οὐ: Difference between revisions

|Definition=the negative of<br><span class="bld">A</span> [[fact]] and [[statement]], as [[μή]] of [[will]] and [[thought]]; [[οὐ]] denies, [[μή]] rejects; [[οὐ]] is absolute, [[μή]] relative; [[οὐ]] objective, [[μή]] subjective. —The same differences hold for all compds. of [[οὐ]] and [[μή]], and some examples of [[οὐδέ]] and [[οὐδείς]] are included below.—As to the Form, v. infr. G.<br><span class="bld">A</span> USAGE.<br><span class="bld">I</span> as the negative of single words,<br><span class="bld">II</span> as the negative of the sentence.<br><span class="bld">I</span> [[οὐ]] adhering to single words so as to form a quasi-compd. with them:—with Verbs: <b class="b3">οὐ δίδωμι</b> [[withhold]], Il.24.296; <b class="b3">οὐκ εἰῶ</b> [[prevent]], 2.132, 4.55, al.; <b class="b3">οὐκ ἐθέλω</b> [[refuse]], 1.112, 3.289, al.; <b class="b3">οὔ φημι</b> [[deny]], 7.393, 23.668, al. (In most of these uses [[μή]] can replace [[οὐ]] when the constr. requires it, e.g. εἰ μή φησι ταῦτα ἀληθῆ εἶναι Lycurg.34; but sometimes [[οὐ]] is retained, εἰ δ' ἂν… οὐκ ἐθέλωσιν Il.3.289; εἰ δέ κ'… ου'κ εἰῶσι 20.139; ἐὰν οὐ φάσκῃ Lys.13.76; <b class="b3">ἐάντε… οὐ</b> ([[varia lectio|v.l.]] [[μή]]) φῆτε ἐάντε φῆτε Pl. ''Ap.''25b):—with Participles: οὐκ ἐθέλων Il.4.224,300, 6.165, etc.:—with Adjectives: οὐκ ἀέκοντε 5.366, 768, al.; οὐ πολλήν Th.6.7, etc.:—with Adverbs: οὐχ ἥκιστα Id.1.68, etc.: rarely with Verbal Nouns (v. infr. 11.10).—On the use of [[οὐ]] in contrasts, v. infr. B.<br><span class="bld">II</span> as negativing the whole sentence,<br><span class="bld">1</span> [[οὐ]] is freq. used alone, sometimes with the ellipsis of a definite Verb, [[οὔκ]] (''[[sc.]]'' [[ἀποκερῇ]]), ἄν γε ἐμοὶ πείθῃ [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Phaedo|Phd.]]'' 89b: sometimes as negativing the preceding sentence, Ar.''Pax''850, X.''HG''1.7.19: as a Particle of solemn denial freq. with [[μά]] ([[quod vide|q.v.]]) and the acc.; sometimes without μά, οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον Ἅλιον S. ''OT''660 (lyr.), cf. 1088 (lyr.), ''El.''1063 (lyr.), ''Ant.'' 758.<br><span class="bld">2</span> with ind. of statement, τὴν δ' ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω Il.1.29, cf. 114,495; οὐ φθίνει Κροίσου φιλόφρων ἀρετά Pi.''P.''1.94; ἔνθα κεν οὔ τιν' ἀδάκρυτόν γ' ἐνόησας Ἀργείων Od.24.61; οὔ κεν… ἔπαξε Pi.''N.''7.25; οὐκ ἂν ὑπεξέφυγε Il.8.369.<br><span class="bld">3</span> with subj. in fut. sense, only in Ep., οὐ γάρ τίς με βίῃ γε ἑκὼν ἀέκοντα δίηται 7.197; οὐκ ἄν τοι χραίς μῃ κίθαρις 3.54, cf. 11.387.<br><span class="bld">4</span> with opt. in potential sense (without [[ἄν]] or κεν), also Ep., ὃ οὐ δύο γ' ἄνδρε φέροιεν 5.303, 20.286.<br><span class="bld">5</span> with opt. and ἄν, κείνοισι δ' ἂν οὔ τις… μαχέοιτο 1.271, cf. 301, 2.250, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]] 6.63, A.''Pr.''979, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''155 (anap.), E.''IA''310, [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''403, etc.<br><span class="bld">6</span> in dependent clauses [[οὐ]] is used,<br><span class="bld">a</span> with [[ὅτι]] or [[ὡς]], after Verbs of saying, knowing, and showing, ἐκ μέν τοι ἐρέω… ὡς ἐγὼ οὔ τι ἑκὼν κατερύκομαι Od.4.377, cf. S.''El.''561, D.2.8, etc.: so with ind. or opt. and ἄν, ἀπελογοῦντο ὡς οὐκ ἄν ποτε οὕτω μωροὶ ἦσαν X.''HG''5.4.22, cf. [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 330a; ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἂν δικαίως αὐτοὺς δέχοισθε μαθεῖν χρή Th.1.40, cf. [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''1.1.3, etc.: with opt. representing ind. in orat. obliq., ἔλεξε παιδὶ σῷ… ὡς… Ἕλληνες οὐ μενοῖεν A.''Pers.'' 358, cf. S.''Ph.''346, Th.1.38, X.''HG''6.1.1, Pl.''Ap.''22b, etc.: for [[μή]] in such sentences, v. [[μή]] B. 3.