Elementary Greek Grammar: PART II: INFLECTION: VERBS

The subjunctive has the primary endings with long connecting vowels, ω, η, and ῃ, for ω (or ο), ε, and ει of the indicative, as follows: -

For the perfect subjunctive passive and middle see § 118, 1.

Note 1. The aorist passive subjunctive (both first and second), which does not omit the connecting vowel (§ 112, 3), has the active terminations (§ 114) contracted with final ε of the stem; as λυθέ-ω, λυθῶ; φανέ-ῃς, φανῇς; σταλέ-ῃ, σταλῇ.

Note 2. The subjunctive of verbs in ημι and ωμι has the above terminations contracted with preceding ε or ο of the stem; as τιθῶ (for τιθε-ω), διδῶμαι (for διδο-ωμαι), θῶμεν and θῶνται (Ion. θέωμεν, θέωνται). See § 122, N. 4; § 126, 7 (a).

The optative has the secondary personal endings (§ 112, 2), preceded by a modal sign ι or ιη (ιη before final ν of the third person plural).

1. Verbs in ω have a connecting vowel ο (in the first aorist active and middle, α) in the optative. This is contracted with ι (or ιη), making οι or οιη (αι or αιη). The first person singular active has the ending μι for ν (§ 112, 2), except in some contract forms (see 4). Adding the endings we have

For periphrastic forms of the perfect optative see § 118, 1. For the aorist passive see below, 3.

2. In the present and second aorist middle of verbs in ημι and ωμι, the final vowel of the tense stem (α, ε, or ο) is contracted with ι into αι, ει, or οι, to which the simple endings μην, &c. are added; as ἱστα-ι-μην, ἱσταίμην; θε-ι-μην, θείμην; δο-ι-μην, δοίμην. (See § 122, N. 4.) See also the cases of perfect optative middle in ῃμην in § 118, 1, Note.

3. The present and second aorist active of the μι-form (§ 121, 1), and both aorists passive in all verbs, have the ending ν in the first person singular and σαν in the third person plural. Here the modal sign is ιη, with which α, ε, or ο of the stem is contracted to αιη, ειη, or οιη; as ἱστα-ιη-ν, ἱσταίην; στα-ιη-μεν, σταίημεν; λυθε-ιη-ν, λυθείην; δο-ιη-ν, δοίην.

In the dual and plural, forms with ι for ιη, and ιεν for ιησαν in the third person plural, are much more common than the longer forms; as σταῖμεν, σταῖεν, for σταίημεν, σταίησαν. (See § 123, 2.)

4. In the present active of contract verbs, forms in οιην, οιης, οιη (for ο-ιη-ν, &c.) are more common in the singular than the regular forms in οιμι, οις, οι (see 1), but less common in the dual and plural: the third person plural in οιησαν is very rare.

Both the forms in οιην and those in οιμι are contracted with α of the tense stem to ῳην and ῳμι, and with ε or ο to οιην and οιμι; as τιμα-ο-ιη-ν, τιμαοίην, τιμῴην; φιλε-ο-ιη-ν, φιλεοίην, φιλοίην; δηλο-ο-ιη-ν, δηλοοίην, δηλοίην; τιμα-ο-ι-μι, τιμάοιμι, τιμῷμι; φιλε-ο-ι-μι, φιλέοιμι, φιλοῖμι; δηλο-ο-ι-μι, δηλόοιμι, δηλοῖμι. (See § 98.)

Note 1. A few verbs have οιην in the second perfect optative; as ἐκπέφευγα, ἐκπεφευγοίην. The second aorist optative of ἔχω, have, is σχοίην (σχοῖμι in composition).

Note 2. The Attic generally uses the Aeolic terminations ειας, ειε, and ειαν, for αις, αι, αιεν, in the aorist optative active. See λύω and φαίνω in § 96.

1. The personal endings of the imperative are as follows: -

θι is always dropped after a connecting vowel.

2. The regular connecting vowel of the imperative is ε; but before ντι it is ο. In the aorist active and middle it is α. But the second person singular in the aorist active ends in ον, and in the aorist middle in αι. The endings united with the connecting vowels are as follows: -

3. The first aorist passive adds the ordinary active terminations (θι, τω, &c.) directly to θη of the tense stem, after which θι becomes τι (§ 17, 3); as λύθη-τι, λυθή-τω, &c.

The second aorist passive adds the same terminations to η of the tense stem (θ being retained); as φάνη-θι, φανή-τω; στάλη-θι, σταλή-τω, &c.

Both aorists have εντων in the third person plural.

Note. For the form of the imperative in verbs in μι, see § 121, 2, (b) and (c).

1. The terminations of the infinitive of verbs in ω (including connecting vowels) are as follows: -

All μι-forms add ναι (act.) or σθαι (pass. and mid.) directly to the tense stem.

2. The stem of the active participle ends in ντ (τ in the perfect), which is joined to the tense stem by ο (α in the aorist); except in the aorist passive (§ 112, 1) and in μι-forms, which add ντ directly to the stem.

The passive and middle participle ends in μενος (stem μενο-), which is preceded by ο (α in the aorist middle); except in the perfect and in μι-forms, which add μενος directly to the tense stem.

Note. Participial stems in ντ add σα to form the stem of the feminine; as λυοντ-σα, λύουσα; ἱσταντ-σα, ἱστᾶσα; λυθεντ-σα, λυθεῖσα. (§ 16, 6, N. 1.) Perfects in ώς, ότος (stem in τ) have an irregular feminine in υῖα. Participles in μενος form the feminine in μένη.

For the declension of participles, see §§ 62, 68, 69.

