ou) in Iliad 1:86

Greek Learning Greek
1

Iliad 1:86- οὐ μὰ γὰρ )απόλλωνα διίφιλον, ᾧ τε σύ, κάλχαν,

What does οὐ 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?

2

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 οὔ in line 88 as recalling the οὐ in line 86.

Cordially,

Paul

3

Thanks Paul;
I see it now. The verb that is being negated is “way down” in line 89, ἐποίσει . I took line 86 as referring back to εἴ με σαώσεις 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 )απόλλωνα διίφιλον and accusative of … (fill in the blank) that gives it this meaning?

4

Hello Bert,

Easiest is to quote from the Intermediate LSJ entry for μά:“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