Εἴθ’ | Ancient Greek Analysis with Conjugation Tables

Definition

Would that…; if only…—an optative particle used to introduce a wish, often with the optative mood (sometimes with indicative to express an unreal or impossible wish).

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EI)/QE

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Grammatical Analysis

"Εἴθ’"

Function: optative/desiderative particle meaning ‘if only!, would that!’; regularly introduces a wish (often with the optative, or with an implied/understood verb)

Form note: Εἴθ’ is the elided form of εἴθε before a following vowel (apostrophe marks elision)

Conjunction type: subordinating (wish-introducing, not a conditional protasis in the ordinary sense)