Book Nav

235. It is remarkable that the use of the infinitive with ὡς, ὥς τε, οἷος, ὅσος, etc., is rare in Homer. The familiar construction of ὥς τε only occurs twice.

Il. 9.42 ἐπέσσυται ὥς τε νέεσθαι
            is eager to return

Od. 17. 20 οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ σταθμοῖσι μένειν ἔτι τηλίκος εἰμί,
                  ὥς τʼ ἐπιτειλαμένῳ . . . πιθέσθαι.

The other instances are

Od. 21.173 τοῖον . . . οἷόν τε ἔμεναι
                   such a one as to be

Od. 5.484 ὅσσον τε . . . ἔρυσθαι
                 so far as to shelter

Od. 19.160 ἀνὴρ οἷός τε μάλιστα οἴκου κήδεσθαι

Od. 21.117 οἷός τ . . . ἀνελέσθαι.

Suggested Citation

D.B. Monro, A Grammar of the Homeric Dialect. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-947822-04-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/monro/infinitive-relatives