ἤ

A or

DISJUNCTIVE, or, ἐγὼ . . ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν Il. 2.231, cf. 397, 800, 4.142, 7.236, al.; θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη A. Pr. 116.

2 either . . or

ἢ . . ἤ either . . or, ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντʼ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα Il. 1.27, cf. 151, 5.484, etc.; so ἢ . . ἤτοι . . Pi. N. 6.4, Fr. 138; ἤτοι . . ἤ . . A. Ag. 662, S. Ant. 1182, Th. 2.40, etc. (in Classical Gr. the alternative introduced by ἤτοι is emphasized, later no distn. is implied, Ep.Rom. 6.16; ἤτοι . . ἢ . . ἤ . . PTeb. 5.59(ii B.C.)); ἤ repeated any number of times, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας ἢ Ὀδυσῆος Il. 1.138, cf. Od. 15.84, S. Ant. 707; ἤ is prob. wrongly accented

3 or else, otherwise

or else, otherwise, εἰδέναι δεῖ περὶ οὗ ἂν ᾖ ἡ βουλή, ἢ παντὸς ἁμαρτάνειν ἀνάγκη Pl. Phdr. 237c; μή με λυπεῖτε, ἢ φεύξομʼ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίης Herod. 5.74; ζῶντα κακῶς λέγειν ἐκώλυσε . . , ἢ τρεῖς δραχμὰς ἀποτίνειν ἔταξε Lex Sol. ap. Plu. Sol. 21, cf. 24, IG 1(2).94.10, Them. Or. 21.260a.

II

in Questions or Deliberations in Disj. form (the accentuation is ἢ (ἠέ) folld. by ἦ (ἦε), Hdn. Gr. 2.24, al., A.D. Conj. 224.28):

1

Direct questions,

a

introduced by ἢ (ἠέ), ἢ δολιχὴ νοῦσος ἦ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα . . κατέπεφνεν; Od. 11.172; ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε . .; 3.72, cf. 1.408, 16.462, Il. 6.378, 15.735, 16.12, etc.

b or

without an introductory Particle, θεός νύ τις ἦ βροτός ἐσσι; art thou a goddess or a mortal? Od. 6.149, cf. 1.226, 4.314, 372, 643, 20.130, 21.194, Il. 10.63, 425, 534, 15.203: accented ἦ, Hdn.Gr. 2.145, al., but ἤ freq. in codd. of Hom. and always in codd. of later writers: ἤκουσας ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσας ἢ κωφῇ λέγω; A. Th. 202; ἄρτι δὲ ἥκεις ἢ πάλαι; Pl. Cri. 43a; κακουργεῖν δεῖ ἢ οὔ; ib. 49c; preceded by πότερον, πότερον δοκεῖ σοι κάκιον εἶναι, τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἢ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι; Id. Grg. 474c, etc.

2

Indirect questions, freq. epexegetic of a preceding question and identical in form with direct questions.

a

εἴπʼ ἄγε, . . ἤ ῥʼ ἐθέλει . . , ἦ ἀπέειπε . . Il. 9.674; ὄφρα δαῶμεν ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί 2.300; διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν ἢ ὅ γε . . ἐναρίζοι ἦε χόλον παύσειεν 1.190; later with εἰ . . ἤ A. Ch. 890, Ag. 478, S. OC 80, etc.; πότερον or πότερα . . ἤ . . Id. Pers. 148, 352, Ag. 630, etc.; sts. εἴτε . . ἤ E. El. 897; ἢ . . εἴτε S. Aj. 177.

b

without introductory Particle, οὐδέ τι οἶδα ζώει ὅ γʼ ἦ τέθνηκε Od. 11.464, cf. Il. 10.546, Od. 24.238.

B than, as, as, than, rather than, than

COMPARATIVE, than, as, after a Comp., Il. 11.162, etc.: after positive Adjs. which imply comparison, ἄλλος, ἕτερος ἤ . . , S. OT 595, Tr. 835 (lyr.); ἐναντίος ἤ Pl. Grg. 481c; ἴδιόν τι πάσχειν πάθος ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι ibid.: after Advbs. or adverbial phrases, πλήν, πρίν, πρόσθεν, χωρίς (qq. v.), ἀλλά (v. ἀλλʼ ἤ) ; τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἤ . . Id. Cri. 44a (f.l. in Smp. 173a); ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ϝέτει ἀπὸ τῶ ποτεχεῖ ϝέτεος ἢ Ἀριστίων ἐφορεύει Tab.Heracl. 1.121; παρὰ δόξαν ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε Hdt. 1.79, cf. 8.

2

joining two Comparatives which refer to the same subject, πάντες κʼ ἀρησαίατʼ ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι ἢ ἀφνειότεροι Od. 1.165; ταχύτερα ἢ σοφώτερα Hdt. 3.65; μανικώτεροι ἢ ἀνδρειότεροι Pl. Tht. 144b, cf. Ar. Ach. 1078.

3

rarely after a Sup., πλεῖστα θωμάσια ἔχει Αἴγυπτος ἢ ἄλλη πᾶσα χώρη Hdt. 2.35 (s.v.l.); πίθοιτό κεν ὔμμι μάλιστα ἢ ἐμοί A.R. 3.91.

4

ἢ οὐ is used when a neg. precedes, οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ἐπʼ ἡμέας ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπʼ ὑμέας Hdt. 4.118, cf. 5.94, Th. 2.62, etc.: after an implied neg., ὠμὸν . . πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους Id. 3.36.

