εἰ: Difference between revisions

|mdlsjtxt=<br />a Conditional Conjunction, Lat. si, if; and in [[indirect]] questions, [[whether]].<br />A. with a verb in [[protasis]], answered by a [[similar]] tense in [[apodosis]]:<br /><b class="num">1.</b> with pres. and fut. ind., to [[express]] [[mere]] Possibility, εἰ [[τοῦτο]] ποιεῖ (or ποιήσεἰ, ἁμαρτάνει (or ἁμαρτήσεταἰ if he is doing (or shall do) [[this]], he is (or [[will]] be) [[wrong]].<br /><b class="num">2.</b> with imperf. and aor. ind., to [[express]] Impossibility, εἰ [[τοῦτο]] ἐποίει, ἡμάρτανεν ἄν if he was doing [[this]], he would be [[wrong]]; εἰ [[τοῦτο]] ἐποίησεν, ἥμαρτεν ἄν if he did (or had done) [[this]], he would be [[wrong]].<br /><b class="num">3.</b> with opt. to [[express]] a [[mere]] Assumption, εἰ [[τοῦτο]] ποιοῖ, ἁμαρτάνοι ἄν if he were to do [[this]], he would be [[wrong]].<br /><b class="num">4.</b> with Subjunctive, to [[express]] Possibility with [[some]] [[degree]] of Probability: in [[this]] [[case]] ἄν is [[always]] added, and εἰ ἄν becomes ἐάν, ἤν, ἄν, (epic [[εἴ κεν]]), ἐὰν [[τοῦτο]] ποιῇ, ἁμαρτήσεται if he do [[this]], he [[will]] be [[wrong]].<br /><b class="num">II.</b> [[sometimes]] the [[apodosis]] is omitted, so that εἰ expresses a [[wish]], εἴ μοι γένοιτο [[φθόγγος]] if I had a [[voice]], [I would…], i. e. Oh that I had a [[voice]]! so εἰ γάρ, [[εἴθε]], epic αἰ γάρ, [[αἴθε]].<br /><b class="num">2.</b> [[sometimes]] the [[protasis]] is omitted, εἰ δ' ἄγε [[come]] on, = εἰ δὲ [[βούλει]], ἄγε, Od.; εἰ δέ, σὺ μὲν ἄκουσον Il.<br /><b class="num">3.</b> εἰ δὲ μή = Lat. sin [[minus]], [[otherwise]], for εἰ δὲ μὴ [τοῦτό ἐστι], Hdt., etc.<br />B. In Indirect Questions, [[whether]], Lat. an, followed by the ind., subj., or opt., according to the principles of [[oratio]] obliqua:<br /><b class="num">1.</b> with INDIC. or SUBJ. [[after]] [[primary]] tenses, οὐκ οἶδ', εἰ [[θεός]] ἐστιν [[whether]] he is a god, Il.; οὐκ οἶδ' εἰ δῶ [[whether]] I shall [[give]], Xen.<br /><b class="num">2.</b> with OPTAT. [[after]] [[past]] tenses, ἤρετο εἴ τις [[ἐμοῦ]] εἴη σοφώτερος he asked [[whether]] any one was wiser [[than]] I, Plat.<br /><b class="num">II.</b> [[after]] Verbs expressive of [[wonder]], [[indignation]], etc., [[θαυμάζω]] εἰ μηδεὶς ὀργίζεται, [[where]] εἰ [[nearly]] = ὅτι, Dem.; ἀγανακτεῖ εἰ μὴ στεφανωθήσεται Aeschin.