<br><span class="bld">b</span> in all causal sentences, and in temporal and Relat. sentences unless there is conditional or final meaning, χωσαμένη, ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια… ῥέξε Il.9.534; ἄχθεται ὅτι οὐ κάρτα θεραπεύεται [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.80; διότι οὐκ ἦσαν δίκαι, οὐ δυνατοὶ ἦμεν παρ' αὐτῶν ἃ ὤφειλον πράξασθαι Lys.17.3; μή με κτεῖν', ἐπεὶ οὐχ ὁμογάστριος Ἕκτορός εἰμι Il.21.95, etc.; νῦν δὲ ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐθέλεις... εἶμι [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 335c; ἐπειδὴ τὸ χωρίον οὐχ ἡλίσκετο Th.1.102; νηπιάχοις οἷς οὔ τι μέλει πολεμήϊα ἔργα Il.2.338, etc.: in causal relative sentences, οἵτινές σε οὐχὶ ἐσώσαμεν Pl.''Cri.''46a; especially in the combinations, <b class="b3">οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις οὐ</b>... as οὐκ ἔστ' ἐραστὴς ὅστις οὐκ ἀεὶ φιλεῖ E.''Tr.''1051, cf. ''Hec.''298; οὔτις ἔσθ' ὃς οὔ [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''725; <b class="b3">οὐδείς ἐστιν ὅστις οὐ</b>… Isoc. 15.180.<br><span class="bld">c</span> after [[ὥστε]] with ind. or opt. with ἄν, ὥστ' οὐ δυνατόν σ' εἵργειν ἔσται Ar.''V.''384, cf. [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''98, ''OT''411; οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἀγαπῶμεν… ὥστε… οὐκ ἂν ἐθελήσαιμεν Isoc.8.45; οὐκ ἂν ὡρκίζομεν αὐτὸν ὥστε τῆς εἰρήνης ἂν διημαρτήκει καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀμφότερ' εἶχε D.18.30: <b class="b3">ὥστε οὐ</b> with inf. is almost invariably due to orat. obliq., <b class="b3">ὥστ' οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθαι</b> (for <b class="b3">οὐκ αἰσχύνονται</b>) Id.19.308, cf. Th.5.40, 8.76, Lys.18.6, Is.11.27 (cj. Reiske).—Rarely not in orat. obliq., S.''El.''780, E. ''Ph.''1358, ''Hel.''108, D.53.2,9.48.<br><span class="bld">7</span> in a conditional clause [[μή]] is necessary, except,<br><span class="bld">a</span> in Hom., when the [[εἰ]] clause precedes the apodosis and the verb is indic., εἰ δέ μοι οὐκ ἐπέεσσ' ἐπιπείσεται Il. 15.162, cf. 178, 20.129, 24.296, Od.2.274, Il.4.160, Od.12.382, 13.144 (9.410 is an exception).<br><span class="bld">b</span> when the [[εἰ]] clause is really causal, as after Verbs expressing surprise or emotion, μὴ θαυμάσῃς, εἰ πολλὰ τῶν εἰρημένων οὐ πρέπει σοι Isoc.1.44; κατοικτῖραι... εἰ… οὐδεὶς ἐς ἑκατοστὸν ἔτος περιέσται [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.46, cf. [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''1242; so also δεινὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη πρῆγμα, εἰ Σάκας μὲν καταστρεψάμενοι δούλους ἔχομεν, Ἕλληνας δὲ οὐ τιμωρησόμεθα [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.9, cf. And.1.102, Lys.20.8 (prob.), D.8.55; οὐκ αἰσχρόν, εἰ τὸ μὲν Ἀργείων πλῆθος οὐκ ἐφοβήθη τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων ἀρχήν, ὑμεῖς δ' ὄντες Ἀθηναῖοι βάρβαρον ἄνθρωπον… φοβήσεσθε;Id.15.23, cf. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]5.97, Lys.22.13.<br><span class="bld">c</span> when [[οὐ]] belongs closely to the next word (v. A. I), or is quoted unchanged, εἰ, ὡς νῦν φήσει, οὐ παρεσκευάσατο D.54.29 codd.; <b class="b3">εἰ δ' οὐκέτ' ἐστί</b> (''[[sc.]]'' <b class="b3">ὥσπερ λέγεις</b>), τίνι τρόπῳ διεφθάρη;E.''Ion''347.<br><span class="bld">8</span> [[οὐ]] is used with inf. in orat. obliq., when it represents the ind. of orat. recta, φαμὲν δέ οἱ οὐ τελέεσθαι Od.4.664, cf. Il.17.174, 21.316, S.''Ph.''1389, etc.; λέγοντες οὐκ εἶναι αὐτόνομοι Th.1.67, cf. [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 348c, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''1.6.18; οἶμαι… οὐκ ὀλίγον ἔργον αὐτὸ εἶναι [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 369b, cf. [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''1051, Th.1.71, etc.; <b class="b3">ἡγήσαντο ἡμᾶς οὐ περιόψεσθαι</b> ib.39. (For the occasional use of [[μή]], v. [[μή]] B. 5c; sometimes we have [[οὐ]] and [[μή]] in consecutive clauses, οἶμαι σοῦ κάκιον οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων κρατύνειν μηδ' ἐπιθύνειν χερί S.''Ph.''1058sq.; αὐτὸ ἡγοῦμαι οὐ διδακτὸν εἶναι μηδὲ… παρασκευαστόν [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 319b.)