μή: Difference between revisions

|Definition=Elean [[μά]] [ᾱ] ''SIG''9.5 (Olympia, vi B.C.). (Cf. Skt.<br><span class="bld">A</span> mā́, Arm. mi [from I.-E. mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—[[not]], the negative of the [[will]] and [[thought]], as [[οὐ]] of [[fact]] and [[statement]]; [[μή]] rejects, [[οὐ]] denies; [[μή]] is relative, [[οὐ]] absolute; [[μή]] subjective, [[οὐ]] objective. (A few examples of [[μηδέ]] and [[μηδείς]] have been included.)<br><span class="bld">A</span> in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of [[will]] or [[wish]], [[command]], [[entreaty]], [[warning]],<br><span class="bld">1</span> with pres. imper., 2 pers., μή μ' ἐρέθιζε Il.1.32, al.; 3 pers., μή μευ πειράτω 9.345, etc.: rarely with aor. imper., μὴ… ἔνθεο τιμῇ 4.410, cf. Od.24.248; in Att., μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς… ἐλπίδος Ar.''Th.''870; 3 pers., μή τις ἀκουσάτω Od.16.301, cf. Pi.''O.''8.55, ''P.''5.23, A.''Th.''1041, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''1180; μηδεὶς νομισάτω, προσδοκησάτω [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''7.5.73, Pl.''Ap.''17c: with pf. imper. 3 pers., μή τις ὀπίσσω τετράφθω Il.12.272; or 2 pers. when pf. = pres., μὴ κεκράγετε Ar. ''V.''415.<br><span class="bld">2</span> with subj. (usu. 2 pers. of aor.), in prohibitions, μὴ δή με… ἐάσῃς Il.5.684, cf. [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''583 (lyr.), al.; <b class="b3">μή τοί με κρύψῃς τοῦτο</b> ib.625, cf. S.''Ph.''470; μὴ φθονήσῃς [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 320c: coupled with pres. imper., μὴ βοηθήσητε τῷ πεπονθότι δεινά, μὴ εὐορκεῖτε D.21.211; 3 pers., μὴ… γένηται Il.4.37, cf. Od.22.213; μὴ ματεύσῃ θεὸς γενέσθαι Pi.''O.''5.24: rarely, if ever, with 2 pers. pres. subj., μὴ κάμνῃς E.''IA'' 1143 (leg. [[κάμῃς]]); 3 pers., <b class="b3">μή τις οἴηται</b>, = [[μὴ οἰώμεθα]], [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Leges|Lg.]]''861e: also with the hortative subj. used to supply the ''1'' pers. of the imper., pres. <b class="b3">μὴ ἴομεν</b> (ἴωμεν) Il.12.216, etc.; μὴ διώκωμεν [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]8.109, etc.: aor. μὴ πάθωμεν [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''1.5.11, etc.: rarely with 1sg., μή σε… κιχείω Il.1.26, cf. 21.475, 22.123, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''174 (anap.).<br><span class="bld">b</span> with pres. or aor. subj. in a warning or statement of fear, <b class="b3">μὴ… γένησθε</b> [[take care you do]] [[not become]], Il.5.487; <b class="b3">μὴ… ὑφαίνῃσιν</b> I fear… may prove to be weaving, Od.5.356; αἷμα μὴ σοῖς ἐξομόρξωμαι πέπλοις E.''HF''1399: in Att. Prose, to make a polite suggestion of apprehension or hesitation, [[perhaps]], μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Gorgias|Grg.]]'' 462e, cf. ''Tht.'' 188d, Arist.''Pol.''1291a8, al.: in later Greek the ind. is found, μὴ ἡ ἔννοια ἡμῶν… ἀντιλαμβάνεται Dam.''Pr.''27.<br><span class="bld">3</span> with fut. ind., a dub. usage ([[νεμεσήσετ]]' is subj. in Il.15.115), μηδεμίαν ἄδειαν δώσετε Lys.29.13; <b class="b3">μὴ βουλήσεσθε</b> (Pap. <b class="b3">βούλη[σθ]ε</b>) D.23.117; cf. [[μαλακὸν]] ἐνδώσετε μηδέν Ar.''Pl.''488.