467 The Aorist with ἄν ([666](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-666.html); cp. [461](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-461.html)) presents the action
- a. As occurring from time to time in the past, on occasion:
Ἐκλεγόμενος τὸν ἐπιτήδειον ἔπαισεν ἄν picking οut the right man, he would strike him (i. e., he did this on various occasions). AN. II. 2, 11.
- b. As something that was to be expected, or was probably true:
Ὁ θεᾱσάμενος πᾶς ἄν τις ἀνὴρ ἡράσθη δϊος εἶναι every man who saw it would get hot to be a warrior. AR. R. 1022. πῶς ἂν ὁ μὴ παρὼν ἐγώ τι σʼ ἡδίκησα how was I, one who wasn't there, to do you any harm? D. 37, 57. ἐπερρώσθη δʼ ἄν τις ἐκεῖνο ἰδών any one on seeing that would have been strengthened. H. III. 4, 18. τούτου τίς ἄν σοι τνδρὸς δρᾶν ἀμείνων ηὑρέθη; who could have been found better in action than this man? (i. e., no one was likely to be found). S. AI. 1I9 f.
- c. As something that would have occurred in an imaginary case, known to be unreal (Hypothetical Indicative):
Ἐποίησαν μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν κακόν, μὴ παθεῖν δʼ ἐφυλάξαντʼ ἂν ἴσως they would have done him no harm, but would perhaps have been on their guard against injury. D. 9, 13. πρὶν γενέσθαι ἠπίστησεν ἄν τις ἀκούσᾱς before it happened, any one hearing of it would have refused to believe it. T. VII. 2s.
These three uses are closely related; the third is far the most common; the second and third can not always be distinguished.