3. The stem of the verbal adjectives in τος and τεος is formed by adding το- or τεο- to the stem of the verb, which has the same form here as in the aorist passive (with the necessary change of φ and χ to π and κ, § 16, 1); as λυτός, λυτέος (stems λυ-το-, λυ-τεο-); τριπτός, πειστέος (stems τριβ-το-, πειθ-τεο-); τακτός, τακτέος, from τάσσω (stem τᾰγ-), aor. pass. ἐτάχ-θην.

Note 1. The verbal in τος is sometimes equivalent to a perfect passive participle, as κριτός, decided, τακτός, ordered; and sometimes expresses capability, as λυτός, capable of being loosed, ἀκουστός, audible.

Note 2. The verbal in τεος is equivalent to a future passive participle (the Latin participle in dus); as λυτέος, that must be loosed, solvendus; τιμητέος, to be honored, honorandus.

For the impersonal use of the neuter in τεον in an active sense, see Syntax, § 281, 2.

1. The perfect subjunctive and optative middle and passive is generally formed by the perfect participle with ὦ and εἴην, the subjunctive and optative of εἰμί, be; as λελυμένος (-η, -ον) ὦ, λελυμένος (-η, -ον) εἴην. See the paradigms.

Note. A few verbs with vowel stems form these tenses directly from the stem: κτά-ομαι, κτῶμαι, acquire, pf. κέκτημαι, possess; subj. κεκτῶμαι (for κε-κτα-ωμαι), κεκτῇ, κεκτῆται; opt. κεκτῴμην (for κε-κτα-οιμην), κεκτῷο, κεκτῷτο, and κεκτήμην (for κεκτη-ι-μην, § 115, 2), κεκτῇο, κεκτῇτο, κεκτήμεθα; - μιμνήσκω (μνα-), remind, pf. μέμνημαι, remember: subj. μεμνῶμαι, μεμνώμεθα (Hdt. μεμνεώμεθα); opt. μεμνῴμην (Hom. μεμνεῴατο), or μεμνῄμην. So poetic κεκλήμην (for κεκλη-ι-μην) of καλέω, and Homeric λελῦτο (for λελυ-ι-το) or λελῦντο of λύω. See also pr. opt. δαινῦτο of δαίνυμι.

2. The perfect subjunctive and optative active is more frequently expressed by the perfect active participle with ὦ and εἴην than by the special forms given in the paradigms; as λελυκὼς ὦ and λελυκὼς εἴην for λελύκω and λελύκοιμι.

Note. The perfect imperative can be expressed by the perfect participle and ἴσθι, ἔστω, &c.; as εἰρηκὼς ἔστω, let him have spoken (before a given time); εἰρημένον ἔστω (§ 202, 2, N. 1). The forms like λέλυκε, λέλοιπε, &c. were probably used only when the perfect had the meaning of the present; as χάσκω (χαν-), gape, pf. κέχηνα, gape. (See § 95, 1, Note.)

3. The future perfect active, for which very few verbs have a special form (§ 110, IV. c, N. 2), is generally expressed by the perfect participle with ἔσομαι (future of εἰμί, be); as ἐγνωκότες ἐσόμεθα, we shall have learnt.

4. Even the perfect and pluperfect indicative are occasionally expressed by the perfect participle and εἰμί; as γεγονώς ἐστι for γέγονε, πεποιηκὼς ἦν for ἐπεποιήκει.

5. The periphrastic third person plural of the perfect and pluperfect indicative middle and passive, formed by the participle and εἰσί and ἦσαν, is necessary when the stem ends in a consonant (§ 97, 2). The participle may be used in all genders; as οὗτοι λελειμμένοι εἰσί, these (men) have been left; αὗται λελειμμέναι εἰσί; ταῦτα λελειμμένα ἐστί (§ 135, 2).

Note. Here, however, the Ionic endings αται and ατο for νται and ντο (§ 119, 3) are occasionally used even in Attic prose; as τετάχ-αται and ἐτετάχ-ατο (Thucyd.) for τεταγμένοι εἰσί and ἦσαν.

6. A periphrastic future is sometimes formed by μέλλω, intend, be about (to do), and the present or future (seldom the aorist) infinitive; as μέλλομεν τοῦτο ποιεῖν (or ποιήσειν); we are about to do this. (See § 202, 3, Note.)

1. The Doric has the personal endings μες for μεν, τᾱν for την, μᾱν for μην, οντι for ουσι, ωντι for ωσι, αντι for ᾱσι. The poets have μεσθα for μεθα.

2. When σ is dropped in σαι and σο of the second person (§ 113, 2, N. 1), Homer often keeps the uncontracted forms εαι, ηαι, αο, εο. Herodotus always has εαι and εο, but generally ῃ for ηαι. In both Homer and Hdt. εο may become ευ. In Homer σαι and σο sometimes drop σ even in the perf. and pluperf.; as μέμνηαι for μέμνησαι, ἔσσυο for ἔσσυσο; sometimes σ is doubled, as in κέκασσαι (κέκασμαι).

3. The Ionic has αται and ατο for νται and ντο in the third person plural of the perfect and pluperfect, and ατο for ντο in the optative. Before these endings β, π, φ, and γ are aspirated (φ, χ); as κρύπτω (κρῠβ-), κεκρύφ-αται; λέγω, λελέχ-αται, ἐλελέχ-ατο. Hdt. shortens η to ε before αται and ατο; as οἰκέ-αται (pf. of οἰκέω), Att. ᾤκη-νται; ἐτετιμέ-ατο (plpf. of τιμάω), Att. ἐτετίμη-ντο. Hom. rarely inserts δ before the vowel of a stem and αται or ατο (see ἐλαύνω and μαίνομαι). These forms sometimes occur in Attic (§ 118, 5, Note). Hdt. has αται and ατο also in the present and imperfect of verbs in μι.