<br><span class="bld">4</span> with past tenses of ind. to express an unfulfilled wish, μὴ ὄφελες λίσσεσθαι Il.9.698, cf. Od. 11.548; μή ποτ' ὤφελον λιπεῖν τὴν Σκῦρον S.''Ph.''969; εἴθε μή ποτ' εἰδόμαν Id.''OT''1217 (lyr.), cf. E.''IA''70, ''Cyc.''186, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''4.6.3.<br><span class="bld">5</span> with opt. to express a negative wish, with pres., ἃ μὴ κραίνοι τύχη A.''Th.''426, cf. ''Eu.''938 (lyr.): more freq. with aor., μὴ σέ γ' ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλῆα Κρονίων ποιήσειεν Od.1.386, cf. 403, 11.613.<br><span class="bld">6</span> in oaths and asseverations, ἴστω Ζεὺς... μὴ μὲν τοῖς ἵπποισιν ἀνὴρ ἐποχήσεται ἄλλος Il.10.330; ἴστω νῦν τόδε Γαῖα... μὴ… Ποσειδάων… πημαίνει Τρῶας 15.41; μὰ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην... μὴ ἐγώ σ' ἀφήσω Ar.''Ec.''1000, cf. ''Av.''195, ''Lys.''917.<br><span class="bld">7</span> c. inf., when used as imper., μὴ δή μοι ἀπόπροθεν ἰσχέμεν ἵππους Il.17.501; μὴ πρὶν ἐπ' ἠέλιον δῦναι 2.413; οἷς μὴ πελάζειν [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''712.<br><span class="bld">8</span> freq. without a Verb, <b class="b3">εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι</b>. Answ. <b class="b3">μὴ σύ γε</b> (''[[sc.]]'' [[θάνῃς]]) [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''1441; <b class="b3">ἄπελθε νῦν</b>. Answ. [[μὴ]] (''[[sc.]]'' [[γενέσθω]]) <b class="b3"> ἀλλά</b> [[nay but]], [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''458; in curt expressions, <b class="b3">μὴ τριβὰς ἔτι</b> (''[[sc.]]'' [[ποιεῖσθε]]) [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Antigone|Ant.]]''577; <b class="b3">μή μοι σύ</b> [[none of that]] to me! E.''Med.''964; <b class="b3">μή μοι πρόφασιν</b> [[no]] excuses! [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''345; μή μοί γε μύθους Id.''V.''1179.<br><span class="bld">B</span> in DEPENDENT clauses:<br><span class="bld">1</span> with Final Conjs., ἵνα μή Il.19.348, etc.; ὅπως μή D.27.5,al.; ὡς μή Il.8.37, [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''53,al.; ὄφρα μή Il. 1.118,al.: with <b class="b3">ὅπως ἄν</b> and <b class="b3">ὡς ἄν</b>, [[that so]], ὅπως ἂν… μηδέ Ar.''V.''178, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Gorgias|Grg.]]'' 481a; ὡς ἂν μή Od.4.749, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.5; but<br><span class="bld">b</span> [[μή]] alone, = [[ἵνα μή]], [[lest]], ἀπόστιχε μή τινοήσῃ Ἥρη Il.1.522, cf. 587; λίσσεσθαι... μή οἱ… χολώσαιτο φρένα κούρη Od.6.147: fut. ind. and aor. subj. in consecutive clauses, Ar.''Ec.''495 (lyr., dub.l.).<br><span class="bld">2</span> in the protasis of conditional sentences, v. [[εἰ]] (for the exceptions v. [[οὐ]]), and with temporal conjunctions used conditionally, v. [[ἐπειδάν, ὅταν, ὅτε]], etc.<br><span class="bld">b</span> <b class="b3">ὅτι μή</b> [[except]], ὅτι μὴ Χῖοι μοῦνοι [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.18, cf. Th.4.26; ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Phaedo|Phd.]]'' 67a; <b class="b3">ὅσον μή</b> ib.83a; <b class="b3">ὅσα μὴ ἀποβαίνοντες</b> [[provided only that]] they did [[not]] disembark, Th.4.16.