ὡς δόξειεν. “Optativus eandem vim habet, quam solet in oratione obliqua habere, efficitque, ut verba οὐδεὶς ἂν γένοιτο οὕτως etc. ex aliorum ore missa videantur" (Schneider). This explanation appears to me better than any other, although I can discover no exact parallel in Greek. Glauco is most careful throughout the whole of this section to disclaim responsibility for the views he advocates: cf. ὡς ὁ λόγος 359 B, ἐπεὶ— ἀδικεῖν in C, ὡς φήσει κτλ. in D below: also 361 E al. Tucker would translate ‘as it might seem,’ defending the optative by Ar. Birds 180 ὥσπερ εἴποι τις and Eur. Andr. 929 ὡς εἴποι τις. Others erroneously hold that ἄν may be supplied from ἂν γένοιτο, while Ast is desirous of inserting the particle on conjecture. I do not think that the optative can be explained as an instance of irregular assimilation or attraction.
ἂν μείνειεν. For ἄν cf. Symp. 179 A and other examples in Kühner Gr. Gr. II p. 934.