4. Homer and Herodotus have εα, εας, εε(ν), for Attic ειν, εις, ει, in the pluperfect active, as ἐτεθήπεα; whence comes the (especially older) Attic 1st pers. in η, as ἐμεμαθήκη (§ 113, 2, N. 4).

5. Homer and Herodotus generally have the uncontracted forms of the future (in εω and εομαι) of liquid stems; as μενέω, Attic μενῶ. When they are contracted, they follow the analogy of verbs in εω (§ 120, 2, a).

6. The Doric has σέω, σέομαι (contracted σῶ, σοῦμαι or σεῦμαι) for σω, σομαι in the future. The Attic has σοῦμαι in the future middle of a few verbs (§ 110, II., N. 2).

7. In Homer σ is sometimes doubled after a short vowel in the future and aorist, as τελέω, τελέσσω; καλέω, ἐκάλεσσα; κομίζω, fut. κομιῶ (§ 110, II., N. 1, c), Hom. ἐκόμισσα, ἐκομισσάμην.

8. In Homer aorists with σ sometimes have the inflection of second aorists; as ἷξον, ἷξες, from ἱκνέομαι, come; ἐβήσετο (more common than ἐβήσατο) from βαίνω, go.

9. In Homer ησαν of the aor. pass. indic. often becomes εν; as ὥρμηθεν for ὡρμήθησαν, from ὁρμάω, urge. So in the 2nd aor. act. of verbs in μι (§ 126, 4).

10. Homer and Herodotus have iterative endings σκον and σκόμην in the imperfect, and in the second aorist active and middle. Hom. has them also in the first aorist. These are added to the tense stem, with ε (α in first aorist) inserted after a preceding consonant; as ἔχω, imp. ἔχ-εσκον; ἐρύω, 1 aor. ἐρύσ-ασκε; φεύγω (φυγ-), 2 aor. φύγε-σκον. Verbs in εω have ε-εσκον or εσκον in the imperfect; as καλέεσκον, πωλέσκετο; verbs in αω have α-ασκον or ασκον; as γοάασκε, νικάσκομεν. Rarely other verbs have ασκον in the imperfect; as κρύπτασκον from κρύπτω.

These forms are confined to the indicative, and they generally (in Hdt. always) omit the augment. They denote repetition; as πωλέσκετο, he went (regularly).

For μι-forms with these endings see § 126, 5.

11. Some verbs have poetic stems, made by adding θ preceded by a vowel (generally α or ε) to the present or the second aorist tense stem; as ἀμυναθ-, διωκαθ-, φλεγεθ-, from ἀμύνω, ward off, διώκω, pursue, φλέγω, burn. From these special stems are formed - sometimes presents, as φλεγέθω; sometimes imperfects, as ἐδιώκαθον; sometimes second aorists, as ἔσχεθον (σχ-); and also subjunctives and optatives, as εἰκάθω, εἰκάθοιμι, ἀμυνάθοιτο; imperatives, as ἀμυνάθατε, ἀμυνάθου; infinitives, as ἀμυνάθειν, διωκάθειν, σχεθέειν, σχέθειν or σχεθεῖν; and participles, as εἰκάθων, σχέθων or σχεθών. As few of these stems form a present indicative, many scholars consider ἐδιώκαθον, ἔργαθον, &c., with the subjunctives, &c., second aorists, and accent the infinitives and participles διωκαθεῖν, ἀμυναθεῖν, εἰκαθεῖν, εἰκαθών, &c., although the traditional accent is on the penult. See in the Lexicon ἀλκάθειν, ἀμυνάθω, διωκάθω, εἰκάθειν, ἐργάθειν, ἠερέθομαι, ἠγερέθομαι, μετακιάθω, σχέθω, φθινύθω, φλεγέθω.

12. (Subjunctive.)

(a) In Homer the subjunctive (especially in the 1st aor. act. and mid.) often has the short connecting vowels ε and ο (Attic η and ω), yet never in the singular of the active voice nor in the third person plural; as ἐρύσσομεν, ἀλγήσετε, μυθήσομαι, εὔξεαι, δηλήσεται, ἀμείψεται, ἐγείρομεν, ἱμείρεται.

(b) In both aor. pass. subjunctives Herodotus generally has the uncontracted forms in εω, εωμεν, εωσι, but contracts εῃ (or εη) to ῃ (or η); as ἀφαιρεθέω (Att. -θῶ), φανέωσι (Att. -ῶσι), but φανῇ.

(c) In the 2nd aor. pass. subj. of some verbs, Homer lengthens εω, εῃς, εῃ, to ειω, ειῃς (or ηῃς), ειῃ (or ηῃ), and has ειομεν, ειετε, for εωμεν, εητε; as δαμείω (from ἐδάμην, 2nd aor. p. of δαμνάω, subdue), δαμείῃς or δαμήῃς, δαμείῃ or δαμήῃ, δαμείετε; τραπείομεν (from ἐτάρπην of τέρπω, amuse). This is more fully developed in the 2nd aor. act. of the μι-form (§ 126, 7, b).

(d) In the subj. active Homer often has ωμι, ῃσθα (or ησθα), ῃσι; as ἐθέλωμι, ἐθέλῃσθα, ἐθέλῃσι.

13. (Optative.) The Aeolic forms of the aor. opt. act., ειας, ειε, ειαν (given in the paradigms of λύω and φαίνω), are the common forms in all dialects; the Aeolic has also first persons in εια and ειμεν. Homer sometimes has οισθα in the 2nd person for οις; as κλαίοισθα. For ατο (for ντο) see above, 3.

14. (Infinitive.)