5

freq. omitted with numerals after πλείων, ἐλάττων, μείων, ἔτη . . πλείω ἑβδομήκοντα v.l. in Pl. Ap. 17d; οὐ μεῖον πεντακοσίους X. An. 6.4.24: sts. with an inf. or conditional clause, τί γὰρ ἀνδρὶ κακὸν μεῖζον ἁμαρτεῖν E. Alc. 879; τίς εὐπραξία σπανιωτέρα . . , εἰ [δύναμις] πάρεστιν (for ἢ δύναμιν παρεῖναι); Th. 1.33.

6

pleon. with a gen., τίς ἂν αἰσχίων εἴη ταύτης δόξα, ἢ δοκεῖν . . Pl. Cri. 44c, cf. Lys. 10.28.

7 either, or, than

the Disj. and Comp. uses are found together in Il. 15.511 βέλτερον, ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι, ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι better, either to die once for all or win life, than long to toil in battle. [ἢ οὐ, ἢ οὐκ combine by Synizesis into one syll. in Trag. and Com., A. Pr. 330, S. Aj. 334, Ar. Lys. 128; so usually in Ep., Od. 1.298, al.; ἢ αὐτός Hes. Fr. 194; ἢ εἰ Alex. 201.]

I in truth, of a surety, it is true that, although

TO CONFIRM an assertion, in truth, of a surety, ἦ ὀλίγον οἷ παῖδα ἐοικότα γείνατο Τυδεύς Il. 5.800, etc.; ironically, 1.229, al.; with concessive force, it is true that . .: hence, although . . , ἦ καὶ γένει ὕστερος ἦεν 3.215: freq. strengthd. by the addition of one or two other Particles, as ἦ ἄρα Od. 24.193; ἦ ἄρα δή Il. 13.446; ἦ ῥα 4.82; ἦ ῥά νυ 6.215; ἦ γάρ 1.78; ἦ γάρ τοι Od. 16.199; ἦ δή Il. 2.272; ἦ δή που 21.583; ἦ δῆτα S. OT 429; ἦ θην Il. 20.452; ἦ κάρτα S. El. 1279; ἦ μάλα Il. 3.204;

2

in the combinations ἐπεὶ ἦ, ὅτι ἢ and τί ἢ; A.D. Conj. 255.5, Synt. 307.19 (cf. Hdn.Gr. 1.520), recognizes an ‘expletive’ ἠ (παραπληρωματικὸς σύνδεσμος) perispom. after ἐπεί, barytone after ὅτι or τί. It is prob. the same as the affirmative ἦ (cf. A.D. Conj. l.c.), and occurs in the same combinations, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολύ . . Il. 1.169, al.; ἐπεὶ ἦ μάλα ib. 156, Od. 10.465; ἐπεὶ ἦ καί . . Il. 20.437, Od. 16.442. Trypho took τίη as one word, and this can be supported by τί ἢ δὲ σύ . . Il. 6.55, but A.D. (

3

this ἦ (or ἢ) is prob. to be recognized in ὥς τε γὰρ ἦ Il. 2.289, ὥς τέ τευ ἦ Od. 3.348, 19.109, where codd. have ἢ (in Od. 3.348 ἠδέ (cj. Bekker) shd. perh. be read for ἠέ).

II

in Questions not involving alternatives:

1

Direct questions,

a is it

epexegetic of a preceding question, suggesting the answer to it, τίπτʼ εἰλήλουθας; ἦ ἵνα ὕβριν ἴδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονος; why hast thou come? is it that thou mayst see . . ? Il. 1.203, cf. 5.466, 7.26, Od. 4.710, 13.418, 17.376, B. 17.5; τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ με γῆς ἔξω βαλεῖν; S. OT 622, cf. E. Or. 1425 (ἤ codd.); τίς σοι διηγεῖτο; ἦ αὐτὸς Σωκράτης; Pl. Smp. 173a (perispom., cod. B): on the accent, Hdn. Gr. 2.112.

b is it not so?

not epexegetic of a preceding question, ἦ σύ γʼ Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι πολύτροπος; art thou the wily Odysseus? Od. 10.330, cf. Il. 11.666, 15.504; ἦ οὐκ ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούετε . . Ἕκτορος; do you not hear . .? ib. 506, cf. Od. 16.424; ἦ τὸ πλοῖον ἀφῖκται; Pl. Cri. 43c; ἦ οὐ δοκεῖ καὶ σοὶ οὕτω; donʼt you think so too? Id. Grg. 479b (perispom., cod. T); ἦ βούλει συλλογισώμεθα αὐτά; shall we work them (the consequences) out? ib. 479c (perispom., cod. T); ἦ τορῶς λέγω; A. Ag. 269; ἦ κἀν δόμοισι τυγχάνει τανῦν πα

2 whether

Indirect questions, οἴχετο πευσόμενος μετὰ σὸν κλέος ἤ που ἔτʼ εἴης Od. 13.415 (v.l. εἰ, which alone has Ms. authority in Il. 1.83, Od. 19.325); ὄφρα καὶ Ἕκτωρ εἴσεται ἢ καὶ ἐμὸν δόρυ μαίνεται ἐν παλάμῃσιν Il. 8.111 (v.l. εἰ) ; ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ . . ἢ καὶ Λαέρτῃ αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἄγγελος ἔλθω; Od. 16.138 (v.l. εἰ) ; ἀμφίστασθαι ἦ κα πεφυτεύκωντι πάντα κὰτ τὰν συνθήκαν they shall investigate whether . . Tab.Heracl. 1.125; μαντεύσασθαί οἱ. . ἦ λώϊόν οἵ κα εἴη Isyll. 34; διαφαφίξασθαι ἦ δοκεῖ αὐτὸν σ