Subjunctive of EREW

[Bert]

Can someone tell me why the 1st person pl subjunctive of [face=SPIonic]e)re/w[/face] is [face=SPIonic]e)rei/wmen[/face] (Pharr section 158 line 3) and not [face=SPIonic]e)reu/wmen[/face]. Actually I don't even understand why it should be [face=SPIonic]e)reu/wmen[/face]. After the contraction of the Epsilon with the Omicron, why does the Omega still appear? Shouldn't it be part of [face=SPIonic]eu[/face], since it is the product of the contraction?

[Paul]

Hi Bert,<br /><br />Several sources derive [face=SPIonic]e)rei/omen[/face] (1.62) from the non-attested [face=SPIonic]mi[/face] verb [face=SPIonic]e)/rhmi[/face].<br /><br />Such non-thematic forms may form the subjunctive by adding the thematic vowel plus primary ending giving, in this case:<br /><br />[face=SPIonic]e)rh/-o-men[/face]<br /><br />The Homeric manuscripts sometimes have [face=SPIonic]ei[/face] instead of the [face=SPIonic]h[/face] in the stem, whence [face=SPIonic]e)rei/omen[/face].<br /><br />See also the first person singular subjunctive [face=SPIonic]kixh/w[/face] at 1.26. Its 1st person plural can appear as [face=SPIonic]kixei/omen[/face] or [face=SPIonic]kixh/omen[/face]<br /><br />Cordially,<br /><br />Paul<br />

[annis]

Subjunctives in Epic are fun!<br /><br />Sometimes, and unpredictably as far as I can see, some verbs with a vowel stem may, at the whim of the poet, lengthen the stem vowel. This shows up in my aorist article, too, where the standard subjunctive is [face=SPIonic]gnw=[/face], but Homer can say [face=SPIonic]gnw/w[/face] when he needs a spondee.<br /><br />This same thing happens to some other verbs, as here.<br /><br />(Homeric scholars still get into fights about whether [face=SPIonic]bei/w[/face] or [face=SPIonic]bh/w[/face] is the actual subjunctive Homer used. Due to peculiarities in the first alphabet Homer was recorded in this isn't entirely clear.)<br /><br />You might want to hunt down either Cunliffe's or Autenrieth's dictionaries. They're not expensive, and I know you're planning to move on to NT, but Cunliffe in particular is good about pointing out all the different things that can happen to a little verb in Epic.<br /><br />

[bingley]

And if you can't find them, Autenrieth's dictionary is on Perseus.

[Bert]

Thanks. <br />Bert.