<br><span class="bld">9</span> [[οὐ]] is used with the part., when it can be resolved into a finite sentence with [[οὐ]], as after Verbs of knowing and showing, τὸν κατθανόνθ' ὁρῶντες οὐ τιμώμενον E.''Hec.''316; κατενόησαν οὐ πολλοὺς τοὺς Θηβαίους ὄντας Th.2. 3; ἔργῳ δηλώσω οὐ παραγενόμενος Antipho2.4.8, etc.; or into a causal sentence, τῶν βαρβάρων οἱ πολλοὶ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ διεφθάρησαν νέειν οὐκ ἐπιστάμενοι [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]8.89; τὴν Μένδην πόλιν ἅτε οὐκ ἀπὸ ξυμβάσεως ἀνοιχθεῖσαν διήρπασαν Th.4.130; or into a concessive sentence, δόξω γυναῖκα καίπερ οὐκ ἔχων ἔχειν E.''Alc.''352, cf. S.''Ph.''377, etc.: regularly with [[ὡς]] and part., ὡς οὐχὶ συνδράσουσα νουθετεῖς τάδε Id.''El.''1025, etc.; ἐθορυβεῖτε ὡς οὐ ποιήσοντες ταῦτα Lys.12.73, cf. S.''Ph.''884, ''Aj.'' 682, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.99, Th.1.2,5,28,68,90; ὥσπερ οὐ πάντας τούτῳ τῷ τεκμηρίῳ χρωμένους Lycurg.90, cf. Th.8.1, Isoc.4.11:—for exceptions, v. [[μή]] B. 6.<br><span class="bld">b</span> when the part. is used with the Art., [[μή]] is generally used, unless there is a distinct reference to a fact, when [[οὐ]] is occasionally found, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς οὐκ οὔσης ἔτι [πόλεως] ὁρμώμενοι Th.1.74; τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει οὐδὲν εἰδότας Id.4.111; οἱ οὐκ ἐθέλοντες Antipho 6.26; τῶν οὐ βουλομένων And.1.9; τοὺς οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦντας ἀκρίτους ἀπέκτειναν Lys.12.82, cf. <b class="b3">τὸν οὐδὲ συμπενθῆσαι τὰς τῆς πατρίδος συμφορὰς τολμήσαντα</b> (preceded by <b class="b3">τὸν… μήτε ὅπλα θέμενον ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος μήτε τὸ σῶμα παρασχόντα κτλ</b>.) Lycurg.43; τὸ οὐχ εὑρημένον [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 427e.<br><span class="bld">10</span> Adjectives and abstract Substantives with the article commonly take [[μή]] (v. μή B. 7) but [[οὐ]] is occasionally used, τὰς οὐκ ἀναγκαίας πόσεις X.''Lac.''5.4; τοὺς οὐδένας E.''IA''371; τὸν οὐδέν Id.''Ph.''598 (whereas <b class="b3">ὁ μηδείς, τὸ μηδέν</b> is the rule); <b class="b3">τὴν τῶν γεφυρῶν οὐ διάλυσιν</b> the [[non]]- dissolution of the bridges, the fact [[of their not]]being broken up, Th.1.137; ἡ οὐ περιτείχισις Id.3.95; ἡ τῶν χωρίων οὐκ ἀπόδοσις Id.5.35, cf.E. ''Hipp.''196 (anap.); so without the article, ἐν οὐ καιπῷ Id.''Ba.''1287; <b class="b3">οὐ πάλης ὕπο</b> ib.455.<br><span class="bld">11</span> for <b class="b3">οὐ μή</b>, v. sub voc.<br><span class="bld">12</span> in questions [[οὐ]] ordinarily expects a positive answer, <b class="b3">οὔ νυ καὶ ἄλλοι ἔασι</b>…;Il.10.165; <b class="b3">οὐχ ὁράᾳς</b>…; dost thou [[not]] see? Od.17.545; οὐκ… ᾐσθόμην;A.''Pr.''956: so as a strong form of imper., οὐκ ἀπαλλάξει;E.''Ion''524; οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖτε τὸν μιαρὸν τοῦτον ἄνθρωπον;Din.1.18; οὐκ εἶ καταπιὼν Εὐριπίδην;[[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''484; [[βάλλε]], [[βάλλε]] followed by <b class="b3">οὐ βαλεῖς</b>;<b class="b3">οὐ βαλεῖς</b>;ib.281 and 283, cf. S.''Ant.''885: also with opt. and <b class="b3">ἄν, οὐκ ἂν δὴ τόνδ' ἄνδρα μάχης ἐρύσαιο</b>(= [[ἔρυσαι]]);Il.5.456; <b class="b3">οὐκ ἂν φράσειας</b>(= [[φράσον]]);S.''Ph.''1222; but in questions introduced by <b class="b3">οὐ δή, οὐ δή του, οὔ που, οὔ τί που</b>, a doubt is implied of the statement involved, and an appeal is made to the hearers, <b class="b3">οὐ δή ποθ' ἡμῖν ξυγγενὴς ἥκεις ποθέν</b>;surely you are [[not]]…? Id.''El.''1202, cf. ''Ph.''900; <b class="b3">οὔ τί που οὗτος Ἀπόλλων</b>…;Pi.''P.''4.87, cf. S.''Ph.''1233, E.''IA''670, ''Hel.''135, ''Ion''1113, Ar.''Ra.''522, 526.<br><span class="bld">B</span> POSITION. [[οὐ]] is generally put immediately before the word which it negatives, οὐκ ἐκεῖνον ἐθεώμην.