46.26 The PROHIBITIVE subjunctive is used to express prohibitions (S 1800, G 473). Common characteristics of the prohibitive subjunctive are:
- It is used only in the AORIST tense.
- It is usually in the 2nd PERSON (rarely in the 3rd PERSON).
- It is always accompanied by the negative μή.
PROHIBITIVE subjunctives are always in the AORIST tense to denote simple aspect, since they often are used to forbid the initiation of an action. If the prohibition requires ongoing aspect to express the forbidding of a continuing or repeated action, the present imperative is used.
- μὴ παύσητε τοὺς ἐκ τῆς μάχης φεύγοντας.
- Don’t stop the men fleeing from battle.
- πόλεμον μὴ παύσῃς.
- Don’t stop the war.
- τοὺς ἵππους μὴ λύσῃς.
- Don’t free the horses.
- τοὺς ἵππους μὴ λύετε.
- Don’t free the horses.
- τοὺς ἵππους μὴ λάβησθε.
- Don’t take the horses.
- 46.27 The Future Indicative vs. The Subjunctive Mood
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Subjunctives, like imperatives, consider future actions. You may have noticed that the 1st person singular of the FIRST AORIST SUBJUNCTIVE ACTIVE is identical in form with the 1st person singular of the FUTURE INDICATIVE ACTIVE:
- λύσω
- δείξω
- στήσω
This is no coincidence. The form of the FUTURE INDICATIVE appears to have developed from the FIRST AORIST SUBJUNCTIVE. In fact, the future indicative and first aorist subjunctive have identical forms in some dialects and in Homer (S 532, 541). The Latin future indicative is also a development from the original Proto-Indo-European (PIE) subjunctive.