μά: Difference between revisions

|Definition=(A) [ᾰ], Particle used in asseverations and oaths, c. acc. of the deity or thing appealed to; in itself neither affirmative nor negative, but made so by prefixing [[ναί]] or [[οὐ]], or, in Att., by the context: thus, <span class="sense"><span class="bld">I</span> <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ</b>... in affirmation, <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ τόδε σκῆπτρον</b> yea [[by]] this staff, <span class="bibl">Il.1.234</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">h.Merc.</span>460</span>; ναὶ μὰ γὰρ ὅρκον <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">N.</span>11.24</span>; <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ Δία, ναὶ μὰ τὸν Δία</b>, etc., <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>88</span>, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">R.</span>407b</span>, etc.; also μὰ ναί <span class="title">Inscr.Cypr.</span>109 H. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b3">οὐ μὰ</b>... in negation, <b class="b3">οὐ μὰ γὰρ Ἀπόλλωνα</b>, <b class="b3">οὐ μἀ Ζῆνα</b>, nay, [[by]]... <span class="bibl">Il.1.86</span>, <span class="bibl">23.43</span>; οὐ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν Ἄρτεμιν <span class="bibl">S. <span class="title">El.</span>626</span>; οὔ τοι μὰ τοὺς δώδεκα θεούς <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Eq.</span>235</span>; <b class="b3">οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία, οὔκουν οὕτω γε</b>… <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Tht.</span>142e</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">III</span> after Hom. [[μά]] is freq. used alone, </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">1</span> chiefly in negation when the negative follows, μὰ Δί' οὐκ εἶδον ἐμαυτοῦ ἀμείνω ὑλοτόμον <span class="title">IG</span>12.1084; <b class="b3">μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὕβρει λέγω τάδ</b>' <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>881</span>; μὰ τοὺς παρ' Ἅιδῃ νερτέρους ἀλάστορας, οὔτοι ποτ' ἔσται τοῦτο <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Med.</span>1059</span>; μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω, οὔκ <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Th.</span>269</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Ag.</span>1432</span>, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Cyc.</span>262</span>, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Prt.</span>312e</span>; μὰ τὴν γῆν, μὴ σύγε δῷς <span class="bibl">Anaxil.9</span>; μὰ δαίμονας, οὐκ ἀπὸ ῥυσμοῦ εἰκάζω <span class="bibl">Call.<span class="title">Epigr.</span>44</span>; <b class="b3">μὰ τὸν Δία δὲ οὐδὲ νομίζω</b>… <span class="title">IG</span>22.1099.30 (ii A.D.); μὰ σέ, Καῖσαρ, οὐδείς σε νικᾷ <span class="bibl">D.C.61.20</span>: with preceding neg., οὐδ' ὄναρ, μὰ τὰς Μοίρας <span class="bibl">Herod. 1</span>. II: in answers, when the negation is expressed in the question, <b class="b3">οὐκ αὖ μ' ἐάσεις</b>; Answ. μὰ Δί', ἐπεὶ κἀγὼ πόνηρός εἰμι <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Eq.</span>336</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">338</span> (where <b class="b3">οὐκ ἐάσω</b> is to be supplied after <b class="b3">μὰ Δία</b> from the question, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Ra.</span>951</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Pl.</span>400</span>): when [[ἀλλά]] follows, <b class="b3">δύο δραχμὰς μισθὸν τελεῖς</b>; Answ. μὰ Δί', ἀλλ' ἔλαττον <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ra.</span>174</span> (where <b class="b3">οὐ τελῶ</b> is understood, cf. ib. <span class="bibl">753</span>, <span class="bibl">779</span>, <span class="bibl">1053</span>, <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Mem.</span>3.13.3</span>): in μὰ γῆν, μὰ κρήνας, μὰ ποταμούς, μὰ νάματα <span class="bibl">Antiph.296</span> = <span class="bibl">Timocl.38</span>, the context is missing. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">b</span> in reply to an imper., <b class="b3">ἀπόδος αὐτό</b>; Answ. μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Th.</span> 748</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">2</span> in later Gr. in affirmation, δακρύω μὰ σέ, δαῖμον <span class="title">Annales du Service</span> 27.32 (Egypt); μὰ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν Ἀκοντίῳ γαμοῦμαι <span class="bibl">Aristaenet. 1.10</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Ach.Tat.8.5</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">IV</span> in colloquial discourse, esp. Att. (cf. Greg.Cor.<span class="bibl">p.150</span> S., <span class="bibl">Ph.2.271</span>), the name of the deity sworn by was often suppressed, to avoid a downright oath, μὰ τόν <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ra.</span>1374</span> (lyr.), <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Grg.</span>466e</span>; μὰ τήν <span class="bibl">Men.369</span>; ναὶ μὰ τόν <span class="bibl">Call.<span class="title">Fr.</span>66d</span>, <span class="bibl">Ael. <span class="title">NA</span>3.19</span>; <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ τάς</b> (sc. [[Χάριτας]]) Suid. [[sub verbo|s.v.]] [[ναὶ μὰ τό]] (codd. dett.); οὐ μὰ τὸν—οὐκ ὀμόσω <span class="title">AP</span>12.201 (Strat.), cf. <span class="bibl">7.112</span> (D.L.). </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">V</span> [[μά]] is sometimes omitted after [[ναί]] (q. v.); also after οὐ, οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον Ἅλιον <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">OT</span>660</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">οὐ τὸν Ὄλυμπον</b> ib. <span class="bibl">1088</span> (lyr.); οὐ τόνδ' Ὄλυμπον <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ant.</span>758</span>, cf. <span class="bibl"><span class="title">El.</span>1063</span> (lyr.).<br>(B), Thess. for [[δέ]], <span class="title">IG</span>9(2).258.11 (Cierium, ii B.C.), 461 <span class="title">A</span>9 (Crannon, ii B.C.); also found at beginning of sentence in <span class="bibl"><span class="title">POxy.</span> 1216.10</span> (ii/iii A.D.).<br>(C) [ᾱ], Elean for [[μή]], <span class="title">Schwyzer</span>413.5.