(a) Homer often has ε-μεναι and ε-μεν for ει-ν in the infinitive active; as ἀμυνέμεναι, ἀμυνέμεν (Attic ἀμύνειν); ἐλθέμεναι, ἐλθέμεν (ἐλθεῖν); ἀξέμεναι, ἀξέμεν (ἄξειν). For the perfect (only of the μι-form, § 125, 4) see § 126, 9: the inf. in εναι does not occur in Homer. So Hom. μεναι, Dor. μεν, in the aor. pass.; as ὁμοιωθήμεναι, δαήμεναι (also δαῆναι), Hom.; αἰσχυνθῆμεν, Pind.

(b) Homer often has the uncontracted 2nd aor. inf. act. in εειν; as ἰδέειν.

(c) The Doric has εν (§ 98, N. 5) and the Aeolic ην for ειν in the infin.; Doric also ην for εν or ειν; thus ἀείδεν and γηρύεν (Dor.) for ἀείδειν and γηρύειν; φέρην and ἔχην (Aeol.) for φέρειν and ἔχειν; εἰπῆν (Dor.), εἴπην (Aeol.), for εἰπεῖν.

15. (Participle.) The Doric and Aeolic have οισα for ουσα, and αις, αισα for ας, ασα, in the participle; as ἔχοισα, θρέψαις, θρέψαισα.

The present and imperfect of verbs in αω, εω, and οω have the following dialectic peculiarities: -

1. (Verbs in αω.)

(a) In Homer verbs in αω are often contracted as in Attic. In a few cases they remain uncontracted; sometimes without change, as ναιετάουσι, ναιετάων, from ναιετάω, dwell; sometimes with ᾱ, as in πεινάω, hunger, διψάω, thirst; sometimes with εον for αον in the imperfect, as μενοίνεον from μενοινάω, long for.

(b) Commonly, when they are not contracted in Homer, the two vowels (or the vowel and diphthong) which elsewhere are contracted are assimilated, so as to give a double A or a double O sound. The second syllable, if it is short by nature or has a diphthong with a short initial vowel, is generally prolonged; sometimes the former syllable; rarely both. We thus have ᾱᾱ (sometimes ᾰᾱ) for ᾱε or ᾱη (ᾱῃ for ᾱει or ᾱῃ), and οω (sometimes ωο or ωω) for ᾱο or ᾱω (οῳ for ᾱοι):

The lengthening of the former vowel occurs only when the word could not otherwise stand in the Homeric verse; as in ἡβώοντες for ἡβάοντες, ἡβώοιμι for ἡβάοιμι, μνάασθαι for μνάεσθαι, μνώοντο for (ἐ)μνάοντο. In this case the second vowel or diphthong is not lengthened (see the examples above); except in a final syllable, as in μενοινάᾳ (for -άει), or when ωσα or ωσι comes from οντσα or ονσι, as in ἡβώωσα, δρώωσι, for ἡβά-οντσα, δρά-ονσι.

This assimilation never occurs unless the second vowel is long either by nature or by position; thus ὁράομεν, ὁράετε, ὁραέτω cannot become ὁρόωμεν, ὁράατε, ὁράατω. It extends also to the so-called Attic futures in άσω, άω, ῶ (§ 110, II. Note 1, b); as ἐλόω, ἐλόωσι, κρεμόω, δαμάᾳ, δαμόωσι, for ἐλάσω (ἐλάω), &c.

(c) The Doric contracts αε and αη to η; this occurs in the dual of a few imperfects in Homer, as προσαυδήτην (from προσαυδάω), φοιτήτην (φοιτάω), συλήτην (συλάω). So Hom. ὅρηαι (or ὁρῆαι) for ὁράεαι (Attic ὁρᾷ) in the pres. ind. middle of ὁράω. See 2 (d).

(d) Herodotus sometimes changes αω, αο, and αου to εω, εο, and εου, especially in ὁράω, εἰρωτάω, and φοιτάω; as ὁρέω, ὁρέοντες, ὁρέουσι, εἰρώτεον, ἐφοίτεον. These forms are generally uncontracted; but εο and εου sometimes become ευ (2, a), as εἰρώτευν.

In other cases Herodotus contracts verbs in αω regularly.

(e) In Homer, ε-μεναι (§ 119, 14, a) in the pres. infin. act. of verbs in αω and εω becomes ημεναι by contracting ε with α or ε of the stem (1, c); as γοήμεναι (γοάω) for γοε-εμεναι, πεινήμεναι (πεινάω). See 2 (d).

2. (Verbs in εω.)

(a) Verbs in εω generally remain uncontracted in both Homer and Herodotus. But Homer sometimes contracts εε or εει to ει, as τάρβει (τάρβεε); and both Homer and Herodotus sometimes contract εο or εου to ευ (Hdt. especially in ἀγνοέω, διανοέομαι, θηέομαι, νοέω, ποιέω); as ποιεῦσι, ἀγνοεῦντες, διανοεῦντο. So in the Attic futures in ίσω, ίσομαι (§ 110, II. Note 1, c), as κομιεύμεθα (Hdt.). Hdt. has generally δεῖ, must, but impf. ἔδεε.

(b) Homer sometimes drops ε in εαι and εο (for εσαι, εσο, § 113, 2) after υ, thus changing ύεαι and ύεο to ύαι and ύο, as μυθέαι for μυθέεαι (from μυθέομαι), ἀποαιρέο (for ἀποαιρέεο); but he oftener contracts έεαι and έεο to εῖαι and εῖο, as μυθεῖαι, αἰδεῖο (for αἰδέεο). Herodotus sometimes drops the second ε in έεο; as φοβέο (also φοβεῦ), αἰτέο, ἐξηγέο.

(c) In Homer, final ε of the stem is often lengthened into ει; as νεικείω, πνείω, for νεικέω, πνέω. So in ἐτελείετο from τελέω, τελείω. A similar change takes place in εω of the 2nd aor. passive subjunctive (§ 119, 12, c).