<br><span class="bld">3</span> in later Gr., with causal Conjs., ὁ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν ''Ev.Jo.''3.18, cf. Luc.''DMort.''21.2, D Deor.2.1; ἐπεὶ μή Id.''Hist.Conscr.''3, etc.: also after [[ὅτι]] and [[ὡς]] [[that]], ὅτι μὴ ἐστὶν ἐπίπεδος οὕτως ἂν καταμάθοιμεν Cleom.1.8, cf. Luc.''Hist.Conscr.''29, ''DDeor.''20.10.<br><span class="bld">4</span> in relat. clauses, which imply a condition or generality, <b class="b3">ὃς δὲ μὴ εἶδέ κω τὴν κανναβίδα</b> [[whoever]]... [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]4.74; <b class="b3">ὃ μὴ κελεύσει</b> (fort. [[κελεύσαι]]) <b class="b3"> Ζεύς</b> [[such a thing as]]... A.''Eu.''618, cf. 661, 899; <b class="b3">λέγονθ' ἃ μὴ δεῖ</b> [[such things as]] one ought [[not]], S.''Ph.''583; λόγοις τοιούτοις οἷς σὺ μὴ τέρψῃ κλύων Id.''Ant.''691; ὅπου μὴ ἠθέλησεν Antipho 1.7: freq. with subj., ᾧ μὴ ἄλλοι ἀοσσητῆρες ἔωσιν Od.4.165, al.: with [[ἄν]], [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''281: with opt., ἃ μὴ σαφῶς εἰδείη [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''1.6.19, etc.: less freq. with opt. and [[ἄν]], [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Philebus|Phlb.]]'' 20a, ''Lg.''839a; <b class="b3">γένοιτο δ' ἂν ἐν ᾗ μή τι ἂν προσδοκήσειεν χώρᾳ</b> ib.872d.<br><span class="bld">5</span> c. inf.,<br><span class="bld">a</span> regularly from Homer on, exc. after Verbs of saying and thinking (but v. infr. c): after [[ὥστε]] or ὡς, ὥστε μὴ φρονεῖν [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[The Persians|Pers.]]''725 (troch.), etc. (for exceptions v. [[οὐ]]): always when the inf. takes the Art., τὸ μὴ προμαθεῖν Pi.''O.''8.60; τὸ μὴ ἀμελεῖν μάθε A. ''Eu.''86, cf. 749, ''Pr.''624; λείπομαι ἐν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''496.<br><span class="bld">b</span> by an apparent pleonasm after Verbs of negative result signifying to [[forbid]], [[deny]], and the like, ὁ δ' ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι Il.18.500 (without [[μή]] ib.450); ἀντιδικεῖν Lys.6.12 ([[μηδέν]]); ἀντιλέγειν Th.5.49, Is.4.15 ([[μηδέ]]); ἀπαγορεύειν Antipho 5.34, And.4.9; ἀπειπεῖν [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Birds|Av.]]''557, D.33.19, etc.; ἀπαυδᾶν [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Knights|Eq.]]''1072; ἀπείργειν E.''Hel.''1559, al. (without μή [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''70); ἀπιστεῖν Th.4.40; ἀπεγνωκέναι Lys.1.34; ἀποστερεῖσθαι Antipho 2.4.1 ([[μηδέ]]); ἀποτρέπεσθαι Id.5.32 ([[μηδέν]]) <b class="b3">; ἀρνεῖσθαι, ἔξαρνος εἶναι</b>, [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[The Knights|Eq.]]''572, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.67; ἐναντιωθῆναι Pl.''Ap.''32b; σχεῖν [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.158; [[παύειν]] (where the part. is more freq.) [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''634; κωλῦσαι E.''Ph.''1269; ἐπάρατον ἦν μὴ οἰκεῖν Th.2.17: in these cases the Art. freq. precedes μή, τὸ δὲ μὴ λεηλατῆσαι… ἔσχε τόδε [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]5.101; <b class="b3">ἐξομῇ τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι</b>; [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Antigone|Ant.]]''535; <b class="b3">εἴργειν τὸ μή</b>… Th.3.1, etc.; also [[ἀπέφυγε]] τὰ σφῷν τὸ μὴ πίτνειν κακῶς [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''1740 (lyr.): with Art. in gen., <b class="b3">ἔχειν τοῦ μή</b>… X.''An.''3.5.71; <b class="b3">ἐμποδὼν γίγνεσθαι τοῦ μή</b>… Id.''Cyr.''2.4.23.<br><span class="bld">c</span> after Verbs of saying and thinking which involve an action of will, as in those signifying to [[swear]], [[aver]], [[believe]], and the like; so after [[ὄμνυμι]], Il.9.133, Od.5.179, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]1.165, 2.179, Ar.''V.''1047, etc.; μαρτυρῶ Lys.7.11, D.45.15, etc.; ὁμολογῶ [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 336b, ''Smp.''202b, cf. ''Phd.'' 93d, etc.; ἐγγυῶμαι Pi.''O.''11(10).18, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 336d; πέπεισμαι Id.''Ap.'' 37a, etc.; πιστεύω And.1.2, X.''An.''1.9.8, etc.: occasionally with other Verbs, φημί Id.''Mem.''1.2.39, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Theaetetus|Tht.]]''155a; [[λέγω]], [[προλέγω]], Th. 5.49, 1.139; <b class="b3">πάντες ἐροῦσι μή</b>… [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''7.1.18; [[νομίζω]] ib.7.5.59, Th.6.102; ἡγοῦμαι Pl.''Ap.''27d: very freq. in later Gr., ''Ev.Matt.''2.12, Luc. ''Peregr.''44, etc.<br><span class="bld">6</span> with the part., when it can be resolved into a conditional clause, <b class="b3">μὴ ἐνείκας</b>, = [[εἰ μὴ ἤνεικε]], [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]4.64; <b class="b3">μὴ θέλων</b>, = [[εἰ μὴ θέλεις]], [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Prometheus Vinctus|Pr.]]''504; <b class="b3">μὴ δολώσαντος θεοῦ</b>, = [[εἰ μὴ ἐδόλωσε]], Id.''Ag.'' 273; <b class="b3">μὴ δρῶν</b>, = [[εἰ μὴ δρῴην]], [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''77, etc.: in a general or characteristic sense, <b class="b3">δίδασκέ με ὡς μὴ εἰδότα</b>, = [[ut qui nihil sciam]], Id.''OC''1155, cf. ''Ant.'' 1063, 1064; <b class="b3">τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις</b>; [[one who]] sees [[not]], Id.''OC''73: in this signf. freq. with the Art., ὁ μὴ λεύσσων Id.''Tr.'' 828 (lyr.); ὁ μὴ δουλεύσας [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Leges|Lg.]]''762e; τῷ μὴ εἰργασμένῳ Antipho 5.65; τὸν… μὴ φροντίσαντα Lycurg.27, cf. 45, etc.: with causal significance, μὴ παρὼν θαυμάζεται [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''289, etc.; ἄθλια πάσχω μὴ… μόνον βιαζόμενος Antipho 2.2.4; ἑτέρας μηδεμιᾶς ὁμολογουμένης εἶναι Is.5.16; μηδενὸς ἐμποδὼν ὄντος D.3.8: very freq. in later Greek, ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]''38.16 (i A.D.), Luc.''DMeretr.''12.4, etc.: occasionally after Verbs of knowing and showing, S.''Ph.''79, ''OC''656,797, 1122, E.''Tr.''970, Th.1.76, 2.17.