μέλλω: Difference between revisions

|Definition=impf. <b class="b3">ἔμελλον</b> and <b class="b3">ἤμελλον</b> (v. infr.), Ep. <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> μέλλον <span class="bibl">Il.17.278</span>, <span class="bibl">Od.1.232</span>, <span class="bibl">9.378</span>, <span class="bibl">B.12.164</span>; Ep., Ion. μέλλεσκον <span class="bibl">Theoc.25.240</span>, <span class="bibl">Mosch.2.109</span>: fut. μελλήσω <span class="bibl">D.6.15</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ev.Matt.</span>24.6</span>: aor. ἐμέλλησα <span class="bibl">Th.3.55</span>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">HG</span>5.4.65</span>, etc., and <b class="b3">ἠμ-</b> (v. infr.):—Pass. and Med., v. infr. v.—Only pres. and impf. in Hom., Hes., Lyr., and Trag.: aor. only in Prose (exc. Thgn., v. infr.): the impf. <b class="b3">ἤμελλον</b> with long augm. is established by the metre in <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Th.</span>898</span>, <span class="bibl">Thgn.906</span>, <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ec.</span> 597</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ra.</span>1038</span> (both anap.), <span class="bibl">A.R.1.1309</span> (cf. Sch. ad loc.), <span class="bibl">Call.<span class="title">Del.</span> 58</span>: aor. 1 ἠμέλλησα <span class="bibl">Thgn.259</span>; <b class="b3">ἤμελλον</b> is not found in earlier Att. Inscrr., but occurs in Pap., as <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PPetr.</span>2p.146</span> (iii B. C.), Phld.<span class="title">Rh.</span>1.145 S. (but ἔμελλον <span class="bibl">Hyp.<span class="title">Ath.</span>7</span>, <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Ath.</span>25.3</span>). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">I</span> <b class="b2">to be destined</b> or <b class="b2">likely to</b>, indicating an estimated certainty or strong probability in the present, past, or future (cf. Aristonic. ap. Sch.<span class="bibl">Il.10.326</span>, <span class="bibl">11.817</span>, <span class="bibl">16.46</span>,al.): a. c. pres. inf. (or its equivalent), of a probability in the present, <b class="b3">ὅθι που μέλλουσιν ἄριστοι βουλὰς βουλεύειν</b> where <b class="b2">belike</b> the best are holding counsel, <span class="bibl">Il.10.326</span>; <b class="b3">ᾧ μέλλεις εὔχεσθαι</b> to whom thou <b class="b2">doubtless</b> prayest, <span class="bibl">11.364</span>; <b class="b3">μέλλεις δὲ σὺ ἴδμεναι</b> <b class="b2">doubtless</b> thou knowest, <span class="bibl">Od.4.200</span>; <b class="b3">τὰ δὲ μέλλετ' ἀκουέμεν</b> <b class="b2">belike</b> you have heard it, <span class="bibl">Il.14.125</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Od.4.94</span>; οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι <span class="bibl">Il.2.116</span>; <b class="b3">ὄλβον δὲ θεοὶ μέλλουσιν ὀπάζειν</b> <b class="b2">methinks</b> it is the gods who give wealth, <span class="bibl">Od.18.19</span>; <b class="b3">εἰ δ' οὕτω τοῦτ' ἐστίν, ἐμοὶ μέλλει φίλον εἶναι</b> <b class="b2">you may be sure</b> it is my good pleasure, <span class="bibl">Il.1.564</span>. b. c. aor. inf., of a probability in the past, <b class="b3">μέλλω που ἀπεχθέσθαι Διὶ πατρί</b> I <b class="b2">must have</b> become hateful to father Zeus, <span class="bibl">21.83</span>; <b class="b3">κελευσέμεναι δέ σ' ἔμελλε δαίμων</b> a god <b class="b2">must surely have</b> bidden thee, <span class="bibl">Od.4.274</span>; <b class="b3">πολλάκι που μέλλεις ἀρήμεναι</b> you <b class="b2">must</b> often <b class="b2">have</b> prayed, <span class="bibl">22.322</span>; <b class="b3">μέλλω ἀθανάτους ἀλιτέσθαι</b> I <b class="b2">must have</b> sinned against the immortals, <span class="bibl">4.377</span>; <b class="b3">ἄλλοτε δή ποτε μᾶλλον ἐρωῆσαι πολέμοιο μέλλω</b> at any other time rather than this I <b class="b2">may have</b> drawn back... <span class="bibl">Il.13.777</span>; <b class="b3">μέλλει μέν πού τις καὶ φίλτερον ἄλλον ὀλέσσαι</b> before now, <b class="b2">no doubt</b>, a man <b class="b2">has</b> lost... <span class="bibl">24.46</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">18.362</span>; τοῦ δ' ἤδη μέλλουσι κύνες ταχέες τ' οἰωνοὶ ῥινὸν ἀπ' ὀστεόφιν ἐρύσαι <span class="bibl">Od.14.133</span>; of a destiny in the