(d) Homer has a present infinitive in ημεναι for ε-εμεναι (1, e), as φιλήμεναι (φιλέω) for φιλε-εμεναι, καλήμεναι (καλέω). So φορῆναι (φορέ-ειν) from φορέω. Homer has Doric contraction in the duals ὁμαρτήτην (ὁμαρτέω) and ἀπειλήτην (ἀπειλέω). See 1 (c).

3. (Verbs in οω.)

(a) Verbs in οω are always contracted inHerodotus, but he sometimes has ευ (for ου) from οο or οου, especially in δικαιόω, think just; as ἐδικαίευν, δικαιεῦντος, δικαιεῦσι.

(b) They are always contracted in Homer, except in the few cases in which forms in οω or ωο occur resembling those made by assimilation in verbs in αω (1, b); as ἀρόωσι (from ἀρόω, plough); δηιόφεν and (impf.) δηιόωντο (from δηιόω); ἱδρώουσα and ἱδρώοντα (from ἱδρόω).

REMARK. The peculiar inflection of verbs in μι affects only the tenses formed from the present and second aorist stems, and in a few verbs those formed from the second perfect stem. Most of the second aorists and perfects here included do not belong to presents in μι, but are irregular forms of verbs in ω; as ἔβην (βαίνω), ἔγνων (γιγνώσκω), ἐπτάμην (πέτομαι), and τέθναμεν, τεθναίην, τεθνάναι (2nd perfect of θνήσκω). See § 125, 3 and 4. Tenses thus inflected are called μι-forms. In other tenses verbs in μι are inflected like verbs in ω (§ 123, 3). No single verb exhibits all the μι-forms.

§ 121.

1. In the present and imperfect of verbs in μι, and in all other tenses which have the μι-form of inflection, the endings (§ 112, 2) are added directly to the tense stem, except in the subjunctive and optative. The tense stem almost always ends in a vowel, which, if short, is lengthened (Note 1) in the singular of the present and imperfect indicative active, and generally in all forms of the second aorist indicative, imperative, and infinitive active. Thus φη-μί, φη-σί, φᾶ-μέν, φᾶ-τέ, from stem φᾱ-; cf. λύ-ο-μεν, λύ-ε-τε, from stem λυ-. See § 112, 4.

NOTE 1. Here ᾰ and ε are lengthened to η, ο to ω, and ῐ to ῡ. But in the second aorist, ᾰ after ρ becomes ᾱ in ἔδρᾱν, ε becomes ει in the infinitives θεῖναι and εἶναι, and ο becomes ου in δοῦναι. (See § 125, 3, Notes 1 and 2.)

NOTE 2. The only verbs in μι with consonant present stems are the irregular εἰμί, _be_, and ἧμαι, _sit_ (§ 127). See also οἶδα (§ 127, VII.), and a few poetic second aorists and perfects (§ 125, 3 and 4).

2. The following peculiarities in the endings are to be noticed in these forms:

(a) The endings μι and σι (§ 112, 2, N.) are retained in the first and third persons singular of the present indicative active; as φη-μί, φη-σί.

(b) θι is retained in the second aorist imperative active (§ 116, 1) after a long vowel, as in στῆθι, βῆθι; but it is changed to ς in θές, δός, ἕς, and σχές. It is rare in the present, as φάθι, ἴθι. The present commonly omits θι, and lengthens the preceding vowel (ᾰ, ε, ο, or ῠ) to η, ει, ου, or ῡ; as ἵστη (for ἱστα-θι), τίθει, δίδου, δείκνῡ (see § 123).

(c) In the second person singular passive and middle, σαι and σο are retained (see, however, § 122, N. 3); except in the second aorist middle and in the subjunctive and optative, which drop σ and are contracted (§ 114, N. 2; § 115, 2, 3). In the present imperative both forms in σο and contracted forms in ω or ου (for ασο, εσο, οσο) occur, ῠσο being always retained.

(d) In the third person plural of the present indicative active, α is prefixed to the ending νσι, making ασι (§ 16, 6), which is contracted with α (but not with ε, ο, or υ) of the stem; as ἱστᾶσι (for ἱστα-ασι), but τιθέ-ᾱσι, διδό-ᾱσι, δεικνύ-ᾱσι. Contracted forms in εῖσι, οῦσι, and ῦσι, from stems in ε, ο, and υ, are regular in Ionic, but rare in Attic. In the third person plural, the imperfect and second aorist active have σαν, and the optative active has ιη-σαν or ιε-ν.

(e) The infinitive active adds ναι to the tense stem; as ἱστά-ναι, τιθέ-ναι, δοῦ-ναι, θεῖ-ναι.

(f) The participle active (with stem in αντ, εντ, οντ, or υντ) forms the nominative in ᾱς, εις, ους, or ῡς.

3. Some verbs in ημι and ωμι reduplicate the stem in the present and imperfect by prefixing its initial consonant with ι; as δί-δω-μι (δο-), _give_, τί-θη-μι (θε-), _put_, for θι-θη-μι (§ 17, 2). From stem στα- we have ἵ-στη-μι, _set_, for σι-στη-μι; and from ἑ- we have ἵ-η-μι (ἱ-ἡ-μι). See § 125, 2.

§ 122.

There are two classes of verbs which have this inflection:

1. First, verbs in μι which have the simple stem or the reduplicated simple stem (§ 121, 3) in the present; and all the second aorists and second perfects and pluperfects of the μι-form. This includes all verbs in ημι and ωμι (from stems in α, ε, and ο).

2. Secondly, verbs in νυμι, which (with one exception) have the μι-form only in the present and imperfect. These add νῡ (after a vowel, ννῡ) to the simple stem to form the present stem; as δεικ-, δεικνῡ-, δείκνυ-μι, δείκνῡ-ς, δείκνῡ-σι, but δείκνυ-μεν, δείκνυ-τε (§ 121, 1).