—ἀλλὰ τίνα μήν; ἔφη ὁ Τιγράνης [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''3.1.41; οὐχ αἱ τρίχες ποιοῦσιν αἱ λευκαὶ φρονεῖν Men.639; οὐ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀκοντίζειν οὐκ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μηδενὶ ὑπὸ τὸ ἀκόντιον ὑπελθεῖν Antipho 3.4.6: in Poetry the position is freq. more free, κίνδυνος ἄναλκιν οὐ φῶτα λαμβάνει Pi.''O.''1.81; <b class="b3">οὐ ψεύδεϊ τέγξω λόγον</b> ib. 4.19; <b class="b3">κατακρύπτει δ' οὐ κόνις</b> ib.8.79; χρὴ πρὸς θεὸν οὐκ ἐρίζειν Id.''P.'' 2.88: sometimes emphatically at the end of the clause, καὶ τοὶ γὰρ αἰθοίσας ἔχοντες σπέρμ' ἀνέβαν φλογὸς οὔ Id.''O.''7.48; ταρβήσει γὰρ οὔ [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''545: in clauses opposed by [[μέν]] and [[δέ]] the [[οὐ]] (or [[μή]]) is freq. placed at the end, βούλονται μέν, δύνανται δ' οὔ Th.6.38; οὗτος δ' ἦν καλὸς μέν, μέγας δ' οὔ X.''An.''4.4.3; ἔδοξέ μοι ὁ ἀνὴρ δοκεῖν μὲν εἶναι σοφὸς... εἶναι δ' οὔ Pl.''Ap.''21c; so τὸ Πέρσας μὲν λέληθε, ἡμέας μέντοι οὔ [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.139: freq. with ὁ μὲν… ὁ δέ, οὐ πάσας χρὴ τὰς δόξας τιμᾶν, ἀλλὰ τὰς μέν, τὰς δ' οὔ Pl.''Cri.''47a, cf. ''Ap.''24e, ''R.''475b, etc.; Λέριοι κακοί, οὐχ ὁ μέν, ὃς δ' οὔ Phoc.1: sometimes in the first clause after μέν, οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ ἐξῆγον μὲν οὔ, συνεκάλεσαν δέ X.''An.''6.4.20, cf. 4.8.2, ''Cyr.''1.4.10, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Phaedo|Phd.]]'' 73b; κατώρα πᾶν μὲν οὒ τὸ στρατόπεδον [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]7.208.<br><span class="bld">C</span> ACCUMULATION. A simple neg. ([[οὐ]] or [[μή]]) is freq. repeated in composition with Prons., Advbs., or Conjs., as [[οὐδείς]] or [[μηδείς]], [[οὐδέ]] or [[μηδέ]], [[οὐδαμῶς]] or [[μηδαμῶς]], first in Hom., οὔ μιν ὁΐομαιοὐδὲ πεπύσθαι λυγρῆς ἀγγελίης Il.17.641; ἀλλ' οὔ μοι Τρώων τόσσον μέλει ἄλγος ὀπίσσω οὔτ' αὐτῆς Ἑκάβης οὔτε Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος 6.450; οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν κρεῖσσον οἰκείου φίλου E.''Andr.''986: the first neg. may be a compd., καθεύδων οὐδεὶς οὐδενὸς ἄξιος οὐδὲν μᾶλλον τοῦ μὴ ζῶντος Pl. ''Lg.''808b; οὐδενὶ οὐδαμῇ οὐδαμῶς οὐδεμίαν κοινωνίαν ἔχει Id.''Prm.''166a (similarly with [[μή]], ''Phdr.''236e): or a neg. Adj., ἀδύνατος οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν λέγειν μάτην E.''Andr.''746; [[οὐ]] follows the compd. neg., οὐδ' εἰ πάντες ἔλθοιεν Πέρσαι, πλήθει γε οὐχ ὑπερβαλοίμεθ' ἂν τοὺς πολεμίους [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''2.1.8; <b class="b3">οὐδ' ἂν ἡ πόλις ἄρα</b> (ὅπερ ἄρτι ἐλέγομεν) ὅλη τοιοῦτον ποιῇ, οὐκ ἐπαινέσῃ [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 426b, cf. ''Smp.''204a: sometimes a confirmative Particle accompanies the first [[οὐ]] or [[οὐδέ]], and the neg. is repeated with emphasis, οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδέ μ' ἔασκες Il.19.295; οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ Δρύαντος υἱὸς… δὴν ἧν 6.130, v. [[οὐδέ]] C. ''ΙΙ''; οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ αὖ ὡς σύ μοι δοκεῖς οἴεσθαι [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 332a: so also in Trag. and Att. without any such Particle, <b class="b3">οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε</b> [[not]] small, [[no]], is this struggle, S.''OC''587; θεοῖς τέθνηκεν οὗτος, οὐ κείνοισιν, οὔ Id.''Aj.''970, cf.Ar.''Ra.''28, 1308, X.''Smp.'' 2.4, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 390c.<br><span class="bld">2</span> when the compd. neg. precedes and the simple neg. follows with the Verb, the opposing negs. produce an emphatic positive, <b class="b3">οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων ἀδικῶν τίσιν οὐκ ἀποτείσει</b> Orac. ap. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]5.56; γλώσσης κρυφαῖον οὐδὲν οὐ διέρχεται S.''Fr.''935 (but prob. [[falsa lectio|f.l.]]); οὐδεὶς οὐκ ἔπασχέ τι X.''Smp.''1.9.