Conditions

Greek has a rich array of expressions for conditions – “if…then” statements that can be presented as factual, hypothetical or even contrary to fact. Different kinds of conditional statements draw on the indicative, subjunctive and optative moods to express these ideas.

Of the six basic types of conditional sentences, we focus here in module 5 on simple conditionals and future more vivid conditionals. You can refer to the section “Beyond Lysias 1” for presentation of generalizing, contrafactual, and other future conditionals.

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 or ἐάν. 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, the 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.

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 Euphiletos with murder, then the jurors decide the case between them.”

Future conditions

Whether we are talking about present or past time, Greek can characterize conditions as either factual (simple, generalizing) or contrafactual, but conditional statements about the future are different: who can say what is a fact in the future?

Instead, Greek presents conditional statements as either more vivid or less vivid. More vivid statements are confident claims: if the hypothesized “if” clause actually happens, then the apodosis states what will happen, and it’s entirely possible that the “if” clause will take place. Less vivid statements, on the other, are more sceptical: maybe this will happen. (We address future less vivid statements in more detail in the section Beyond Lysias 1.)

Future more vivid statements, like factual claims, use the future indicative in the apodosis. The protasis is introduced with the subordinating conjunction ἐάν, and its verb is in the subjunctive mood. As in other conditions, the tense of the subjunctive expresses aspect, with present tense for ongoing or repeated action and aorist tense for a single, completed action.

Here is the general formula:

Condition	Protasis	Apodosis
More vivid	ἐάν + subjunctive	future indicative

Examples of future more vivid condtions

ἐὰν οἱ γραψάμενοι γράψωνται φόνου, τοῦ φόνου δικασθήσεται ἐν Ἀρείου πάγῷ.

“If the plaintiffs present a charge of murder, the murder case will be heard in the Areopagus.”

ἐὰν οὖν λάβῃς τὴν θεράπαιναν καὶ βασανίσῃς, ἅπαντα πεύσῃ. (modified Lysias 1.16)

“Therefore, if you take hold of the enslaved woman and torture her, you will learn everything.”