28.17 Like the present and future tenses, the AORIST occurs in the INFINITIVE mood. The augment to secondary tenses always means that the action actually took place in the past. Consequently, ONLY the INDICATIVE mood uses the AUGMENT, since it is the only mood that specifies actual historical action. The aorist infinitive, being a verbal noun, NEVER has the augment.
The FIRST AORIST uses the ending –σαι for the infinitive. The formula to form the first aorist infinitive is:
- verb stem + σαι
The persistent ACCENT on the first aorist infinitive falls on the PENULT.
- λῦσαι
- δεῖξαι
- πιστεῦσαι
28.19 Second Aorist Infinitive
The formula to form the thematic second aorist infinitive is:
- verb stem + ειν
Notice that the THEMATIC SECOND AORIST uses the SAME infinitive ending as the THEMATIC PRESENT tense. The differences between the two infinitives are the stem to which the ending is added, and accent.
- The PRESENT indicative active infinitive: ACCENT on the PENULT
- λαμβάνειν
- The SECOND AORIST indicative active infinitive: CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT on the ULTIMA
- λαβεῖν
Likewise, the formula to form the athematic second aorist infinitive is:
- verb stem + ναι
The ATHEMATIC SECOND AORIST uses the SAME infinitive ending as the ATHEMATIC PRESENT tense. As with the present tense, the accent falls on the PENULT.
- γνῶναι
- βῆναι