<br><span class="bld">3</span> similarly each of two simple negs. may retain its negating force, ὥσπερ οὐ διὰ πρᾳότητα καὶ ἀσχολίαν τὴν ὑμετέραν οὐ δεδωκὼς ὑμῖν δίκην Lys.6.34; ἐγὼ δ' οὐκ οἶμαι… οὐ δεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀμύνεσθαι Id.13.52 (similarly with [[μή]], D.19.77): sometimes a combination of a [[μέν]]-clause with a [[δέ]]-clause containing [[οὐ]] is negatived as a whole by a preceding [[οὐ]], e.g. οὐ γὰρ δήπου Κτησιφῶντα μὲν δύναται διώκειν δι' ἐμέ, ἐμὲ δέ, εἴπερ ἐξελέγξειν ἐνόμιζεν, αὐτὸν οὐκ ἂν ἐγράψατο Id.18.13.<br><span class="bld">D</span> PLEONASM OF [[οὐ]]: after Verbs of denying, doubting, and disputing, followed by [[ὡς]] or [[ὅτι]] with a finite Verb, [[οὐ]] is inserted to show the neg. character of the statement, where in Engl. the neg. is not required, ὡς μὲν οὐκ ἀληθῆ ταῦτ' ἐστὶν οὐκ ἔχετ' ἀντιλέγειν D.8.31, cf. Th.1.77, X.''HG''2.3.16, ''Smp.''2.12, Isoc.5.57, etc.; οὐδεὶς ἂν τολμήσειεν ἀντειπεῖν ὡς οὐ τὴν μὲν ἐμπειρίαν μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ἔχομεν Id.6.48, cf. And.4.34, D.16.4, etc.; οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθεῖεν ἔνιοι ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶ τοιοῦτοι Id.9.54; ἀρνεῖσθαι ὅτι οὐ παρῆν X.''Ath.''2.17; <b class="b3">οὐδ' αὐτὸς ὁ Λάμπις ἔξαρνος ἐγένετο ὡς οὐκ εἴη εἰρηκὼς κτλ</b>. D.34.49; ἀμφισβητεῖν ὡς οὐχὶ… δοτέον δίκην Pl.''Euthphr.''8c, cf. ''R.''476d, ''Prm.''135a; <b class="b3">ἀπιστεῖν ὅτι οὐ</b>… Id.''Men.''89d; ἀνέλπιστον καταστῆσαί τισιν ὡς οὐκ ἔσται μεταγνῶναι Th. 3.46: [[οὐ]] is sometimes thus used in the second member of a negative comparative sentence, ἥκει ὁ Πέρσης οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ἐπ' ἡμέας ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπ' ὑμέας [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]4.118, cf. 5.94, 7.16.γ, Th.2.62,3.36: after [[πλήν]], X.''Lac.'' 15.6, D.18.45.<br><span class="bld">E</span> OMISSION OF [[οὐ]]: [[οὐ]] is sometimes omitted, esp. by Poets, when it may be supplied from the next clause, γῆ δ' οὐδ' ἀὴρ οὐδ' οὐρανὸς ἦν Ar.''Av.''694; σιδήρῳ οὐδ' ἀργύρῳ χρέωνται οὐδέν [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.215; ῥοδιακὴ οὖς οὐδὲ πυθμένα οὐκ ἔχουσα ''Inscr.Délos'' 313a84 (iii B. C.).<br><span class="bld">F</span> in Poetry, if [[ἤ]] stands before [[οὐ]], the two sounds coalesce into one syllable, as in ἦ οὐχ Il.5.349, cf. Od.1.298; so, in Att., μὴ οὐ S. ''OT''283, etc., and <b class="b3">ἐγὼ οὔτε</b> ib.332, ἐγὼ οὐ [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Knights|Eq.]]''340.—This synizesis is general in Ep., universal in Att.<br><span class="bld">G</span> FORM. [[οὐ]] is used before consonants (including the digamma, e.g. before <b class="b3">ἕθεν, οἱ, e(</b>, Il.1.114, 2.392, 24.214, but not before [[ὅς]] Possess., οὐχ ᾧ πατρί Od.13.265, cf. [[οὐκ]] ἐπέεσσι Il.15.162, etc.); [[οὐκ]] before vowels with spir. lenis, [[οὐχ]] before vowels with spir. asper; in our text of [[Herodotus|Hdt.]] [[οὐκ]] is used before all vowels (prob. because [[Herodotus|Hdt.]] had no spir. asper): the Ep. form [[οὐκί]] [ῐ] is used by Hom. mostly at the end of a clause and at the close of the verse, ὅς τ' αἴτιος ὅς τε καὶ οὐκί Il.15.137; ἠὲ καὶ [[οὐκί]] 2.238,300,al.; but in the middle of a verse, 20.255; [[οὐχί]] [ῐ] is found twice in Hom., Il.15.716, 16.762, and is common in Trag., where it is freq. employed like [[οὔ]] emphatic (supr. B), τί δ' οὐχί;A.''Ag.''273,''Fr.''310; πῶς δ' οὐχί;Id.''Supp.''918, Ar.''Pax'' 1027; ἐμὸς μὲν οὐχί E.''IA''859: also in Prose, Th.1.120,al., ''1 Ep.Cor.'' 5.12, etc.: the diphthong is genuine and always written ου (ουκ, ουδε, etc.) in early Inscrr., ''IG''12.10.22, etc.; in iv B.C. rarely written οκ, ib. 22.1635.112,116,121; [[οὐ]] abbreviated ο, Suid.s.v. [[Φιλοξένου γραμμάτιον]].<br><span class="bld">H</span> ACCENTUATION. [[οὐ]] is oxytone acc. to Hdn.Gr.1.494 (text doubtfulin 504): Arist.''SE''166b6, referring to Il.23.328 <b class="b3">τὸ μὲν ου</b> (i.e. [[οὐ]] = [[οὒ]]) <b class="b3"> καταπύθεται ὄμβρῳ</b>, says <b class="b3">λύουσι… τῇ προσῳδίᾳ λέγοντες τὸ ου ὀξύτερον</b> (i.e. [[οὗ]]), cf. 178b3. In codd. the word is written oxytone when followed by a pause (v. supr. B), and is usually written without any accent in other cases.<br><span class="bld">I</span> [[οὐ]] in connection with other Particles will be found in alphabetical order, <b class="b3">οὐ γάρ, οὐ μή</b>, etc.—The corresponding forms of [[μή]] should be compared.

