μέλλω: Difference between revisions

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