Simple conditions

Structure of conditions

Conditions are sentences with (at least) two clauses: a main clause, like any other sentence, and a subordinate clause. In English, the subordinate clause is introduced by the conjunction “if”; the corresponding Greek conjunction is εἰ. English can include or omit an introductory “then” to introduce the main clause. “If the plaintiff proves his case, the jury will convict the defendant” and “If the plaintiff proves his case, then the jury will convict the defendant” are both possible. Greek does not mark the main clause with any special word: it’s just a regular sentence (like “The jury will convict the defendant.”)

We borrow from Greek two grammatical terms for these clauses. The clause that is “set out” as the hypothesis (the “if” clause) is called the protasis (πρότασις), and the resulting main clause (the “then” clause) is called the apodosis (ἀπόδοσις).

As in English, τηε protasis may either precede or follow the apodosis.

Simple conditions about present or past time

Simple conditions use the indicative mood in both clauses. They present the statement as a straightforward factual relation: when the protasis is true, the apodosis is also true. You choose the tense as you would for any other indicative statement (e.g., for past time, the aorist will refer to a single, contained event, the imperfect to a repeated or ongoing action).

In all forms of conditions, the regular negative adverb οὐ is used in the apodosis. In the protasis, the normal negative adverb is μή.

Introducing the present indicative

At this point, we will add a further tense of the indicative to your repertoire.

Formation of the present indicative

Like the imperfect tense, all three voices of the present are built on the stem of the first principal part. Like all forms built on the first principal part (finite forms, participles, infinitives), the present indicative has identical endings for the middle and passive voices. The present indicative endings are illutrated her for the verb γράφω :

Person/number	Active	Middle	Passive
3.s	γράφ-ει	γράφ-εται	γράφ-εται
3.pl	γράφ-ουσι	γράφ-ονται	γράφ-ονται

Meaning of the present indicative

The present indicative refers to events that are happening at the time of the statement. It does not distinguish aspect the way that our contrast of imperfect and aorist does for past-time narrative, and might, in different contexts, correspond to an English simple present (“they write”), progressive present (“they are writing”) or emphatic present (“they do write”).

Examples of simple conditions

Aorist indicative in both protasis and apodosis:

εἰ ἐγράψαντο Εὐφιλήτον φόνου, οἱ δικασταὶ δίκην ἐδίκασαν αὐτοῖς.

“If they charged Euphiletos with murder, then the jurors decided the case between them.”

Present indicative in both protasis and apodosis:

εἰ γράφονται Εὐφιλήτον φόνου, οἱ δικασταὶ δίκην δικάζουσιν αὐτοῖς.

“If they charge Euphilos with murder, then the jurors decide the case between them.”