Herbert Weir Smyth [
n.d.],
A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [
info] [
word count] [
Smyth].
2478
ὥσπερ εἰ (ὡσπερεί), ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ (ὡσπερανεί) just as if ( = just as would be the case, if) form a combination of a comparison and a condition, and are used with the indicative imperfect (of past time) or aorist or with the optative (commonly when τὶς is the subject). ὥσπερ (ἄν) here represents the suppressed apodosis to the condition with εἰ. In some cases the ellipsis may easily be supplied, but it was usually unconscious.
a. When ὥσπερ ἄν has its own verb it is used like for instance, as ὥσπερ ἄν ( cross1766 a), εἴ τίς με ἔροιτο . . ., εἴποιμ' ἄν for instance, if any one were to ask me, I should say P. G. 451a.
b. With ὥσπερ εἰ, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ cp. καθάπερ εἰ, καθάπερ ἂν εἰ.
Herbert Weir Smyth [
n.d.],
A Greek Grammar for Colleges; Machine readable text [
info] [
word count] [
Smyth].