<br><span class="bld">7</span> with Substs., Adjs., and Advbs. used generically, with or without Art., τὰ μὴ δίκαια A.''Eu.''432; δίκαια καὶ μὴ δίκαια Id.''Ch.''78 (lyr.); τὸ μὴ 'νδικον [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''682 (lyr.); τὸ μὴ καλόν Id.''Ant.''370 (lyr.); <b class="b3">ἡ μὴ 'μπειρία</b>, = [[τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἐμπειρίαν]], [[want of]] experience, Ar.''Ec.''115; ἡ μὴ ἐπιτροπή [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Leges|Lg.]]''966c; <b class="b3">δῆμον καὶ μὴ δῆμον</b> ib. 759b; ὁ μὴ ἰατρός Id.''Grg.'' 459b; νίκης μὴ κακῆς A.''Eu.''903, cf. ''Th.''411; τῷ φρονοῦντι μὴ καλῶς Id.''Pr.''1012, cf. ''Ag.''349,927.<br><span class="bld">8</span> after Verbs expressing [[fear]] or [[apprehension]] (cf. <b class="b3">μὴ οὐ</b>):<br><span class="bld">a</span> when the thing feared is fut., mostly with subj.: with pres. subj., <b class="b3">δεινῶς ἀθυμῶ μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ</b> [[shall proveto be]]... [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''747, cf.''Ant.''1113; ὅρα μὴ κυβεύῃς [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Protagoras|Prt.]]'' 314a: more freq. with aor., δείδοικα… μή σε παρείπῃ Il. 1.555, cf. 9.244, 13.745: with pf., [[shall prove to have been]], δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω πεπραγμέν' ᾖ μοι S. ''Tr.''663, cf. ''Ph.''494, [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]3.119,4.140, etc.: less freq. with fut. ind., [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''2.3.6, Ar.''Ec.''488, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Philebus|Phlb.]]'' 13a: with opt. according to the sequence of moods and tenses: pres. opt., S. ''Tr.''482, X.''An.''1.10.9: aor., Od.11.634, etc.: pf., [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''1.3.10: with fut. opt. in oratio obliqua, Id.''HG''6.4.27, ''Mem.''1.2.7, Pl.''Euthphr.''15d: with opt. and [[ἄν]], S.''Tr.''631, X. [[vect]].4.41.<br><span class="bld">b</span> when the action is pres. or past, the ind. is used, εἰσόρα μὴ σκῆψιν οὐκ οὖσαν τίθης S.''El.''584, cf. [[Euripides|E.]]''[[Ion]]''1523, Ar.''Nu.''493, Pl.''La.''196c; ὅρα μὴ παίζων ἔλεγεν Id.''Tht.'' 145b, cf. E.''Hel.''119; φοβούμεθα μὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἡμαρτήκαμεν Th.3.53, cf. [[Euripides|E.]]''[[Orestes|Or.]]''209, Pl.''Ly.''218d; δείδω μὴ δὴ πάντα θεὰ νημερτέα εἶπεν Od. 5.300.<br><span class="bld">c</span> with ind. and subj. in consecutive clauses, E.''Ph.''93.<br><span class="bld">C</span> in QUESTIONS:<br><span class="bld">I</span> direct questions,<br><span class="bld">1</span> with ind., where aneg. answer is anticipated (but more generally in [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[Agamemnon|Ag.]]''683 (lyr.), [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Coloneus|OC]]''1502, ''Tr.''316, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Gorgias|Grg.]]'' 488b), in Hom. only <b class="b3">ἦ μή</b>…; Od.6.200, 9.405; <b class="b3">μή σοι δοκοῦμεν</b>…; [[Aeschylus|A.]]''[[The Persians|Pers.]]''344, cf. ''Pr.''249,959, etc.: in Trag. and Att. freq. <b class="b3">ἆρα μή</b>; Id.''Th.''208, S.''El.''446, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 405a: for questions in which [[μή]] ([[μηδέ]]) follows [[οὐ]], v. [[οὐ μή]].