474 The Subjunctive with μή sometimes expresses what one fears and desires to avert; with μὴ οὐ, what one fears will not be. This is a variety of the preceding ([473](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-473.html)), the starting-point of more common uses (see [609](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-609.html), [610](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-610.html)):
Mὴ σοὺς διαφθείρῃ γάμους may she not spoil thy marrriage (i. e., I fear she will). E. AL. 315. μὴ οὐ πείσῃs σοφούς you will not convince the wise, I fear. E. TRO. 982.
- a. This is also softened to a cautious assertion, or made a question:
Mὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν I fear it's rather rude to speak the truth. GOR. 462 e. ἀλλὰ μὴ οὐ τοῦτʼ ᾖ χαλεπόν but I suspect that is not difficult. AP. 39 a.