ὁπότερος

1 which of two, whichsoever

as Relat., which of two, ἡμέων δʼ ὁπποτέρῳ θάνατος . . τέτυκται, τεθναίη Il. 3.101 : with ἄν, Ep. κε, whichsoever, ὁππότερος δέ κε νικήσῃ ib. 71 ; ὁπότερʼ ἂν κτίσῃς A. Supp. 434 (lyr.) ; ὁπότεροι ἂν κρατῶσιν X. Cyr. 4.2.37.

2 which of, two

as indirect interrog., Ζεὺς οἶδε . . , ὁπποτέρῳ θανάτοιο τέλος πεπρωμένον ἐστίν Il. 3.309, cf. 22.130, 23.487 ; περὶ τοῦ ὁκότερος ἡμέων πλέω ἀγαθὰ . . ἐργάσεται about the question, which of us two . . , Hdt. 8.79 ; ὥστε μὴ γνῶναι ὁπότερος . . Lys. Fr. 78.3, cf. Antipho 3.2.6 ; ἀσαφῶς ὁποτέρων ἀρξάντων, for ἀσαφὲς ὂν ὁπότεροι ἦρξαν, Th. 4.20 : rarely in direct questions, for πότερος, prob. f.l. in Pl. Euthd. 271a and Ly. 212c.

3 either of two, neither

as indef., either of two, ἐὰν . . ὁπότερος αὐτοῖν . . πράξῃ Id. Lg. 868a, cf. R. 509a, X. Cyr. 3.2.22, And. 3.26, D. 16.27 ; so ὁποτεροσοῦν Pl. Men. 98d, Phlb. 14c, al.; ἐξεῖναι δʼ ὁποτεροισοῦν Th. 5.41, cf. Arist. Pol. 1319b9, al. : with οὐδέ, οὐδʼ ὁπότερος (or οὐδοπ-) neither, Hero Dioptr. 37.

II in which of two ways

Adv. ὁποτέρως, in which of two ways, as Relat. and indirect interrog., ὁ. ἔσται, ἐν ἀδήλῳ κινδυνεύεται Th. 1.78, cf. Lys. 26.5, Isoc. 12.76, Pl. R. 348b, etc. ; so ὁποτερωσοῦν Arist. APr. 60a16, al.

2 whether

also neut. ὁπότερον or -ερα as Adv., mostly in indirect questions, whether, folld. by ἢ . . ἤ . . , as ἐβουλεύοντο ὁκότερα ἢ παραδόντες . . ἢ ἐκλιπόντες . . , ἄμεινον πρήξουσι Hdt. 5.119 ; by one ἤ, Ar. Nu. 157 : folld. by πότερον . . ἤ . . , Pl. Erx. 405c, etc.; also ὁπότερον εἴτε . . , εἴτε . . Isoc. 12.76, cf. X. HG 3.5.19.