past, <b class="b3">ἔμελλεν οἷ αὐτῷ θάνατον . . λιτέσθαι</b> he <b class="b2">was fated to have</b> been praying for his own death, <span class="bibl">Il.16.46</span>; <b class="b3">ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρ' ἔμελλον ἑταίρῳ κτεινομένῳ ἐπαμῦναι</b> since I <b class="b2">was</b> (i.e. <b class="b2">am</b>) not <b class="b2">destined to have</b> succoured my comrade when they were slaying him, <span class="bibl">18.98</span>: c. pres. inf., <b class="b3">οὐκ ἄρ' ἔμελλες ἀνάλκιδος ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρους ἔδμεναι</b> he <b class="b2">was to turn out</b> no helpless man whose comrades you ate, <span class="bibl">Od.9.475</span>. c. c. fut. inf., of a destin y or probability in the future, <b class="b3">ἅ οὐ τελέεσθαι ἔμελλον</b> which <b class="b2">were</b> not <b class="b2">to be</b> accomplished, <span class="bibl">Il.2.36</span>; <b class="b3">τάχα δ' ἀνστήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν</b> ib.<span class="bibl">694</span>; ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρ' ἔμελλον ἔγωγε νοστήσας οἶκόνδε . . εὐφρανέειν ἄλοχον <span class="bibl">5.686</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">12.113</span>, <span class="bibl">22.356</span>, <span class="bibl">Od.13.293</span>,<span class="bibl">384</span>; μέλλον ἔτι ξυνέσεσθαι ὀϊζυῖ πολλῇ <span class="bibl">7.270</span>; <b class="b3">περὶ τρίποδος γὰρ ἔμελλον θεύσεσθαι</b> they <b class="b2">were to have</b> run... <span class="bibl">Il.11.700</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">HF</span>463</span>; χρόνῳ ἔμελλέ σ' Ἕκτωρ . . ἀποφθίσειν <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Aj.</span>1027</span>; ἔμελλον ἄρα παύσειν ποθ' ὑμᾶς τοῦ κοάξ <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ra.</span>268</span>; φεύγεις; ἔμελλόν σ' ἆρα κινήσειν ἐγώ <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Nu.</span>1301</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">V.</span>460</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Pl.</span>103</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ach.</span>347</span>: c. pres. inf., <b class="b3">καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτ' ἔμελλον ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιος εἶναι</b> I <b class="b2">had a chance</b> of being, <b class="b2">might have</b> been... <span class="bibl">Od.18.138</span>; μέλλεν ποτὲ οἶκος ὅδ' ἀφνειὸς καὶ ἀμύμων ἔμμεναι, ὄφρ' ἔτι κεῖνος ἀνὴρ ἐπιδήμιος ἦεν <span class="bibl">1.232</span>: c. aor. inf. (cf. infr. <span class="bibl">11</span>), οὐδεὶς ἂν οὐδὲ μελλήσειε γενέσθαι ἀγαθός <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">EN</span>1105b11</span>: with inf. understood, [<b class="b3">τὰ μὲν] πάσχουσι, τὰ δὲ μέλλουσι [πάσχειν</b>] <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pers.</span>814</span>; <b class="b3">ἀλλ' οὐχ οὑμὸς τοῦτο πέπονθεν βίος οὐ μὰ Δί' οὐδέ γε μέλλει</b> no, not <b class="b2">likely</b>! <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Pl.</span>551</span>; οὐδὲν . . οὔτε ἐπάθετε οὔτε ἐμελλήσατε <span class="bibl">Th.3.55</span>; οὔτ' ἐμὲ ἀπέφηνεν ἡ βουλὴ οὔτ' ἐμέλλησεν <span class="bibl">Din.1.49</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">d</span> in <b class="b3">εἰ</b> clauses, <b class="b3">εἰ μέλλει πόλις εἶναι</b> if it <b class="b2">is to</b> be a city, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Prt.</span>324e</span>: c. fut. inf., <b class="b3">εἰ ἐμέλλομεν . . ἀνοίσειν</b> if we <b class="b2">were to</b> refer... <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Phd.</span>75b</span>: c. aor. inf., εἰ μέλλομεν . . δηλῶσαι <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Lg.</span>713a</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Smp.</span>184d</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Plt.</span> 268d</span>, al.: so in part., τὴν μέλλουσαν οἰκήσεσθαι πόλιν καλῶς <span class="bibl">Arist. <span class="title">Pol.</span>1261a3</span>, etc. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">e</span> in final clauses, <b class="b3">ξυνεπιμέλεσθαι ᾗ μέλλει ἄριστα ἕξειν</b>, = [[ᾗ ἄριστα ἕξει]], <span class="bibl">Th.8.39</span>; εἴχομεν ἂν . . ἐπιστάτην λαβεῖν . . ὃς ἔμελλεν . . ποιήσειν <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Ap.