EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES

2681

Direct (independent) exclamatory sentences with a verb expressed (or easily supplied) are formed

2682

(I) By the relative pronouns οἷος, ὅσος, or by the relative adverb ὡς in exclamations of wonder. The sentences introduced by these words are commonly associated with vocatives or interjections. Cp. 340.

, ὦ φίλοι . . . , οἵην τερπωλὴν θεοὶ ἤγαγον ἐς τόδε δῶμα friends, such sport the gods have brought into this house! ς 37, ὅσην ἔχεις τὴν δύναμιν how great your power is! Ar. Pl. 748, , ὦ φίλταθ᾽ Αἷμον, ὥς σ᾽ ἀτῑμάζει πατήρ, oh dearest Haemon, how thy father insults thee! S. Ant. 572, .

a. Exclamatory ὡς may be the relative ὡς; but if it is the demonstrative ὡς, it means properly not how but so. Cp. 2998.

b. Double οἷος (exclamation within an exclamation) marks a strong contrast (cp. 2646) in direct and indirect exclamations. Thus,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω

what I suffer and at the hands of what men!

(S. Ant. 942)

,

ἀπὸ οἵᾱς . . . αὐχήματος τοῦ πρώτου ἐς οἵᾱν τελευτὴν καὶ ταπεινότητα ἀφί̄κατο

from what boasting at first they had come to what a humiliating end

(T. 7.75)

. Triple οἷος in Gorgias, Helen 10.

c. Cp. 2647 for such sentences as

οἵᾱν ἔχιδναν τήνδ᾽ ἔφῡσας

what a viper is this woman whom thou hast begotten!

(E. Ion 1262)

.

d. οἴμ᾽ ὡς is common in expressions of impatience, anger, pity, grief, or fear; as

οἴμ᾽ ὡς καταγελᾷς

ah me, how you mock me!

(Ar. Nub. 1238)

,

οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν

ah me, how thou seemest all too late to see the right!

(S. Ant. 1270)

, οἴμ᾽ ὡς δέδοικα ah me, how I fear! Ar. Pax 173.

2683

(II) By the infinitive (2015, 2036).

2684

Direct exclamations without a verb may be expressed by the vocative or nominative (1288) or by the genitive of cause (1407).

2685

Indirect (dependent) exclamations form subordinate clauses in sentences which, taken as a whole, are statements (2575. 4). They are introduced by οἷος, ὅσος, οἵως, ὡς, οἷ, ἵνα. The negative is οὐ. It is often difficult to distinguish between indirect exclamations and indirect questions introduced by οἷος or ὅσος. But observe that dependent exclamations are not introduced by the direct interrogatives ποῖος, πόσος, πῶς, etc., nor by the indefinite relatives ὁποῖος, ὁπόσος, ὅπως, etc., both of which classes of words may stand in indirect questions.

a. ὁποῖος in L. 30.4 and ὁπόσος in P. G. 522a are suspected.

b. The introductory verb is sometimes omitted; as ὦ μιαρώτατος, ἵν᾽ ὑποδέδῡκεν oh the rascal! (to think) where he crept in! Ar. Vesp. 188.

2686

Dependent exclamatory clauses follow, as regards mood and tense, the same rules as govern indirect questions (2677). An original indicative remains unchanged after primary tenses of verbs followed by a finite mood, but may become optative after secondary tenses on the principle of indirect discourse.

a. Indicative:

, (cp. ὦ θεῶν μαντεύματα, ἵν᾽ ἐστέ 946), τίς οὐκ οἶδεν ἐξ οἵων συμφορῶν εἰς ὅσην εὐδαιμονίᾱν κατέστησαν; who does not know into what good fortune they came and after what sufferings? I. 6.42, , .

b. Optative:

, ἐπιδεικύντες οἵᾱ εἴη ἡ ἀπορίᾱ pointing out what their difficulty was 1. 3. 13. See also 2687.

2687

Verbs and other words of emotion (praise, blame, wonder, etc.) and the expression of its results are often followed by a dependent exclamatory clause with οἷος, ὅσος, ὡς, etc. Here a causal sentence would have ὅτι τοιοῦτος, ὅτι τοσοῦτος, ὅτι οὕτως. English generally introduces such clauses by considering, thinking, upon the reflection how, etc. Thus,

, ἀπέκλᾱον . . . τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ τύχην, οἵου ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρου ἐστερημένος εἴην I bewailed my fate considering what a companion I had lost (direct = οἵου ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρου (ὄντος) ἐστέρημαι) P. Ph. 117c, μάκαρ ὦ Στρεψίαδες, αὐτός τ᾽ ἔφῡς ὡς σοφὸς χοἶον τὸν υἱὸν τρέφεις oh happy Strepsiades, how wise you are yourself and what a son you have! Ar. Nub. 1206, , , ζηλῶ γε τῆς εὐτυχίᾱς τὸν πρέσβυν, οἷ μετέστη ξηρῶν τρόπων I envy the old fellow his fortune, how (lit. whither) he has changed his arid ways Ar. Vesp. 1451.