They thus belong, by the formation of the present stem, to the fifth class of verbs in ω (§ 108, V. 4), and some of them (as δείκνυμι) use the present in νύω (see Note 5).

NOTE 1. Some verbs in ημι and ωμι have forms which follow the inflection of verbs in εω and οω. Especially, in the imperfect of τίθημι and δίδωμι, ἐτίθεις and ἐτίθει (as if from τιθέω), and ἐδίδουν, ἐδίδους, ἐδίδου (as if from διδόω), are much more common than the regular forms in ης, η and ων, ως, ω. So in the second aorist, the forms [ἔθην, ἔθης, ἔθη] and [ἔδων, ἔδως, ἔδω] never occur; and in their place the first aorists in κα, ἔθηκα and ἔδωκα (§ 110, III. 1, N. 1), are used in the singular, while the second aorist forms ἔθετον, &c., ἔδοτον, &c., are generally used in the dual and plural. See also ἵημι (§ 127), where ἧκα is used in the same way. Further, in the optative middle, τιθοίμην, τιθοῖο, τιθοῖτο, &c. (also accented τίθοιο, τίθοιτο, &c.) and (in composition) θοίμην, θοῖο, θοῖτο, &c. (also accented σύν-θοιτο, πρόσ-θοισθε, &c.) occur with the regular τιθείμην, θείμην, &c. See also πρόοιτο, &c., under ἵημι (§ 127).

NOTE 2. A few deponent verbs accent the subjunctive and optative as if there were no contraction. Such are δύναμαι, ἐπίσταμαι, κρέμαμαι, and ἐπριάμην (§ 123); as δύνωμαι, δύναιτο (not δυνῶμαι, δυναῖτο); and sometimes other verbs in μι. The infinitive πρίασθαι is accented like a first aorist.

NOTE 3. Δύναμαι and ἐπίσταμαι generally have ἐδύνω (or ἠδύνω) and ἠπίστω, for ἐδύνασο and ἠπίστασο, in the second person singular of the imperfect.

NOTE 4. For the formation of the subjunctive and optative of verbs in ημι and ωμι, see § 114, N. 2, and § 115, 2 and 3. But the contracted subjunctive from stems in α has ῶ, ῇς, ῇ, &c. (act.), and ῶμαι, ῇ, ῆται, &c. (mid.), as if from stems in ε; which stems are found in Ionic, as in στέω-μεν, στέω-σι (Attic στῶμεν, στῶσι). See § 126, 7 (a).

NOTE 5. Verbs in νυμι form the subjunctive and optative like verbs in ω; as δεικνύ-ω, δεικνύ-οιμι, δεικνύ-ωμαι, δεικνυ-οίμην. In other moods forms of verbs in νύω often occur; as δεικνύουσι, ὀμνύουσι.

NOTE 6. Only one verb in νυμι, σβέννυμι (σβε-), _quench_, has a second aorist active; and this, ἔσβην, _was quenched_, with infin. σβῆναι and (Ion.) part. σβείς, is formed from the simple stem in ε (§ 125, 3).

§ 123.

1. The following is a synopsis of ἵστημι, _set_, (stem στᾰ-), τίθημι, _put_ (stem θε-), δίδωμι, _give_ (stem δο-), and δείκνυμι, _show_ (stem δεικ-, present stem δεικνυ-), in the present and second aorist systems.

As ἵστημι wants the second aorist middle, ἐπριάμην, _I bought_ (from a stem πρια- which has no present), is added. As δείκνυμι wants the second aorist (§ 122, N. 6), ἔδῡν, _I entered_ (from δύω, formed as if from δυ-μι), is added in the active voice. No second aorist middle in ύμην occurs, except in scattered poetic forms (see λύω, πνέω, σεύω, and χέω). Ἔδῡν has no aorist optative in Attic; but two forms of an old optative δύην (for δυ-ιη-ν) occur in Homer, viz. δύη and ἐκδύμεν.

ACTIVE

PASSIVE AND MIDDLE

2. The peculiar forms of these verbs, which are included in the synopsis, are thus inflected: –

ACTIVE VOICE

Present Indicative

Imperfect

Present Subjunctive

Present Optative

Or thus contracted: –

Present Imperative

Present Infinitive

ἱστάναι τιθέναι διδόναι δεικνύναι

Present Participle

| ἱστάς | τιθείς | διδούς | δεικνύς |

Second Aorist Indicative

Second Aorist Subjunctive

Second Aorist Optative

Or thus contracted: -

Second Aorist Imperative

Second Aorist Infinitive

Second Aorist Participle

PASSIVE AND MIDDLE

Present Indicative

Imperfect

Present Subjunctive

Present Optative

Present Imperative

Present Infinitive

ἵστασθάι τίθεσθαι δίδοσθαι δείκνυσθαι

Present Participle

ἱστάμενος τιθέμενος διδόμενος δεικνύμενος

Second Aorist Middle Indicative

Second Aorist Middle Subjunctive

Second Aorist Middle Optative

Second Aorist Middle Imperative

Second Aorist Middle Infinitive

Second Aorist Middle Participle.

πριάμενος θέμενος δόμενος

3. The following is a full synopsis of the indicative of ἴστημι, τίθημι, δίδωμι, and δείκνυμι, in all the voices:

ACTIVE

MIDDLE

PASSIVE

Present, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect: as in middle.

1. A few second perfects and pluperfects are inflected like the present and imperfect of verbs in μι. But they are never used in the singular of the indicative, the forms (ἕσταα), (τέθναα), (γέγαα), &c. being imaginary. The participle is formed in ως, ωσα, ος, which is contracted with a preceding α to ώς, ῶσα, ός (irregular for ᾱς).

