πρίν: Until and Before

32.13 The conjunction πρίν means until or before. To distinguish between the two meanings, Greek uses two different constructions.

• Until: the πρίν clause takes a FINITE verb.
  • If the verb is in the indicative, it is often in a past tense, which we discuss shortly (S 2441, G 644).
• Before: the πρίν clause takes an INFINITIVE PHRASE (S 2453, G 568).
  • Much like indirect statements, the subject of the infinitive phrase – if different from the subject of the main clause – is in the accusative.
  • Also like indirect statements, if the subject of the infinitive phrase is the same as that of the main clause, it is often left out of the πρίν clause. If the subject is included for emphasis, it is in the nominative case.

Examples:

• γιγνώσκεις τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ πρὶν ἐμὲ λέγειν.
• You know the truth even before I speak.
• οὐδὲ γὰρ ὕδωρ οἱ παλαιοὶ πρὶν ἐντραγεῖν ἔπινον.
• For the ancients never even used to drink water before eating (ἐντραγεῖν). Plutarch Quaes. Conv. 8.9.3
• οὐκ ἰέναι ἤθελε, πρὶν ἡ γυνὴ αὐτὸν ἔπεισε.
• He was unwilling to go, until his wife persuaded (ἔπεισε) him. Xenophon Anabasis 1.2.26
• πρὶν ἐν Τεγεᾴ αὐτὸς εἶναι…ἐκέλευε…
• Before he himself was in Tegea, he was ordering… Xenophon Hellenica 5.4.37