The indicative mood is used for assertions of fact and appears in most independent clauses and in some dependent clauses. The subjunctive mood expresses mere assumption or possibility and is often used in subordinate clauses. Note its name in Latin, subiunctivus, means “joined with.”
The Greek subjunctive has three tenses: present, aorist, and perfect. It always has aspect meaning, rather than temporal meaning. In other words, present subjunctive indicates continuing aspect; but aorist subjunctive indicates simple aspect. These aspectual differences will be difficult, often impossible, to convey in your translations.
Formation of the Subjunctive:
In all tenses, the subjunctive is formed by adding lengthened thematic vowels and primary personal endings to the appropriate tense stem. See the chart below,
active middle/ passive aorist passive
Sing. 1st -ω -ω µαι -ω
some Present Active Subjunctive paradigms:
ἄγω ποιῶ (ποιέω) τιθῶ (τιθέω) ὁρῶ (ὁράω) δηλῶ (δηλόω) διδῶ (διδόω)
some Present Middle Subjunctive paradigms:
ἄγω µαι ποιῶ µαι ὁρῶ µαι δηλῶ µαι διδῶ µαι
ἄγῃ ποιῇ ὁρᾷ δηλοῖ διδῷ
ἄγηται ποιῆται ὁρᾶται δηλῶται διδῶται
ἀγώ µεθα ποιώ µεθα ὁρώ µεθα δηλώ µεθα διδώ µεθα
ἄγηςθε ποιῆσθε ὁρᾶσθε δηλῶσθε διδῶσθε
an Aorist Active Subjunctive paradigm: an Aorist Middle Subjunctive paradigm:
λίπω λίπω µεν λίπω µαι λιπώ µεθα
λίπῃς λίπητε λίπῃ λίπησθε
λίπῃ λίπωσι(ν) λίπηται λίπωνται
an Aorist Passive Subjunctive paradigm:
6th princ. Part =ἐλύθην subjunctive stem = λυθε λυθέω > λυθῶ λυθέω µεν > λυθῶ µεν
λυθέῃς > λυθῇς λυθέητε > λυθῆτε λυθέῃ > λυθῇ λυθέωσι > λυθῶσιν
I. Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
The Subjunctive does have some independent uses (i.e., not in subordinate clauses). These uses may be classified as either imperatival (issuing a command or recommendation for future action) or as
prospective (looking to an action that might take place in the future or to a proposition that might be ascertained as true in the future). You negate a subjunctive verb with µή, rather than οὐ.
A. Hortatory Subjunctive: expresses a proposal or an exhortation.
νῦν ἴω µεν καὶ ἀκούσω µεν τοῦ ἀνδρός. Let us go now and hear the man.
µὴ φοβώ µεθα. Let us not be afraid.
(Note: This is not the same as “Don’t be afraid” which would use an imperative verb instead.)
B. Prohibitive Subjunctive: a negative command. (a negative command with present aspect usually is expressed with imperative instead of subjunctive).
µὴ ποιήσητε ταῦτα. Do not do this/these things.
µηδεὶς ἡγήσηται τὸν Φίλιππον φίλον. Let no one consider Philip a friend.
C. Doubtful assertions and emphatic denials: with µή expresses a doubtful assertion (“Perhaps...” or “I suspect...”); with µὴ οὐ,a doubtful denial (“Perhaps...not...”); but with οὐ µὴ ,a strong denial.
µὴ τοῦτο ᾖ ὃ ἐζητοῦ µεν. Perhaps this is what we were seeking.
µὴ οὐ ὀρθῶς ἔχῃ ταῦτα. I suspect that these things are not correct.
οὐ µὴ δείξῃ ἀναίτιος. He will never show that he is free of blame.
D. Deliberative subjunctive: used in questions in which one is asking what one is to do or wondering what is to happen.
εἴπω µεν ἣ σιγῶ µεν; Shall we speak or keep silent?
τί πάθω ; What am I to experience?
ΙI. Dependent Uses of the Subjunctive
The subjunctive mood often appears in dependent temporal, relative, or conditional clauses which are indefinite or general in nature. In these clauses, ἄν appears with the subjunctive.
A. Purpose Clauses: clauses that express purpose and are introduced by ἵνα, ὡς, or ὅπως.
We are fighting so that / in order that we may/might save our fatherland.
µαχό µεθα ἵνα τὴν πατρίδα σώσω µεν.
They are hurrying so that / in order that they may not arrive late.
σπεύδουσιν ὅπως µὴ ὀψὲ ἀφίκωνται.
B. Conditional Sentences: consists of two statements: one makes an assumption (“If A....”); the other states a conclusion which follows from that assumption (“then B....”). The assumption is called the protasis; the conclusion is called the apodosis. The negative of the protasis is µή , that of the apodosis is
οὐ.
If it rains (protasis), they will stay home (apodosis).
NO VERB IN A CONDITIONAL SENTENCE CAN BE TRANSLATED UNTIL THE TYPE OF CONDITION IS IDENTIFIED.
