Chapter 470A School Grammar of Attic GreekDickinson CollegeChristopher Francese
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470
a. A past tense of the Indicative with εἴθε or εἰ γάρ (Lat. utinam) expresses a hopeless and unattainable wish that something had been that was not, or that something were now that is not. (Cp. 476.)
With the imperfect, one wishes continuance; the fact wished away is generally present. With the aorist, one wishes attainment; the fact wished away is generally past.
Eἱ γὰρ τοσαύτην δύναμιν εἶχον O that I had (οὐκ ἔχω) sο much power! E. AL. 1072. εἴθʼ ἦν Ὀρέστης πλησίον would that Orestes were near (he is not). E. EL. 282. εἴθε σοι τότε συνεγενόμην would that I had met you then (I did not). M. I. 2, 46. εἴθε σε μήποτʼ εἰδόμᾱν O that I had never seen thee (as I did). S. OT. 1217. b. Ὤφελον owed, ought, with the infinitive, and with or without εἴθε or εἰ γάρ, has the same force; with the present infinitive it corresponds to the imperfect, with the aorist infinitive it corresponds to the aorist:
Ἀλλʼ ὤφελε Κῦρος ζῆν Cyrus ought to be alive, ah! that Cyrus were living! AN. II.1, 4. μήποτʼ ὤφελον λιπεῖν τὴν Σκῦρον O that I had never left Skyros. S. P. 969.