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,<br><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, Il.1.234, cf. ''h.Merc.''460; ναὶ μὰ γὰρ ὅρκον Pi.''N.''11.24; <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ Δία, ναὶ μὰ τὸν Δία</b>, etc., [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''88, Pl.''R.''407b, etc.; also μὰ ναί ''Inscr.Cypr.''109 H.<br><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]]... Il.1.86, 23.43; οὐ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν Ἄρτεμιν S. ''El.''626; οὔ τοι μὰ τοὺς δώδεκα θεούς [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Knights|Eq.]]''235; <b class="b3">οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία, οὔκουν οὕτω γε</b>… Pl.''Tht.''142e.<br><span class="bld">III</span> after Hom. [[μά]] is freq. used alone,<br><span class="bld">1</span> chiefly in negation when the negative follows, μὰ Δί' οὐκ εἶδον ἐμαυτοῦ ἀμείνω ὑλοτόμον ''IG''12.1084; <b class="b3">μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὕβρει λέγω τάδ</b>' S.''El.''881; μὰ τοὺς παρ' Ἅιδῃ νερτέρους ἀλάστορας, οὔτοι ποτ' ἔσται τοῦτο E.''Med.''1059; μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω, οὔκ Ar.''Th.''269, cf. A.''Ag.''1432, E.''Cyc.''262, Pl.''Prt.''312e; μὰ τὴν γῆν, μὴ σύγε δῷς Anaxil.9; μὰ δαίμονας, οὐκ ἀπὸ ῥυσμοῦ εἰκάζω Call.''Epigr.''44; <b class="b3">μὰ τὸν Δία δὲ οὐδὲ νομίζω</b>… ''IG''22.1099.30 (ii A.D.); μὰ σέ, Καῖσαρ, οὐδείς σε νικᾷ D.C.61.20: with preceding neg., οὐδ' ὄναρ, μὰ τὰς Μοίρας Herod. 1. 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 [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Knights|Eq.]]''336, cf. 338 (where <b class="b3">οὐκ ἐάσω</b> is to be supplied after <b class="b3">μὰ Δία</b> from the question, cf. ''Ra.''951, ''Pl.''400): when [[ἀλλά]] follows, <b class="b3">δύο δραχμὰς μισθὸν τελεῖς</b>; Answ. μὰ Δί', ἀλλ' ἔλαττον Id.''Ra.''174 (where <b class="b3">οὐ τελῶ</b> is understood, cf. ib. 753, 779, 1053, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Memorabilia|Mem.]]''3.13.3): in μὰ γῆν, μὰ κρήνας, μὰ ποταμούς, μὰ νάματα Antiph.296 = Timocl.38, the context is missing.<br><span class="bld">b</span> in reply to an imper., <b class="b3">ἀπόδος αὐτό</b>; Answ. μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω Ar.''Th.'' 748.<br><span class="bld">2</span> in later Gr. in affirmation, δακρύω μὰ σέ, δαῖμον ''Annales du Service'' 27.32 (Egypt); μὰ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν Ἀκοντίῳ γαμοῦμαι Aristaenet. 1.10, cf. Ach.Tat.8.5.<br><span class="bld">IV</span> in colloquial discourse, esp. Att. (cf. Greg.Cor.p.150 S., Ph.2.271), the name of the deity sworn by was often suppressed, to avoid a downright oath, μὰ τόν Ar.''Ra.''1374 (lyr.), Pl.''Grg.''466e; μὰ τήν Men.369; ναὶ μὰ τόν Call.''Fr.''66d, Ael. ''NA''3.19; <b class="b3">ναὶ μὰ τάς</b> (''[[sc.]]'' [[Χάριτας]]) Suid. [[sub verbo|s.v.]] [[ναὶ μὰ τό]] (codd. dett.); οὐ μὰ τὸν—οὐκ ὀμόσω ''AP''12.201 (Strat.), cf. 7.112 (D.L.).<br><span class="bld">V</span> [[μά]] is sometimes omitted after [[ναί]] ([[quod vide|q.v.]]); also after οὐ, οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον Ἅλιον S.''OT''660 (lyr.); <b class="b3">οὐ τὸν Ὄλυμπον</b> ib. 1088 (lyr.); οὐ τόνδ' Ὄλυμπον Id.''Ant.''758, cf. ''El.''1063 (lyr.).(B), Thess. for [[δέ]], ''IG''9(2).258.11 (Cierium, ii B.C.), 461 ''A''9 (Crannon, ii B.C.); also found at beginning of sentence in ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]'' 1216.10 (ii/iii A.D.).<br>(C) [ᾱ], Elean for [[μή]], ''Schwyzer''413.5.