X. Ana I 3.8
. . . λαθρᾳ δε των στρατιωτων . . .
Wiktionary:
λαθρᾳ = adv secretly, by stealth
λαθρᾳ = preposition unbeknownst to
λαθρῃ = Homeric
λαθρᾳ = Attic
G. Steadman:
λαθρῃ = secretly, in secret
Are λαθρῃ and λαθρᾳ just “alternative forms” and freely interchangeable?
I think they’re just different dialectal forms – λαθρῃ Homeric/Ionic and λαθρᾳ Attic.
I you’re going to read Greek texts, you should get used to the idea that there’s going to be dialectal differences from one text to the other, according to the place and time of composition. Usually it’s not a big deal and you’ll figure out the differences quickly.
To confirm what Paul wrote, the vowel shift ᾱ > η, which is universal in Ionic (including Homeric Ionic), does not occur in Attic after ε, ι and ρ. (Actually, if I’m not mistaken, there’s evidence that the shift had occurred early in Attic in those contexts but had been reversed by the 5th century BCE.)
Many thanks to Paul and Bill for explanations. - Fred