previous next


1. Sigma of -σαι and -σο is regularly lost between two vowels, except as noted in 2 (below). The MSS. show contraction in some of the resulting forms (cf. a). E. g. A 74, “κέλεαι” (present indicative of “κέλομαι”). A 401, “ὑπελυ?σαο” (first aorist indicative of “ὑπο-λύομαι”). A 418, “ἔπλεο” (second aorist indicative of “πέλομαι”). A 32, “νέηαι” (present subjunctive of “νέομαι”). A 207, “πίθηαι” (second aorist subjunctive of “πείθομαι”). A 232, “λωβήσαιο” (aorist optative of “λωβάομαι”). A 210, “ἕλκεο” (present imperative of “ἕλκομαι”). Z 229, “δύνηαι” (present subjunctive of the “-μι” verb, “δύναμαι”). Od. 4.388, “δύναιο” (present optative).

a. Examples of contraction: A 203, “ἴδῃ” for “ἴδηαι” (the equivalent Attic form is the active “ἴδῃς”, which is perhaps a better reading). A 160, “μετατρέπῃ” for “μετατρέπεαι” (possibly this should be written “μετατρέπἐ”).

2. In the indicative and imperative of the non-thematic inflection, sigma of -σαι and -σο is usually retained. E. g. A 393, “δύνασαι”. X 85, “ἵστασο” (imperative). 16.585, “κεχόλωσο” (pluperfect). These forms are the same in Attic.

a. But here too sigma is often lost between two vowels. E. g. 16.497, “μάρναο” (imperative) for “μάρνασο” (cf. Attic “ἵστασο”). A 76, “σύνθεο” (imperative) for “σύν-θεσο” (Attic “συνθοῦ”). 16.585, “ἔσσυο” (second aorist or pluperfect). E 284, “βέβληαι” (= “βέβλησαι”, perfect). And sigma of “-σο” is regularly lost in the first aorist. Cf. “ὑπελυ?σαο” (above), and I 645, “ἐείσαο”.

3. Examples of -μεσθα: A 140, “μεταφρασόμεσθα”. A 444, “ἱλασόμεσθα”.

4. -αται and -ατο (for “-νται” and “-ντο”) are found in the following instances:

a. Added to some themes of the perfect and pluperfect indicative, ending in a vowel. E. g. A 239, “εἰρύαται”. A 251, “ἐφθιαθ᾽”, i. e. “ἐφθίατο”. B 90, “πεποτήαται. Γ” 183, “δεδμήατο.” A 657, “βεβλήαται. Ξ” 28, “βεβλήατο”, and I 3, “βεβολήατο” (= “ἐβέβληντο”).

b. In a few non-thematic presents and imperfects of the indicative, chiefly “ἧμαι” and “κεῖμαι”. E. g. B 137, “ἥατ᾽”(“αι”)= “ἕαται”. I 628, “ἕαται” (for “ἕ-” instead of “ἥ-” see § 29). 18.509, “ἥατο” (= “ἧντο”). 18.515, “ῥυ?ατ᾽”(“ο”) (imperfect).

c. Added to themes of the perfect and pluperfect indicative ending in a consonant; then a smooth or middle mute is regularly changed to the corresponding rough before the ending. The formation is illustrated by Xenophon's “ἀντιτετάχαται” (Anab. IV, 8, 5)=“ἀντιτεταγμένοι εἰσί”. E. g. B 25, “ἐπιτετράφαται. Π” 481, “ἔρχαται” (“ἔργω”, ‘hem in’). Cf. 23.284, “ἐρηρέδαται” (“ἐρείδω”). The Attic equivalents are periphrastic forms.

d. “-ατο” for “-ντο” is regularly found in the optative mood. E. g. A 256, “κεχαροίατο”. A 257, “πυθοίατο”.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide References (6 total)
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: