STEP Liddell–Scott–Jones: ἄν

ἄν, [ᾰ],

Epic dialect, Lyric poetry, Ionic dialect, [[ 4th c.AD(?): Arcadius Grammaticus ] Refs 4th c.AD+], Attic dialect; also κεν) Epic dialect, Aeolic dialect, Thess., κᾱ Doric dialect, Boeotian dialect, El.; the two combined in Epic dialect (below [[ 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 11.2) and 4th c.AD(?): Arcadius Grammaticus ] Refs 4th c.BC+], εἰκ ἄν[[ “IG” 5(2).6.2, 15 (4th c.BC)] Refs 4th c.BC+]:—modal Particle used with Verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. In [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus ] Refs 8th c.BC+] κε is four times as common as ἄν, in Lyric poetry about equally common. No clear distinction can be traced, but κε as an enclitic is somewhat less emphatic; ἄν is preferred by [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus ] Refs 8th c.BC+] in negative clauses, κε (ν) with the relative.

__A In Simple Sentences, and in the Apodosis of Compound Sentences; here ἄν belongs to the Verb, and denotes that the assertion made by the Verb is dependent on a condition, expressed or implied: thus ἦλθεν he came, ἦλθεν ἄν he would have come (under conditions, which may or may not be defined), and so he might have come; ἔλθοι may he come, ἔλθοι ἄν he would come (under certain conditions), and so he might come.

__A.I WITH INDICATIVE:

__A.I.1 with historical tenses, generally imperfect and aorist, less frequently pluperfect, never perfect, see below,

__A.I.1.a most frequently in apodosis of conditional sentences, with protasis implying nonfulfilment of a past or present condition, and apodosis expressing what would be or would have been the case if the condition were or had been fulfilled. The imperfect with ἄν refers to continued action, in [[ 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus ] Refs 8th c.BC+] always in past time, except perhaps καί κε θάμ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ἐόντες ἐμισγόμεθ᾽[[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4. 178] Refs 8th c.BC+]; later also in present time, first in [[ 6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 905] Refs 6th c.BC+]; πολὺ ἂν θαυμαστότερον ἦν, εἰ ἐτιμῶντο it would be far more strange if they were honoured, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 489a] Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἂν νήσων ἐκράτει, εἰ μή τι καὶ ναυτικὸν εἶχεν he would not have been master of islands if he had not had also some naval power, [[ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.9] Refs 5th c.BC+]. The aorist strictly refers only to past time, [[ 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 11.24, etc.] Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ τότε ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν γνώμην, οὐδὲν ἂν ὧν νυνὶ πεποίηκεν ἔπραξεν if he had then come to this opinion, he would have accomplished nothing of what he has now done, [[ 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.5, +others] Refs 4th c.BC+], but is used idiomatically with Verbs of saying, answering, etc., as we say I should have said, εἰ μὴ πατὴρ ἦσθ᾽, εἶπον ἄν σ᾽ οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖν[[ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 755, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 199d, “Euthphr.” 12d, etc.: the ] Refs 5th c.BC+]pluperfect refers to completed actions, as ὃ εἰ ἀπεκρίνω, ἱκανῶς ἂν ἤδη παρὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁσιότητα ἐμεμαθήκη I should have already learnt..,[[ [prev. work] 14c; εἰ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀπέθανεν, δικαίως ἂν ἐτεθνήκει 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 4.2.3. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]