#optative

Shall I lie here until I die?

What would it be

To watch the snow alight on tall grass?

They would have to mow around me.

Lord, bear me strength.

I have homework due.

--

The easiest Mood to recognize in ancient Greek (because of its proclivity for long vowels), the Subjunctive has 3 main forms when independent (not part of a larger construct):

Hortatory - "Let us dance" (it urges something on or starts it going)

Usually found at the beginning of a sentence or clause and in the first person plural form (with some exceptions)

Prohibitive - "Do not dance" (it prohibits)

When paired with μή

Deliberative - "Are we to dance or not?" (it considers its options)

When used in a question

Outside of that, it has dependent meanings with result clauses in the Primary sequence (with Present tense, Future, etc.); the Optative, however, is used with the Secondary sequence (Imperfect, Aorist, Pluperfect, etc.)

So for the  Subjunctive: I am doing this so that I may live.

Optative: I did this in order that I might live.

(They are also both used in conditional clauses, depending on the type of clause, but I won't get into that here)

In general, the Subjunctive and Optative are similar in that they refer to actions which are uncertain. The independent Subjunctive (above) refers to events that have (usually) yet to happen, and the Optative of Wish and Potential Optative (below) are of things which may yet happen.

The Optative of Wish is denoted by an Opt + εἴθε/ εἰ/ εἰ γάρ (if, if only,) and is hoping for something to happen in the future. When negated, it can be a wish for something which cannot be fulfilled, or for something in the past which did not happen:

"If only it were mine"

"If only it had not been broken"

"If only it were not about to be sold"

...and so on.

The Potential Optative, on the other hand, is something that could happen, and may not necessarily be wanted. It is made by taking the Opt + ἄν and is usually translated as "would," but sometimes as "must, might, or can."

For example:

"You would tell me, then?"

It can also denote an opinion, something you believe to be true:

"I must be fairly beautiful, in that case."

They can both also be found in Fear Clauses, clauses which follow a verb of fearing and are denoted by the negative μή, in which case they are used similarly to how they are used in conditionals (using the Sequence of Tenses), with the change that they are translated with "lest"

"I feared lest I be killed."

These are the basic uses of the Subjunctive and Optative Moods, and though they have many variants, these basics are enough for a single post.

These two Moods are completely necessary to the (ancient) Greek language, as they offer ways of expressing needs and wants, fears and beliefs. The Subjunctive and Optative are two of my favorite forms (both to learn about and to teach others) for just that reason: they express the unique and uncanny thoughts which (so far as we know) only the human mind is capable of.

boy: you have a perfect body

girl: you have low standards.