2. The principal verbs which have these forms in Attic prose are βαίνω, go, 2 perf. infin. βεβάναι; θνήσκω, die, τεθνάναι; and ἵστημι, set, ἑστάναι, with stems in α. All these have ordinary perfects, βέβηκα, τέθνηκα, ἕστηκα, which are always used in the singular of the indicative. The second perfect and pluperfect of ἵστημι (στα-) are thus inflected: -

SECOND PERFECT

Infinitive: ἑστάναι. Participle: (Hom. ἑσταώς, ἑσταῶσα, ἑσταός), Att. contr. ἑστώς, ἑστῶσα, ἑστός (Ionic also -εώς, -εῶσα, -εός; Ep. -ηώς).

See § 110, IV. (α), N. 8. For the inflection, see § 69, Note.

SECOND PLUPERFECT

Dual. ἕστατον, ἑστάτην.

Plural. ἕσταμεν, ἕστατε, ἔστασαν.

Note. For an enumeration of these forms, see § 125, 4.

The forms which have this inflection are as follows: –

1. Verbs in μι with the simple stem in the present. These are the irregular εἰμί, be, εἶμι, go, φημί, say, κεῖμαι, lie, and ἧμαι, sit, all of which are inflected in § 127; with ἠμί, say, χρή, ought, and the deponents ἄγαμαι, δύναμαι, ἐπίσταμαι, ἔραμαι, κρέμαμαι.

See these in the Catalogue, and also Ionic or poetic (chiefly Homeric) forms under ἄημι, δέαμαι, δίεμαι, δίζημαι, ἔδω, ἵλημι, κιχάνω, ὄνομαι, ῥύομαι and ἐρύομαι, στεῦμαι, φέρω; also δάμνημι, κίρνημι, κρήμνημι, μάρναμαι, πέρνημι, πίλναμαι, πίτνημι, σκίδνημι and κίδνημι.

2. Verbs in μι with reduplicated present stems (§ 121, 3). These are ἵστημι, τίθημι, and δίδωμι, inflected in § 123, ἵημι, inflected in § 127, δίδημι, rare for δέω, bind, κίχρημι (χρᾱ-), lend, ὀνίνημι (ὀνᾱ-), benefit, πίμπλημι (πλᾱ-), fill, πίμπρημι (πρᾱ-), burn.

See also ἵπταμαι (late), and Hom. βιβάς, striding, present participle of rare βίβημι.

Note 1. Πίμπλημι and πίμπρημι insert μ before π; but the μ generally disappears after μ (for ν) in ἐμ-πίπλημι and ἐμ-πίπρημι; but not after ν itself, as in ἐν-επίμπλασαν.

Note 2. Ὀνίνημι is probably for ὀν-ονη-μι, by Attic reduplication from stem ὀνᾰ-.

3. Second Aorists of the μι-Form. The only second aorists formed from verbs in μι are those of ἵημι (§ 127), of ἵστημι, τίθημι, and δίδωμι (§ 123), of σβέννυμι (§ 122, N. 6); with ἐπριάμην (§ 123, 1), the irregular ὠνήμην (rarely ὠνάμην), of ὀνίνημι, and ἐπλήμην (poetic) of πίμπλημι.

See the last two in the Catalogue, and also Homeric aorist middle forms of μίγνυμι, ὄρνυμι, and πήγνυμι.

The second aorists of this form belonging to verbs in ω are the following: -

Βαίνω (βα-), go: ἔβην, βῶ, βαίην, βῆθι, βῆναι, βάς.

Πέτομαι (πτα-, πτε-), fly: act. (poetic) ἔπτην, (πτῶ, late), πταίην, (πτῆθι, πτῆναι, late), πτάς. Mid. ἐπτάμην, πτάσθαι, πτάμενος.

[Τλάω] (τλα-), endure: ἔτλην, τλῶ, τλαίην, τλῆθι, τλῆναι, τλάς.

Φθάνω (φθα-), anticipate: ἔφθην, φθῶ, φθαίην, φθῆναι, φθάς.

Διδράσκω (δρα-), run: ἔδρᾱν, ἔδρᾱς, ἔδρᾱ, &c., δρῶ, δρᾷς, δρᾷ, &c., δραίην, δρᾶναι, δράς. Only in composition. (See Note 1.)

Κτείνω (κτα-, κτεν-), kill: act. (poetic) ἔκτᾱν, ἔκτᾱς, ἔκτᾱ, ἔκτᾰμεν (3 pl. ἔκτᾰν, subj. κτέωμεν, inf. κτάμεναι, κτάμεν, Hom.), κτάς. Mid. (Hom.) ἐκτάμην, was killed, κτάσθαι, κτάμενος.

Ἁλίσκομαι (ἁλ-), be taken: ἑάλων or ἥλων, was taken, ἁλῶ, ἁλοίην, ἁλῶναι, ἁλούς. (See Note 2.)

Βιόω (βιο-), live: ἐβίων, βιῶ, βιῴην (not -οίην), βιῶναι, βιούς (Hom. imper. βιώτω).

Γιγνώσκω (γνο-), know: ἔγνων, γνῶ, γνοίην, γνῶθι, γνῶναι, γνούς.

Δύω (δυ-), enter: ἔδῡν, entered, δύω, (opt. § 123, 1,) δῦθι, δῦναι, δύς (§ 123).

Φύω (φυ-), produce: ἔφῡν, was produced, am, φύω, φῦναι, φύς (like ἔδυν).

Add to these the single forms, γηράναι (γηράς, Hom.) of γηράσκω, grow old; ἀπο-σκλῆναι, of ἀποσκέλλω, dry up; σχές, imperat. of ἔχω, have; πῖθι, imperat. of πίνω, drink.