|ptext=[[https://www.translatum.gr/images/pape/pape-02-0406.png Seite 406]] vor einem Vocal mit dem Spiritus lenis [[οὐκ]], vor einem Vocal mit dem Spiritus asper ο ὐ χ (vgl. auch [[οὐχί]] u. [[οὐκί]]), Verneinungswort, [[nicht]], im <span class="ggns">Gegensatz</span> von μή objectiv, eine Thatsache verneinend, Etwas als nicht vorhanden bezeichnend, was freilich auch eine Vorstellung, ein Gedanke sein kann; also in aussagenden Sätzen c. indic., von Hom. an überall und keiner Beispiele bedürfend; auch c. optat. pot., οὐ γάρ κεν ῥύσαιτό σ' ὑπὲκ κακοῦ, Od. 12, 107, denn dies ist nur ein gemilderter Ausdruck für οὐ ῥύσεταί σε; wie etwa οὔ με [[μάλα]] ῥέα νικήσει, οὐδ' εἰ [[παγχάλκεος]] εὔχεται εἶναι, Il. 20, 101, vgl. οὔ κεν ἀλήϊος εἴη [[ἀνήρ]], 9, 125; οὔ κε θανόντι περ ὧδ' ἀκαχοίμην, Od. 1, 236; 2, 249. – Eben so in Erklärungssätzen u. beschreibenden Zeit- u. Causalsätzen, nach ὅτε, [[ἐπεί]], [[ἐπειδή]] u. ä. (vgl. μή, wo die Fälle aufgeführt sind, in welchen diese Verneinungspartikel gebraucht wird, so daß anzunehmen ist, daß in allen anderen Fällen οὐ steht). Bes. ist zu bemerken, daß zu [[λέγω]], [[φημί]] u. ä., wie zu ἐάω, die Verneinungspartikel οὐ so hinzugesetzt wird, daß im Deutschen geradezu e i n Verbum »verneinen«, »leugnen«, »verweigern«, »verbieten« entspricht, Il. 5, 256. 7, 393 Od. 7, 239. So auch οὐκ [[ἀξιόω]], Thuc. 1, 102. 2, 89; Xen. An. 2, 5, 12; daher in diesem Falle auch bei abhängigen int. οὐ steht, φησὶ [[δεῖν]] οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον προσφέρειν τῷ φαρμάκῳ, Plat. Phaed. 83 d, es wird als eine faktische Behauptung hingestellt, οὐδὲν δεῖ προσφέρειν. – Das Verbum fehlt zuweilen bei οὐ, bes. in Schwurformeln, οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον Ἅλιον, Soph. O. R. 680, u. sonst. – In Vrbdgn wie οὐ χερός, οὐ ποδός, οὔ τινος [[ἄρχων]], Soph. Phil. 848, ist es auf das Verbum zu beziehen u. steht in keiner engern Vrbdg mit dem Nomen; so auch οὐ λόγοις τιμώμενα O. C. 62, κοὐ λόγῳ κακά Tr. 1035. – Adjectiva werden dadurch verneint u. ihr Begriff ins Gegentheil umgewandelt, οὐ πολὺν χρόνον μ' ἐπέσχον Soph. Phil. 348, [[ὄνειδος]] οὐ καλόν 475, χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν O. C. 37, λέγεις γὰρ οὐκ ἀνεκτά Ant. 282; doch müssen sie immer durch einen einfachen, beschreibenden Relativsatz ausgedrückt werden können (vgl. μή 2 d); u. in demselben Falle bei Participien, ὁ μὲν λαβών, ὁ δ' οὐ λαβών, Ar. Eccl. 187; ξυνελθόντες μέν, ἀμύνεσθαι δ' οὐ τολμῶντες, Thuc. 1, 124; u. bei Adverbiis, [[πολλάκις]] τε κοὐχ [[ἅπαξ]], Soph. O. R. 1275, oft οὐκ [[ἄνευ]], οὐ [[πάνυ]], keinesweges, οὐχ ἥκιστα, ganz besonders. – Besonders wird oft ein Gegensatz zwischen zwei Wörtern auf diese Weise hervorgehoben, [[τρέχω]] δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκίᾳ σκελῶν, Aesch. Eum. 37; οὐ προστρόπαιον χέρα, ἀλλ' ἀμβλὺν [[ἤδη]], 228; [[οὗτος]] ἔφθιτ' οὐ [[καλῶς]], [[ἀλλά]] νιν [[μήτηρ]] κατέκτα, 436; πόνον, οὐ [[χάριν]] ἀντιδίδωσιν ἔχειν, Soph. O. C. 231; ἥξοντα βαιοῦ κοὐχὶ μυρίου χρόνου, 398; so findet es sich auch wenn der Gegensatz nicht bestimmt ausgesprochen ist in den Sätzen, wo nach dem unter μή Bemerkten diese Partikel regelmäßig steht, εἰ δέ τοι οὐ δώσει, Il. 24, 296, d. i. wenn er dir nicht geben, verweigern wird, u. öfter bei dem schon bemerkten οὔ φημι, οὐκ ἐάω; vgl. noch μὴ δείσητε, ὡς οὐχ [[ἡδέως]] καθευδήσετε, Xen. Cyr. 6, 2, 30, unangenehm. (Nach [[θαυμάζω]] hat εἰ deswegen οὐ bei sich, weil es hier keine Bedingung, sondern eine Frage ausdrückt, vgl. εἰ u. μή.) – Ἀλλ' οὐ μέλλειν, ἀλλ' ἅπτεσθαι χρή, Ar. Eccl. 