48.4 Another common subordinate clause in Greek is the FEAR CLAUSE (S 2221-2232). The clause acts essentially as the direct object of a verb of fearing. For example:
- I fear that my time has run out.
A fear clause in Greek is introduced by the following conjunctions:
- μή that, lest
- expresses the fear that something may happen
- μὴ οὐ that…not, in order that…not, lest…not
- expresses the fear that something may not happen
If the fear clause expresses a concern that something is happening (PRESENT) or has happened (PAST), the verb in the subordinate clause is INDICATIVE.
- φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀληθές ἐστιν.
- I fear that this is true.
- φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀληθὲς ἦν.
- I fear that this was true.
48.5 If, however, the fear clause expresses a concern that something may or may not happen (FUTURE), the clause follows the same SEQUENCE OF MOODS as purposes clauses.
- φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀληθές ᾖ.
- I fear that this may be (i.e. turn out) true.
- ἐφοβοῦντο μὴ ἀληθές εἴη.
- They feared that this might be (i.e. turn out) true.
- φόβος ἐστι μὴ οὐ ταῦτα ποιήσῃ.
- There is a fear that he may not do these things.
- φόβος ἦν μὴ ταῦτα ποιοίησαν.
- There was a fear that he would be doing these things.
- μὴ φοβήσῃ μὴ τοὺς ἵππους λάβωσιν.
- Don’t fear that they may take the horses.
- ἐφοβούμεθα μὴ τοὺς ἵππους λάβοιντο.
- We feared that they might take the horses.
- Read More
-
It may seem odd that the conjunction μή is translated as that, while μὴ οὐ is translated that…not. Why is μή not a negative in FEAR CLAUSES? The reason is that μή after verbs of fearing was originally not a conjunction meaning that, but a particle indicating a prohibition. In other words, φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀληθές ᾖ, I fear that this may be true, originally developed from I am afraid + let it not be true (S 2222). Over time, μή developed into a conjunction that expressed fear of an undesirable outcome.