conditional sentences in Attic prose
a brief guide
• a conditional sentence consists of a protasis (the “if” clause) and an apodosis (the main sentence)
• a conditional sentence must be considered as a whole unit that by virtue of its pattern or “recipe” falls into one of several semantic categories: it is often easier to identify which category the unit belongs to before translating
• the following scheme is only one way of analyzing conditionals: it has some advantages but other schemes have other strengths too: choose what makes the most sense to you
• the scheme covers Attic Greek only but conditionals in Homeric Greek can be seen to fall in the same semantic categories; this is in fact largely how Cunliffe organizes them in the exhaustive (?) appendix to his Lexicon
• this scheme postulates 3 qualitative categories plus the future (because the first 3 follow normal Gk syntax whereas the future can be taken to “break the rules”)
SIMPLE (LOGICAL)
meaning: logical connotation: “if A then B”
English example: "If it rained last night the bucket will be full."
recipe: indicatives everywhere in any tense, mix tenses according to sense
GENERAL (INDEFINITE)
meaning: you can insert the word “ever” in the protasis
English example: "If Athenian generals fight, they win."
recipes: exact same syntax as indefinite relative clauses (hence sometimes called "conditional relatives")
Present General ει + αν + subjunctive — pres. ind.
Nb εαν can be spelled ην and αν (long alpha).
Past General ει + opt. — impf. (nb αν can appear here to imply hypothetical regularity)
CONTRARY-TO-FACT (UNFULFILLED)
meaning: implies the opposite: “but…not”
English examples:
"If I were next door I would be watching Home and Away". (present CTF)
"If I had been home in time I would have caught Desperate Housewives". (past CTF)
recipes: same syntax as elsewhere: αν is used with (only) past indicatives to connote hypothesis; mixing possible according to need
Present Contrary to Fact ει + impf. — impf. + αν
Past Contrary to Fact ει + aor. ind. — aor. + αν (or impf. + αν if continuous action required)
FUTURE
meaning: the speaker conceives event or state in 3 “degrees” of "vividness"
Future Less Vivid (“were to / would” or "might")
English example: "If we were to visit Athens next year, we might see the Parthenon".
recipe: ει + opt. (assimilation?) — opt. + αν (=pot. opt.)
Future More Vivid (“default” future = ft. pf. protasis in Latin)
English example: "If you come over tonight we'll have pizza".
recipe: ει + αν + subj. (nb ≠ indefinite but = prospective) — fut. ind.
Nb εαν can be spelled ην and αν (long alpha).
Future Most Vivid (in tragedy and dialogue: frequently minatory)
English example: "If you do that Antigone, Creon will kill you"!
recipe: ει + ft. ind. — ft. ind. (=future logical)
Nb these are rough semantic categories, but they do work: remember to think of the speaker's attitude to what he or she is saying—it is conveyed via the moods and tenses of the verbs. The future presents an odd case because it's hard to talk about the future, as it were, and it (therefore?) breaks some of the normal rules of syntax. Finally, mixing between some classes is possible, and the semantics will be nuanced accordingly.
some exercises (try determining the category before putting into Greek—some sentences are ambiguous)
1. If I had been general I would not have done that.
2. If your mother were here she would not allow you to do this.
3. If the soldiers had obeyed this leader, they would not be in such danger now.
4. If I were to lend him some money he would never repay it. (try this mixed with "he will never repay it")
5. If the boys stole the apples they will be punished.
6. If I write at night my eyes ache.
7. If ever the boy saw a river he wanted to jump into it.
8. If we come to a river I shall bathe.
9. If you were to speak I would listen.
10. If you are going to do that I shall leave you.
easy English into Greek sentences:
1. I would have done that if I had been able.
2. What would you have done if you had known the truth?
3. If we were to do that, what would you do?
4. If you do that I will kill you!
5. If I had known what happened I would have said so.
6. If that's the way things are then let's leave.
7. If Socrates is speaking we should listen.
8. Knowing all this do you still refuse (ου + εθελω) to tell the truth?
9. If I had been plotting to kill him, why would I have summoned witnesses?
10. If Socrates was speaking, they listened.
11. Even if they are in danger, the gods will rescue the good.
12. If Socrates comes, please come and find me.
13. If I were a rich man, here's what I'd do.
14. If I you feel that way, you need to tell him.
15. If you have the same opinion, gentlemen, then surely I don't deserve punishment but acquittal.