633
A. Ὡς as, how, in which way, corresponds closely to ὅς in
meaning, and introduces clauses like ὅς clauses; most of them
are like simple sentences ([615](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-615.html)), but some have the subjunctive and optative in the manner described in [616 a and b](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-616.html).
- a. As purely relative, in comparisons, often in the strengthened form ὥσπερ. Though a conjunction, ὡς retains the force
of an adverb in its own clause:
Ἐκέλευσε τοὺς Ἕλληνας, ὡς νόμος αὐτοῖς εἰς μάχην, οὕτω ταχθῆναι καὶ στῆναι he directed the Greeks, as was their custom for
battle, so to arrange themselves and take position. AN. I. 2, 15.
θᾶττον ἢ ὡς ἂν ᾤετο more quickly than (as) one would have
thought. AN. I. 5, 8. ὡς ὁ τάδε πορὼν ὄλοιτο as may he that
wrought this perish. S. E. 126.
Often the antecedent is a sentence or phrase: ὡς μὲν τοῖς
πλείστοις ἐδόκουν, φιλοτιμηθέντες, ὅτι κτλ. being jealous, as they
appeared to the majority, because, etc. AN. I. 4, 7. So ὡς ἐλέγετο as was said, ὡς ἀκούω as I hear, and many like expressions.
- b. As indirect interrogative:
Ἐξήγγειλε τὴν κρίσιν Ὀρόντᾱ, ὡς ἐγἐνετο he reported the
trial of Orontes, how it was conducted. AN. I. 6, 5. ἄκουσον
ὡς ἐρῶ hear how I shall tell it. S. OT. 547. οἶσθʼ ὡς ποίησον;
do you knοw hοw you should do? (literally, do you knοw hοw
dο?) S. OT. 543.
In this use also ὡς retains its force as adverb.
- c. Temporal:
Ὁ δʼ ὡς ἀπῆλθε βουλεύεται but he, as he went away, considered. AN I. 1, 4. ὡς εἶδε Κλέαρχον διελαύνοντα, ησι τῇ
ἀξίνῃ when he saw Klearchos riding through, he threw his ax
at him. AN. I. 5, 12.
- d. Causal:
Δέομαι σοῦ παραμεῖναι ἡμῖν, ὡς ἐγὼ οὐδʼ ἂν ἑνὸς ἥδῖον ἀκούσαιμι I beg you to stay with us, as there is not one whom I
would more gladly hear. PR. 335 d.
- e. Such clauses, like those introduced by ὅς and ἐπεί (
[629 a](file:///x:/Departments/Classics_Texts/schoolgrammarofa00goodrich_porson/HTML%20Files/Chapter-629.html)),
are often so loosely connected with the main verb as to be
really independent sentences.
- f. Some common phrases have arisen from the omission of
a verb. Thus clauses like ὡς μάλιστα ἐδύνατο as he was most
able (AN. I. 1, 6), and ὡς ἂν δύνωμαι δʼ ἐλαχίστων in as brief
terms as I can (L. 12, 3), are abbreviated to ὡς μάλιστα and ὡς
δʼ ἐλαχίστων. In this way ὡς becomes merely a means of
strengthening a superlative: ὡς βέλτιστος as good as possible.