</span>20b</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">App.<span class="title">Syr.</span>46</span>, etc. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">f</span> in questions, the inf. being understood, <b class="b3">τί οὐ μέλλω</b> (<b class="b3">μέλλεις</b>, etc.); why <b class="b2">shouldn't</b> I? why <b class="b2">is it</b> not <b class="b2">likely</b> that I should?, i. e. <b class="b2">yes, of course</b>, <b class="b3">τὸν υἱὸν ἑόρακας αὐτοῦ</b>; Answ. <b class="b3">τί δ' οὐ μέλλω</b> (sc. <b class="b3">ἑορακέναι</b>); <b class="b2">of course</b> I have, <span class="bibl">X. <span class="title">HG</span>4.1.6</span>; <b class="b3">τί δ' οὐ μέλλει, εἴπερ γε δρᾷ αὐτό</b>; <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">R.</span>605c</span>; <b class="b3">πῶς γὰρ οὐ μέλλει</b>; <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Phd.</span>78b</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">ἀλλὰ τί μέλλει</b>; what (else) <b class="b2">would you expect</b>? i. e. <b class="b2">yes, of course</b>, <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">R.</span>349d</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Hp.Mi.</span>373d</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b2">to be about to</b>, in purely temporal sense, c. fut. inf., Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔτετμεν ἀδελφεόν, εὖτ' ἄρ' ἔμελλε στρέψεσθ' ἐκ χώρης <span class="bibl">Il.6.515</span>; <b class="b3">ὁ μέν μιν ἔμελλε γενείου . . ἁψάμενος λίσσεσθαι</b> (perh. pres. inf.), ὁ δ' αὐχένα μέσσον ἔλασσε <span class="bibl">10.454</span>; ἄλεισον ἀναιρήσεσθαι ἔμελλε <span class="bibl">Od.22.9</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Il.23.544</span>, <span class="bibl">2.39</span>, <span class="bibl">6.52</span>,<span class="bibl">393</span>; <b class="b3">δειπνήσειν μέλλομεν, ἢ τί</b>; <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Av.</span>464</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Eq.</span>931</span> (lyr.), <span class="bibl">Th.2.8</span>, etc.: c. pres. inf., <b class="b3">τί μέλλεις δρᾶν</b>; <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">V.</span>1379</span>,<span class="bibl"><span class="title">Th.</span>215</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ec.</span> 760</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ach.</span>493</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Av.</span>498</span>, al.; μέλλω μαίνεσθαι <span class="title">Lyr.Alex.Adesp.</span>1.23: more rarely c. aor. inf., παθεῖν <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span>625</span>; κτανεῖν <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OT</span>967</span> (nisi leg. <b class="b3">κτενεῖν</b>) <b class="b3">; ἀναλαβεῖν, λιπεῖν, θανεῖν</b>, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Or.</span>292</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Heracl.</span>709</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Med.</span>393</span>; <b class="b3">ἀπολέσαι, λαβεῖν</b>, <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Av.</span>366</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ach.</span>1159</span> (lyr.); προσθεῖναι <span class="bibl">Th.3.92</span>; οὐδὲ ἐμέλλησαν οὐδὲ διενοήθησαν ἐνθέσθαι <span class="bibl">D.35.19</span>: Phryn.316 wrongly condemns this constr.—The inf. is sts. omitted, <b class="b3">τὸ μέλλειν ἀγαθά</b> (sc. <b class="b3">πράσσειν</b> or <b class="b3">πράξειν</b>) the <b class="b2">expectation</b> of good things, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Or.</span>1182</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">IA</span>1118</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">III</span> <b class="b2">to be always going to do</b> without ever doing: hence, <b class="b2">delay, put off</b>, freq. in Trag. (also in Med. <b class="b3">μέλλομαι</b>, v. infr. IV fin.): in this signf. usu. folld. by pres. inf., <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OT</span>678</span> (lyr.