Abstract

This article discusses the use of the modal particle (MP) in Homer. I first discuss previous scholarship and the terms “irrealisµ, “potentialisµ, “modal indicativeµ and “modal particleµ, then I describe how I determined the corpus, provide facts and figures, establish a working hypothesis and proceed to the actual analysis. I argue that the MP is absent with verbs having an undefined subject, with verb forms that follow a verb with an MP, appearing in narrative, having a jussive and deontic modality (exhortations, wishes purpose clauses, and in conditional clauses with an optative), relating repeated actions, referring to a remote past or future, or describing generic truths. On the other hand, the MP is more common in speeches, is used for emphasis and in descriptions of specific events close to hearer and speaker. I analyse 8 examples and then 4 instances of 􀄰􀩅􀊌􀫉􀄱􀈚, in which the rules are applied to the same verb form and used to determine which reading to adopt in case of a disputed transmission. As the examples show, there are also exceptions to these rules. The etymology and the alleged difference in meaning between the particles cannot be addressed here1.