ou) in Iliad 1:86

[Bert]

Iliad 1:86- [face=SPIonic]ou) ma\ ga\r )Apo/llwna dii/filon, w(|= te su/, Ka/lxan[/face],

What does [face=SPIonic]ou)[/face] mean in this sentence. It surely can't mean -not- or -no- can it?
Achilles' reply to Calchas would not be very heartening if it was; No, by Jove, I will not help you.

How do I understand this?

[Paul]

Hi Bert,

I think it does indeed have negative force. The sense is something like:
"For not, by Apollo....will anyone strike you...".

You might think of the [face=SPIonic]ou)/[/face] in line 88 as recalling the [face=SPIonic]ou)[/face] in line 86.

Cordially,

Paul

[Bert]

Thanks Paul;
I see it now. The verb that is being negated is "way down" in line 89, [face=SPIonic]e)poi/sei [/face]. I took line 86 as referring back to [face=SPIonic]ei)/ me saw/seij [/face]of line 83.

One more question about this same line (86). How do we get the -by- from - for by Apollo, the beloved of Zeus...-
Is [face=SPIonic])Apo/llwna dii/filon [/face]and accusative of ....... (fill in the blank) that gives it this meaning?

[Paul]

Hello Bert,

Easiest is to quote from the Intermediate LSJ entry for [face=SPIonic]ma/[/face]:"a particle used in strong protestations and oaths, followed by the accusative of the deity or thing appealed to;...".

But to avoid leaving it as a kind of 'just so' story, consider that Smyth says this particle/adverb takes the accusative in its character as 'object affected'. I suppose that to swear so was in some way 'to move' the invoked deity.

Cordially,

Paul