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">OC</span>1627</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">τοὺς ξυμμάχους . . οὐ μελλήσομεν τιμωρεῖν· οἱ δ' οὐκέτι μέλλουσι κακῶς πάσχειν</b> we <b class="b2">shall</b> not <b class="b2">delay</b> to succour our allies, for their sufferings <b class="b2">are</b> not <b class="b2">being delayed</b>, <span class="bibl">Th.1.86</span>: freq. with <b class="b3">μὴ οὐ</b>, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span>627</span>, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Aj.</span>540</span>: with <b class="b3">μή, τί μέλλομεν . . μὴ πράσσειν κακά</b>; <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Med.</span>1242</span>: rarely folld. by aor. inf., <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ph.</span>299</span> (lyr.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Rh.</span>673</span>: inf. is freq. omitted, <b class="b3">τί μέλλεις</b>; why <b class="b2">delayest thou</b>? <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span>36</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Pers.</span>407</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ag.</span>908</span>, <span class="bibl">1353</span>, <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Fr.</span>917</span>, <span class="bibl">Th.8.78</span>, etc.; μακρὰ μ. <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OC</span>219</span> (lyr.); Ἄρης στυγεῖ μέλλοντας <span class="bibl">E. <span class="title">Heracl.</span>723</span>; ἴωμεν καὶ μὴ μέλλωμεν ἔτι <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Lg.</span>712b</span>; <b class="b3">μέλλον τι . . ἔπος</b> a <b class="b2">hesitating</b> word, which one hesitates to speak, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Ion</span> 1002</span>; <b class="b3">μέλλων σφυγμός</b> a <b class="b2">hesitating</b> pulse, Gal.8.653. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">IV</span> part. <b class="b3">μέλλων</b> is used quasi-adjectivally, <b class="b3">ὁ μ. χρόνος</b> the <b class="b2">future</b> time, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>10(11).7</span>, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span> 839</span>, <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Top.</span>111b28</span>: Gramm., <b class="b3">ὁ μέλλων</b> <b class="b2">the future tense</b>, <span class="bibl">D.T.638.23</span>, <span class="bibl">A.D.<span class="title">Synt.</span>69.28</span>, etc.; <b class="b3">ἡ μ. αὐτοῦ δύναμις</b> his <b class="b2">future</b> power, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">R.</span> 494c</span>; μ. φυλάξασθαι χρέος <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>7.40</span>; <b class="b3">τὸν μ. βλαστόν</b> (<b class="b3">καρπόν</b> codd.) <span class="bibl">Thphr.<span class="title">HP</span>4.15.1</span>: esp. in neut., <b class="b3">τὸ μέλλον, τὰ μέλλοντα</b> <b class="b2">things to come, the future</b>, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">O.</span>2.56</span>, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Pr.</span>102</span>, <span class="bibl">Th.1.138</span>, <span class="bibl">4.71</span>, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Tht.</span>178e</span>, etc.; opp. to what is simply future (τὸ ἐσόμενον), <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Div.Somn.</span>463b29</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">GC</span>337b4</span>; <b class="b3">εἰς τὸ μέλλον</b> (sc. <b class="b3">ἔτος</b>) <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ev.Luc.</span>13.9</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PLond.</span>3.1231.4</span> (ii A. D.), <span class="bibl">Plu.<span class="title">Caes.</span>14</span>:—also in Med., <b class="b3">τὰ ἰσχυρότατα ἐλπιζόμενα μέλλεται</b> your strongest pleas <b class="b2">are</b> hopes <b class="b2">in futurity</b>, <span class="bibl">Th.5.111</span>:— but </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">V</span> Pass. <b class="b3">μέλλομαι, ὡς μὴ μέλλοιτο τὰ δέοντα</b> that the necessary steps <b class="b2">might</b> not <b class="b2">be delayed</b>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">An.</span>3.1.47</span>; <b class="b3">ἐν ὅσῳ ταῦτα μέλλεται</b> while these <b class="b2">delays are going on</b>, <span class="bibl">D.4.37</span>: fut. <b class="b3">μελλήσομαι</b> dub. l. in <span class="bibl">Procop. <span class="title">Goth.</span>2.30</span>: pf. part. <b class="b3">μεμελλημένος</b>, = [[μέλλων, σφυγμός]] Gal.9.308.</span>