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δέ ,
A.but: adversative and copulative Particle,
II. without preceding μέν,
2. copulative,
3. implying causal connexion, less direct than γάρ, Il.6.160, Od.1.433.
4. in questions, with implied opposition, “ἑόρακας δ᾽, ἔφη, τὴν γυναῖκα;X.Cyr.5.1.4; “καὶ Σωκράτης, εἰπέ μοι, ἔφη, κύνας δὲ τρέφεις;Id.Mem.2.9.2, cf. 2.1.26, S. Ant.1172: in Trag. (not in Com. or Oratt.), when the speaker turns from one person to another, the voc. stands first, then the pers. Pron. folld. by δέ, as “Μενέλαε, σοὶ δὲ τάδε λέγω . . E.Or.622, etc.; also in Hdt., “ δέσποτα, ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα ἐποίησα1.115.
b. τί δέ; what then? to mark a transition in dialogue; v. τίς.
II. in apodosi:
3. to begin a story, ἦμος δ᾽ ἠέλιος . . well, when the sun . ., Od.4.400.
4. to introduce a proof, τεκμήριον δέ, σημεῖον δέ, v. sub vocc.
B. POSITION of δέ. It usu. stands second: hence freq. between Art. and Subst. or Prep. and case; but also after Subst., or words forming a connected notion, hence it may stand third, “γυναῖκα πιστὴν δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις εὕροιA.Ag.606, cf. Th.411, Eu.531, S.Ph.959, etc.; fourth, Id.OT485, E.Hel.688, A.Pr.323,383, etc.; fifth, ib. 401codd.; even sixth, Epigen.7(codd. Poll.); so in Prose after a neg., οὐχ ὑπ᾽ ἐραστοῦ δέ, to avoid confusion between οὐ δέ and οὐδέ, Pl.Phdr.227c.
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