<br><span class="bld">b</span> in other questions, <b class="b3">τί μὴ ποιήσω</b>; what am I [[not]] to do? S.''El.''1276 (lyr.); <b class="b3">τί μή</b>; why [[not]]? Id.''Aj.''668 ([[si vera lectio|s.v.l.]]); cf. [[μήν]]<br><span class="bld">2</span> with subj., when the speaker deliberates about a neg. action, <b class="b3">μὴ οὕτω φῶμεν</b>; [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Republic|R.]]'' 335c, cf. 337b, 417b; <b class="b3">ὁ τοιοῦτος μὴ δῷ δίκην</b>; D.21.35; <b class="b3">πῶς μὴ φῶμεν</b>; [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Theaetetus|Tht.]]'' 161e: with opt. and <b class="b3">ἄν, πῶς ἄν τις μὴ θυμῷ λέγοι</b>; how can a man [[help being]] excited when he speaks? Id.''Lg.''887c, cf. ''Grg.''510d, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Memorabilia|Mem.]]''3.1.10.<br><span class="bld">II</span> indirect questions, freq. with Verbs implying [[fear]] and [[apprehension]] (cf. B. 8), ὄφρα ἴδωμεν μὴ τοὶ κοιμήσωνται Il.10.98, cf. 101, Od.21.395; περισκοπῶ μή πού τις… ἐγχρίμπτει S.''El.''898, cf. Th.2.13, etc.; also <b class="b3">σκοπεῖσθαι πῶς ἂν μή</b>… Isoc.5.8, cf. 15.6; later in simple indirect questions, ἐπυνθάνετο μὴ ἔγνω Ant.Lib.23.5.<br><span class="bld">2</span> in questions introduced by εἰ, ἤρετό με… εἰ μὴ μέμνημαι Aeschin.2.36 (<b class="b3">εἰ οὐκ</b> in same sense, 1.84): in the second part of a disjunctive question, <b class="b3">εἰ… ἢ</b> (or [[εἴτε]]) <b class="b3"> μή... εἴτε… εἴτε μή</b>... A.''Eu.''468, 612, And.1.7, Pl.''Ap.''18a, ''R.''457d, [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''2.1.7; <b class="b3">εἴτε… εἴτε μή... εἰ… ἢ οὔ, εἰ… ἢ μή</b> without difference of meaning between [[μή]] and [[οὐ]], Is.8.9; so also, τοὺς νόμους καταμανθάνειν εἰ καλῶς κεῖνται ἢ μή,… τοὺς λόγους, εἰ ὀρθῶς διδάσκουσι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἢ οὔ Antipho 5.14.<br><span class="bld">D</span> POSITION of [[μή]]. When the neg. extends its power over the whole clause, [[μή]] prop. precedes the Verb. When its force is limited to single words, it precedes those words. But Poets sometimes put [[μή]] after the Verb, ὄλοιο μή πω S.''Ph.''961; <b class="b3">φράσῃς… μὴ πέρα</b> ib.332, cf. ''OC''1522.<br><span class="bld">2</span> [[μή]] is sometimes repeated, μή, μή καλέσῃς Ar.''V.''1418, cf. [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Ajax|Aj.]]''190, ''OC''210 (both lyr.).<br><span class="bld">E</span> PROSODY: in Trag. [[μή]] may be joined by synizesis with a following ει or ου<b class="b3">, μὴ οὐ, μὴ εἰδέναι</b>, [[Sophocles|S.]]''[[Oedipus Tyrannus|OT]]''13,221, ''Tr.''321, etc.: initial ε after [[μή]] is cut off by aphaeresis, μὴ 'πὁθουν Id.''Aj.''962; μὴ 'μβαίνῃς Id.''OC''400; μὴ 'γώ Id.''Ph.''910: in Prose, μὴ 'κ ''IG''12.115.11: [[μή]] followed by α is sometimes written [[μἀ]]… (v. <b class="b3">μὴ ἀλλά</b>, etc.); sometimes separately, μὴ ἀδικεῖν A.''Eu.''85, etc.<br><span class="bld">F</span> [[μή]] in COMPOSITION, or joined with other Particles, as <b class="b3">μὴ ἀλλά, μὴ γάρ, μὴ οὐ, μὴ ὅπως</b> or <b class="b3">ὅτι, μή ποτε</b>, etc., will be found in alphabetical order.