See also in the Catalogue Homeric μι-forms of the following verbs: ἀπαυράω, ἄω, βάλλω, βιβρώσκω, κλύω, κτίζω, λύω, οὐτάω, πελάζω, πλώω, πνέω, πτήσσω, σεύω, φθίνω, χέω; and of these (with consonant stems), ἅλλομαι, ἀραρίσκω, γέντο (γεν-), δέχομαι, λέγω (λεχ-) ἐλέγμην, πάλλω, πέρθω.

Note 1. Second aorists in ην or αμην from stems in α are inflected like ἔστην or ἐπριάμην; but ἔδρᾱν substitutes ᾱ (after ρ) for η, and ἔκτᾰν is irregular.

Note 2. The second aorists of τίθημι, ἵημι, and δίδωμι do not lengthen ε or ο of the stem (§ 121, 1) in the indicative (dual and plural) or imperative (εἶτον, εἷμεν, &c. being augmented): in the infinitive they have θεῖναι, εἷναι, and δοῦναι (§ 126, 9), and in the imperative θές, ἕς, and δός (§ 121, 2, b). The other stems in ε have ἔσβην (-ης, -η) and σβῆναι (§ 122, N. 6), and ἀποσκλῆναι. The other stems in ο are inflected like ἔγνων, as follows: -

Indic. ἔγνων, ἔγνως, ἔγνω, ἔγνωτον, ἐγνώτην, ἔγνωμεν, ἔγνωτε, ἔγνωσαν. Subj. γνῶ (like δῶ). Opt. γνοίην (like δοίην). Imperat. γνῶθι, γνώτω, γνῶτον, γνώτων, γνῶτε, γνώτωσαν or γνόντων. Inf. γνῶναι. Part. γνούς (like δούς). The optative βιῴην is irregular.

4. Second Perfects and Pluperfects of the μι-Form. The following verbs have these forms in Attic Greek, even in prose: -

Ἵστημι (στα-); see § 123, 2 (paradigm).

Βαίνω (βα-), go; 2 pf. βεβᾶσι (Hom. βεβάασι), subj. βεβῶσι, inf. βεβάναι (Hom. βεβάμεν), part. βεβώς (Hom. -αώς); 2 plup. (Hom. βεβάσαν).

Γίγνομαι (γεν-, γα-), become, 2 pf. γέγονα, am; (Hom. 2 pf. γεγάασι, inf. γεγάμεν, γεγαώς), Att. γεγώς (poetic).

Θνήσκω (θαν-, θνα-), die; 2 pf. τέθνατον, τέθναμεν, τέθνατε, τεθνᾶσι, opt. τεθναίην, imper. τέθναθι, τεθνάτω, inf. τεθνάναι (Hom. τεθνάμεναι or -νάμεν), part. τεθνεώς (Hom. τεθνηώς), 2 plup. ἐτέθνασαν.

Δείδω (δι-), Epic in pres., fear, Attic 2 pf. δέδια (Hom. δείδια), 2 plup. ἐδεδίειν, both regular in indic., also 2 pf. δέδιμεν, δέδιτε, 2 plup. ἐδέδισαν; subj. δεδίῃ, δεδίωσι, opt. δεδιείη, imper. δέδιθι, inf. δεδιέναι, part. δεδιώς. (Hom. 2 pf. δείδιμεν, imper. δείδιθι, δείδιτε, inf. δειδίμεν, part. δειδιώς, plup. ἐδείδιμεν, ἐδείδισαν.)

[Εἴκω] (ἰκ-, εἰκ-), 2 pf. ἔοικα, seem; also 2 pf. ἔοιγμεν, εἴξᾱσι (for ἐοίκᾱσι), part. εἰκώς (Hom. 2 pf. ἔικτον, 2 plup. ἐΐκτην), used with the regular forms of ἔοικα, ἐῴκειν (see Catalogue).

Οἶδα (ἰδ-), know; see § 127 (paradigm).

See also poetic, chiefly Homeric, forms under the following verbs in the Catalogue: ἀνώγω, βιβρώσκω, ἐγείρω, ἔρχομαι, (καφ-), κράζω, μαίομαι, πάσχω, πείθω, πίπτω, [τλάω], φύω.

5. Verbs in νυμι, with νυ (after a vowel, ννυ) added to the verb stem in the present. These are all inflected like δείκνυμι (§ 123), and, with the exception of σβέννυμι, quench (§ 122, N. 6), have no μι-forms except in the present and imperfect. The following belong to this class: –

(Stems in α), κερά-ννυμι, κρεμά-ννυμι, πετά-ννυμι, σκεδά-ννυμι; (stems in ε), ἕ-ννυμι, κορέ-ννυμι, σβέ-ννυμι, στορέ-ννυμι; (stems in ω), ζώ-ννυμι, ῥώ-ννυμι, στρώ-ννυμι; (consonant stems), ἄγ-νυμι, ἄρ-νυμαι, δείκ-νυμι (§ 123), εἴργ-νυμι, ζεύγ-νυμι, ἀπο-κτίν-νυμι (v. κτείνω), μίγ-νυμι, οἴγ-νυμι, ὄλ-λυμι (§ 108, V. 4, N. 2), ὄμ-νυμι, ὀμόργ-νυμι, ὄρ-νυμι, πήγ-νυμι (παγ-), πτάρ-νυμαι, ῥήγ-νυμι (ῥαγ-), στόρ-νυμι, φράγ-νυμι. See these in the Catalogue, and also Ionic or poetic (chiefly Homeric) forms under αἴνυμαι, ἄχνυμαι, γάνυμαι, δαίνυμι, καίνυμαι, κίνυμαι, ὀρέγ-νυμι, τάνυμαι (v. τείνω), τίνυμαι (v. τίνω).