so usually in Epic dialect, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.298, +others; ἢ αὐτός 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Fragmenta” 194; ἢ εἰ 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 201.])]