Herbert Weir Smyth [n.d.], A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [info] [word count] [Smyth].

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134

Movable N may be added at the end of a word when the next word begins with a vowel. Movable ν may be annexed to words ending in -σι; to the third person singular in -ε; and to ἐστί is.

Thus, πᾶσιν ἔλεγεν ἐκεῖνα he said that to everybody (but πᾶσι λέγουσι ταῦτα), λέγουσιν ἐμοί they speak to me (but λέγουσί μοι), ἔστιν ἄλλος there is another ( ^cross187 b), Αθήνησιν ἦσαν they were at Athens.

a. Except ἐστί, words that add ν do not elide their final vowel ( ^cross73).

b. Verbs in -εω never (in Attic) add -ν to the 3 sing. of the contracted form: εὖ ἐποίει αὐτόν he treated him well. But ἤει went and pluperfects (as ᾔδει knew) may add ν.

N.—Movable ν is called ν ἐφελκυστικόν (dragging after).

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Herbert Weir Smyth [n.d.], A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [info] [word count] [Smyth].

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