Type of Condition Protasis Apodosis
1. Future More Vivid ἐάν + subjunctive future indicative
does will do
ἐὰν ἄγγελον πέ µπῃ / πέ µψῃ, τὴν µάχην παύσουσιν. (tense of subj. refers to aspect) If he sends a messenger, they will stop the battle.
Protasis makes an assumption about the future; apodosis draws a conclusion based on that assumption.
2. Future Less Vivid εἰ + optative optative + ἄν
should do would do
εἰ ἄγγελον πέ µποι / πέ µψαι, τὴν µάχην παύοιεν / παύσαιεν ἄν.
If he should send a messenger, they would stop the battle.
Protasis makes an assumption about the future which is viewed as less likely to come true than is the protasis of a future more vivid; apodosis draws a conclusion based on this less likely assumption. The particle ἄν is necessary to complete the meaning of the apodosis but is not translated. Both εἰ and ἐάν
mean “if” but are not interchangeable; each belongs to only certain types of conditional sentences.
3. Present General ἐάν + subjunctive present indicative
does does
Protasis makes an assumption in present time; apodosis draws a conclusion which follows as a general rule from this assumption.
4. Past General εἰ + optative imperfect indicative
did did
εἰ ἄγγελον πέ µποι / πέ µψαι, τὴν µάχην ἔπαυον.
If he (ever) sent a messenger, they (always) stopped the battle.
Protasis makes an assumption in past time; apodosis draws a conclusion which follows as a general rule in past time.
5. Present Contrary to Fact εἰ + imperfect indic impf. indic. + ἄν
were doing would be doing
εἰ ἄγγελον ἔπε µπεν, τὴν µάχην ἔπαυον ἄν.
If he were sending a messenger (but he is not), they would be stopping the battle (but they are not).
Protasis assumes something which is not true in the present time; apodosis draws a conclusion based on this unreal assumption.
6. Past Contrary to Fact εἰ + aorist indic. aor. indic. + ἄν
had done would have done
εἰ ἄγγελον ἔπε µψεν, τὴν µάχην ἔπαυσαν ἄν.
If he had sent a messenger (but he did not), they would have stopped the battle (but they did not).
Protasis assumes something which is not true in past time; apodosis draws a conclusion based on this unreal assumption.
B. Relative Clauses: Instead of being introduced by the particles εἰ or ἐάν, the protasis of a conditional sentence can be introduced by a form of the relative pronoun. This happens when the antecedent of the pronoun is general and relative pronoun can then be translated as whoever, whatever, or when the action
of the clause is future, past or present general, or contrary to fact. A relative protasis clause follows the same rules given above for conditional protases. Even when the relative pronoun has a demonstrative antecedent like ἐκεῖνος, the structure of the clause shows that the speaker does not have anyone specific in mind.
e.g., Future More Vivid ὅς, ἥ, ὅ +ἄν+subjunct. future indic.
does will do
ὃν ἂν εἱς τὴν νῆσον πέ µπω µεν / πέ µψω µεν, ἑκεῖνος παιδευθήσεται.
Whomever we send to the island, that man will be educated.
that of the main verb. The action of the temporal clause can be prior to, simultaneous with, or after that of main verb. Imperfect shows simultaneous action; aorist, prior action. When the temporal relationship is definite, the indicative is used. For example,
Prior action: ἐπεὶ τὸ βιβλίον ἔγραψεν, τοὺς πολίτας ἐδίδαξεν.
After he wrote the book, he taught the citizens.
Simultaneous: ὅτε τὸ βιβλίον ἔγραφεν, τοὺς πολίτας ἐδίδαξεν.
When he was writing the book, he taught the citizens.
When the temporal relationship is general or indefinite, the subjunctive is used. The clause starters ἐπειδάν etc. are used for prior time; ὅταν for simultaneous time. For example,
1. Present General subjunc (neg. = µή) present indic (neg. = οὐ)
Prior action: ἐπειδὰν εἰς τὴν νῆσον πε µφθῇ, τοὺς πολίτας διδάσκει.
Whenever he is sent to the island, he teaches the citizens.
Simultaneous: ὅταν βιβλίον γράφῃ, τοὺς πολίτας διδάσκει.
Whenever he is writing a book, he teaches the citizens.
2. Past General optative (neg = µή) imperfect indic (neg = οὐ)
Prior action: ἐπεὶ εἱς τὴν νῆσον πε µφθείη, τοὺς πολίτας ἐδίδασκεν.
Whenever he was sent to the island, he taught the citizens.
Simultaneous: ὅτε βιβλίον γράφοι, τοὺς πολίτας ἐδίδασκεν.
Whenever he was writing a book, he taught the citizens.
3. Future More Vivid subjunc (neg = µή) future indic (neg = οὐ)
Prior action: ἐπειδὰν εἰς τὴν νῆσον πε µφθῇ, τοὺς πολίτας διδάξει.
After he is sent to the island, he will teach the citizens.
Simultaneous: ὅταν βιβλίον γράφῃ, τοὺς πολίτας διδάξει.
When he is writing a book, he will teach the citizens.