616 In Ὅς Clauses that difer in form from simple sentences,
- a. A subjunctive (with ἄν, which is sometimes
omitted in poetry, rarely in prose) describes a supposed or assumed case, which may or may not be real.
The time is future, or present in the generalized sense
(i. e, applying to present, past, and future alike).
The subjunctive is especially common when the antecedent is indefinite:
Ὁ ἀνὴρ πολλοῦ ἄξιος φίλος ᾧ ἂν φίλος ᾖ the man is
a valuable friend to any one to whom he is a friend
(generalized present). AN. I. 3, 12. τῷ ἀνδρὶ ὃν ἂν
ἕλησθε πείσομαι I will οbey the man whom you
choose (in the future). AN. I. 3, 15. ὦ μακάριοι δῆτα
οἵ ἂν μῶν ἐπίδωσι τὴν πᾱσῶν ἡδίστην ἡμέρᾱν O
blessed, therefore, whoever among you shall behold that
sweetest day of all! H. II. 4, 17.
Tῶν πημονῶν μάλιστα λῡποῦσʼ αἵ φανῶσʼ αὐθαίρετοι those
griefs give most pain that are seen to be self-chosen. S. ΟΤ. 1231.
δέδοικα μὴ οὐκ ἔχω ἱκανοὺς οἷς δῶOthers explain this differently. But cp. Gόodwin, Moods and Tenses,
538-540. Both in relative clauses and in εἰ clauses with the
subjunctive ἄν
is omitted reguularly in Homer, often in Attic poets, and certainly
sometimes
in Attic prose. In this example ἄν would have been natural; the omission does not change the meaning. Cp. also [621 a](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-621.html).
I fear I shall not have enough
people to whom to give. AN. I. 7, 7.
- b. An optative (without ἄν) describes an assumed
case, but as more remote in thought from the speaker;
e.g., as the thought of another person, or as part of a
past or imaginary or improbable situation. The time
is future, or present in the generalized sense, with reference to the time of the main verb. The optative is
especially common after a past tense, and when the
antecedent is indefinite, or the assumed situation is
thought of as having occurred repeatedly:
Ἀπήγγελλον οἱ πρέσβεις ἐφʼ οἷς οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι
ποιοῖντο τὴν εἰρήνην the envoys reported on what
terms the Spartans offered to make the peace. H. II. 2, 22.
πρότερον οὐκ ἔχων πρόφασιν ἐφʼ ἧς τοῦ βίου λόγον
δοίην, νῡν εἴληφα whereas before I had no pretext
οn which to give an account of my lιfe, now I have
got one. L. 24, 1.
Ὀκνοίην ἂν εἰς τὰ πλοῖα ἐμβαίνειν ἅ ἡμῖν Κῦρος
δοίη I should hesitate to go aboard any boats given
by Cyrus (supposing him to give any). AN. I. 3. 17.
ἀλλʼ ὅν πόλις στήσειε, τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν but whοmsoever the state appoints, him we should obey. S. AN. 666.
Ἀεὶ πρὸς ᾧ εἴη ἔργῳ, τοῦτο ἔπρᾱττεν always, at
whatsoever task he was, that he strictly pursued. H. IV.
8, 22.