581. – Seltener ist eine Vrbdg, wie Thuc. 1, 137 ἡ τῶν γεφυρῶν οὐ [[διάλυσις]], das Nichtabbrechen der Brücken, wie ἡ οὐ [[περιτείχισις]] 3, 95, vgl. 5, 50, geradezu Umschreibung für einen ganzen Satz, daß die Brücken in der That nicht abgebrochen wurden; ἡ οὐκ [[ἐπιμαρτύρησις]] S. Emp. adv. math. 7, 214 ff. – Sowohl das einfache οὐ wird in demselben Satze zweimal gesetzt, um nachdrücklicher zu verneinen, οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω οὔ σε θεῶν [[ἀέκητι]] [[γενέσθαι]] Od. 3, 27, οὐ μὲν ἀεργίης γε [[ἄναξ]] ἕνεκ' οὔ σε κομίζει 24, 251, Hes. O. 519, ὃς οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῷδ' ἐβούλευσας δρᾶσαι τόδ' [[ἔργον]] οὐκ ἔτλης Aesch. Ag. 1617, νῦν ἐπὶ τῷδε νοσοῦντι οὐ πῦρ, οὐκ [[ἔγχος]] τις ὀνήσιμον οὐκ ἀποτρέψει Soph. Tr. 1010, als auch werden bes. verschiedene Verneinungswörter in einem Satze vereinigt, ohne sich aufzuheben; ist der Satz durch eine negative Conjunction eingeleitet, so werden regelmäßiger Weise alle adverbiale Orts-, Zeit- u. ähnliche Bestimmungen allgemeiner Art ebenfalls verneint, οὐκ ἦν ἀλέξημ' [[οὐδέν]] Aesch. Prom. 477, οὐκ οἶδεν [[οὐδείς]] Ag. 618, κοὐ στρατὸς [[οὐδαμῇ]] καθίστατο Pers. 376, οὐκ ἔμελλον ἄρα λείψειν [[οὐδέποτε]] Soph. Phil. 1072; u. in Prosa, vgl. z. B. οὐ [[μέντοι]] ἔφασαν ἀποθνησκειν οὐδένα Her. 2, 63; οὐδεὶς εἰς οὐδὲν οὐδενὸς ἂν ἡμῶν [[οὐδέποτε]] γένοιτο [[ἄξιος]], Plat. Phil. 19 b; σμικρὰ [[φύσις]] οὐδὲν μέγα [[οὐδέποτε]] οὐδένα [[οὔτε]] ἰδιώτην, [[οὔτε]] πόλιν δρᾷ, Rep. VI, 495 b (vgl. auch ούδαμῶς, οὐδαμῆ u. ä.). – Anders sind Beispiele, wie οὐ νῦν ἐκεῖνοι παιόμενοι – οὐδ' ἀποθανεῖν δύνανται; Xen. An. 3, 1, 29, wo das erste οὐ die Frage einleitet, [[οὐδέ]] zu ἀπαθανεῖν allein gehört, können jene nicht, nicht einmal sterben? d. i. sie können nicht einmal sterben; vgl. οὐκ εἰς Πέρινθον – Ἀρίσταρχος ἡμᾶς οὐκ εἴα εἰσιέναι, verhinderte er uns nicht, 7, 6, 24. – In scharf hervorgehobenem Gegensatze steht es oft ohne Verbum am Ende des Satzes und wird dann accentuirt, συμβαίνει γὰρ οὐ τὰ μέν, τὰ δ' οὔ; Aesch. Prom. 788; ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἠφάνιστο, [[τυμβήρης]] μὲν οὔ, Soph. Ai. 255; ταρβήσει γὰρ οὔ, 541; καὶ τοὶ γὰρ αἰθοίσας ἔχοντες σπέρμ' ἀνέβαν φλογὸς οὔ, Pind. Ol. 7, 48; οἱ μὲν ἐνετύγχανον, οἱ δὲ καὶ οὔ, Xen. An. 5, 2, 17; τοῖς μὲν ἐδόκει βέλτιστον εἶναι καταμεῖναι, τοῖς δὲ πολλοῖς οὔ, 5, 6, 19. – Eben so wird es betont, wenn es allein steht, ohne Verbum, theils in der Antwort, οὔ, [[nein]], Soph. O. R. 1040 Tr. 247 u. öfter, Ar. u. Plat., theils wenn es nach einem negativen Satze noch einmal allein steht und mit einem besonderen Nachdruck auch im Deutschen durch [[nein]] wiedergegeben werden kann, οὐκ ἔστ' [[ἄλυξις]], οὔ, ξένοι, Aesch. Ag. 1272, vgl. οὔ, [[πρίν]] γε χώραν τήνδε κινδύνῳ βαλεῖν Spt. 1039; οὔκ, [[εἴπερ]] ἔσται γε, Ag. 1222; οὔ μοι δοκεῖ, ὦ Ἱππία, οὐκ, εἰ ταῦτά γε –, Plat. Hipp. mai. 292 b; θεοῖς τέθνηκεν [[οὗτος]], οὐ κείνοισιν, οὔ, Soph. Ai. 649. – In der Frage drückt οὐ immer aus, daß man eine bejahende Antwort erwartet; es ist eigentlich nicht als Fragepartikel anzusehen, sondern die Frage wird, wie bei uns so oft, durch den bloßen Ton der Rede angedeutet, οὔ νυ καὶ ἄλλοι [[ἔασι]]; sind nicht auch andere? womit die Ansicht ausgesprochen ist, daß es wirklich noch Andere giebt, Il. 10, 165, vgl. 4, 242. 24, 33, öfter; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις [[πλέον]]; Aesch. Prom. 41, vgl. Pers. 784 Eum. 121, öfter; οὐκ ἐρεῖς; Soph. Phil. 730; οὐκ εἶ [[πάλιν]]; 963; oft mit γάρ verbunden, wie Ar. Av. 611. 1526 u. in Prosa überall. Auch allein u. am Ende der Frage stehend u. dann accentuirt, θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδ η, τί δ ' οὔ; Soph. Ant. 456; πῶς γὰρ οὐχ; Ai. 989. – Nicht selten steht es in diesem Falle dem Worte nach, zu dem es eigentlich gehört, wonach gefragt wird, vgl. Plat. Conv. 202 c Rep. IX, 590 a. – Das fut. mit οὐ steht oft so frageweise für den imperat., οὐ σῖγ' ἀνέξει; wirst du nicht schweigen? d. i. schweige. Soph. Ai. 75, vgl. Phil. 975 Tr. 1183. Doch findet sich auch außer der Frage οὐ φήσεις, du wirst das nicht sagen, für den imperat., wenn das Verbot so ausgesprochen wird, daß man die feste Überzeugung zugleich mit ausdrückt, es könne und werde nicht dagegen gehandelt werden. – Aehnlich der optat. aor. wit ἄν, οὐκ ἂν δὴ τόνδ' ἄνδρα μάχης ἐρύσαιο; den Befehl mildernd, Il. 5, 456, möchtest du nicht zurückhalten? vgl. 24, 263; u. so auch bittend, Od. 7, 22. 22, 132. – In einzelnen Fällen erscheint uns οὐ überflüssig (vgl. aber μή u. μὴ οὐ). Auch nach einem compar. wird es zuweilen gesetzt, wo wir es nicht übersetzen, οὐδὲν [[μᾶλλον]] Αἰολεῦσι ἢ οὐ καὶ σφί, Her. 5, 94, vgl. 7, 16, 3; πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι [[μᾶλλον]] ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους, Thuc. 3, 36, vgl. 2, 62. – Über οὐ für οὐ μά mit einem accus. in verneinender Betheuerung s. Koen Greg. Cor. p. 257. – Ἔ οὐκ, μὴ οὐ werden bei den Dichtern immer in eine Sylbe verschmolzen, so auch ἐγὼ οὐ.]

|mdlsjtxt=[cf. μη]<br />used in [[direct]] [[negation]] not, Lat. non.<br />A. USAGE:<br /><b class="num">I.</b> adhering to [[single]] words so as to [[form]] a [[quasi]]-compd. with them, οὐ [[δίδωμι]] to [[withhold]], οὐκ ἐῶ to [[refuse]], οὐκ [[ἐθέλω]] [[nolo]], οὔ φημι [[nego]].<br /><b class="num">II.</b> as negativing the [[whole]] [[sentence]], τὴν δ' ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω Il., etc.<br /><b class="num">2.</b> in [[dependent]] clauses οὐ is used,<br />a. with ὅτι or ὡς, [[after]] Verbs of [[saying]] or [[knowing]], ἔλεξε ὡς Ἕλληνες οὐ μενοῖεν Aesch.<br />b. in Causal sentences, and in Temporal sentences that [[involve]] [[special]] times, ἄχθεται ὅτι οὐ [[κάρτα]] θεραπεύεται Hdt.; οὐκ ἔσθ' ἐραστὴς [[ὅστις]] οὐκ ἀεὶ φιλεῖ Eur.<br /><b class="num">3.</b> in a conditional [[clause]] μή is [[necessary]], [[except]],<br />a. [[when]] οὐ is [[closely]] [[attached]] to the Verb (v. supr. I), εἴ [[φθονέω]] τε καὶ οὐκ εἰῶ διαπέρσαι Il.<br />b. [[when]] the subjoined [[clause]] is [[hypothetical]] in [[form]] only, μὴ θαυμάσῃς, εἰ πολλὰ οὐ πρέπει σοι ([[where]] εἰ = ὅ τἰ Isocr.; δεινὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη [[πρῆγμα]], εἰ Ἕλληνας οὐ τιμωρησόμεθα Hdt.<br /><b class="num">4.</b> οὐ is used with Inf. in [[oratio]] obl., [[when]] it represents the Ind. of [[oratio]] [[recta]], λέγοντες οὐκ [[εἶναι]] αὐτόνομοι Thuc.; [[οἶμαι]] οὐκ [[ὀλίγον]] [[ἔργον]] αὐτὸ [[εἶναι]] Plat.<br /><b class="num">5.</b> οὐ is used with the Participle, [[when]] it can be resolved [[into]] a [[finite]] [[sentence]] with οὐ; κατενόησαν οὐ πολλοὺς τοὺς Θηβαίους ὄντας = [[ὅ τι]] οὐ πολλοί εἰσι, Thuc.<br /><b class="num">6.</b> Adjectives and [[abstract]] Substantives with the Article [[commonly]] [[take]] μή (v. μή B. 6), but οὐ is [[occasionally]] used, τῶν γεφυρῶν οὐ διάλυσιν the nondissolution of the [[bridge]], the [[fact]] of its not [[being]] [[broken]] up, Thuc.; so, ἡ οὐ [[περιτείχισις]] Thuc.<br />B. ACCUMULATION: the [[negative]] is often [[repeated]], so that two negatives do not make an [[affirmative]], [[attic]], οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν κρεῖσσον φίλου Eur.; καθεύδων οὐδεὶς οὐδενὸς [[ἄξιος]] οὐδὲν [[μᾶλλον]] τοῦ μὴ ζῶντος Plat.; οὐδενὶ [[οὐδαμῆ]] [[οὐδαμῶς]] οὐδεμίαν κοινωνίαν [[ἔχει]] Plat.<br />C. PLEONASM OF οὐ: [[after]] Verbs of denying, doubting, and disputing, followed by ὡς or ὅτι, οὐ is inserted, [[where]] in Engl. the negat. is not required, ἀμφισβητεῖ ὡς οὐ δεῖ [[δίκην]] διδόναι Plat. Like [[this]] is the [[appearance]] of οὐ in the [[second]] [[member]] of a [[negative]] [[comparative]] [[sentence]], ἥκει ὁ [[Πέρσης]] [[οὐδέν]] τι [[μᾶλλον]] ἐπ' [[ἡμέας]] ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπ' [[ὑμέας]] Hdt.<br />D. in Poetry, if ἤ stands [[before]] οὐ, the two sounds [[coalesce]] [[into]] one [[syllable]], as in ἢ οὐ, μὴ οὐ.<br />E. οὐ in [[connection]] with [[other]] Particles [[will]] be [[found]] in alphabetical [[order]], οὐ γάρ, οὐ μή, etc.