γε,
Doric dialect and
Boeotian dialect γα, enclitic Particle, giving emphasis to the word or words which it follows.
I) with single words,
at least, at any rate, but often only to be rendered by italics in writing, or emphasis in pronunciation: τὸ γὰρ. σιδήρου γε κράτος ἐστίν such is the power of
iron, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ που πτωχῶν γε θεοὶ. εἰσίν if the poor
have any gods to care for them,[
Refs]; ὅ γ᾽ ἐνθάδε λεώς
at any rate the people here, [
Refs 5th c.BC+] not
even two, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὔκουν φθόγγος γε not
the least sound, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.2) with Pronouns: with
pronoun of
1st pers. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; τουτογί, ταυταγί, etc, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅσον γε χρῄζεις
even as much as,[
Refs 5th c.BC+]: rarely with
interrogative Pronouns, τίνα γε. εἶπας
;[
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ποίου γε τούτου πλήν γ᾽ Ὀδυσσέως ἐρεῖς
; [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.3) after Conjunctions, to emphasize the modification or condition introduced by the subjoined clause, πρίν γε, before
at least, sometimes repeated, οὐ μὲν. ὀΐω πρίν γ᾽ ἀποπαύσεσθαι, πρίν γε. αἵματος ἆσαι Ἀρῆα [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὶν ἄν γε or πρίν γ᾽ ἄν, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴ γε, ἐάν γε, if
that is to say, if
really, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; also simply to lay stress on the condition, κἄν γε μὴ λέγω and
if I do not, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴπερ γε if
at any rate, [
Refs 5th c.BC+], etc; ὥστε γε (variant{ὥς γε}), with
infinitive, so far
at least as to, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥς γε or ὥσπερ γε as
at least, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]:—γε may follow τε, when τε is closely attached to the preceding word, ὡς οἷόν τέ γε μάλιστα [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.4) after other Particles, καὶ μὴν. γε, οὐ μὴν. γε, with words intervening, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; after ἄν in apodosi, when preceded by οὐ or καί, [
Refs]; ἄταρ. γε but
yet, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; καίτοι γε, see at {καί το; ἀλλά γε} (without intervening words) is
falsa lectio in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀλλά γε δή uncertain in [
Refs 1st c.AD+]
I.5) when preceding other Particles, γε commonly refers to the preceding word, while the Particle retains its own force: but sometimes modifies the sense of the following Particle, γε μήν
nevertheless, πάντως γε μήν [
Refs 5th c.BC+];
Epic dialect and
Ionic dialect γε μέν [
Refs 8th c.BC+] frequently strengthens an assertion, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; γέ τοι, implying that the assertion is
the least that one can say, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; γέ που
at all events, any how, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; for γε οὖν, see at {γοῦν}.
II) exercising an influence over the whole clause:
II.1) epexegetic,
namely, that is, Διός γε διδόντος
that is if God grant it, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον, εἰ ἐτεόν γε σός εἰμι if
indeed I am really thine, [
Refs] any man—
at least any wise man, [
Refs]; frequently preceded by καί, usually with words intervening, ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωΰξω γε πρός
ay and besides that, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; παρῆσάν τινες καὶ πολλοί γε some,
ay and a great many, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently with the last term in an enumeration, ταύτῃ ἄρα. πρακτέον καὶ γυμναστέον καὶ ἐδεστέον γε καὶ ποτέον [
LXX]; rarely without intervening words, καί γε ὁ θάνατος διὰ τὴν μοίρην ἔλαχεν [
NT+5th c.BC+]
II.2) in dialogue, in answers where something is added to the statement of the previous speaker, as ἔπεμψέ τίς σοι. κρέα
; Answ. καλῶς γε ποιῶν
yes and quite right too, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; κενὸν τόδ᾽ ἄγγος, ἢ στέγει τι
; Answ. σά γ᾽ ἔνδυτα.
yes indeed, your clothes, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὕτω γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα δηχθείη πόσις. Answ. σὺ δ᾽ ἂν γένοιο γ᾽ ἀθλιωτάτη γυνή
yes truly, and you, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάνυ γε
yes certainly, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὕτω γέ πως
yes somehowso, [
Refs]; sometimes preceded by καί, καὶ οὐδέν γ᾽ ἄτοπον
yes and no wonder, [
Refs]; sometimes ironically, εὖ γε κηδεύεις πόλιν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3) to heighten a contrast or opposition,
II.3.a) after conditional clauses, εἰ μὲν δὴ σύ γ᾽, τῷ κε Ποσειδάων γε. if
you do so, then
at all events Poseidon will, [
Refs 8th c.BC+] {γέα}; ἐπεὶ πρὸς τοῦτο σιωπᾶν ἥδιόν σοι. τόδε γε εἰπέ
at any rate tell me this, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3.b) in disjunctive sentences to emphasize an alternative, ἤτοι κεῖνόν γε. δεῖ ἀπόλλυσθαι ἢ σέ. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]: also in the second clause, εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι ἤ σέ γε λαοὶ ἐχθαίρουσι [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.4) in exclamations, etc, ὥς γε μή ποτ᾽ ὤφελον λαβεῖν uncertain in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; in oaths, οὔτοι μὰ τὴν Δήμητρά γ᾽ variant in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; merely in strong assertions, τίς ἂν φιλέοντι μάχοιτ; ἄφρων δὴ κεῖνός γέ. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.5) implying concession, εἶμί γε
well then I will go (in apodosi), [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
III) γε frequently repeated in protasis and apodosis, as πρίν γε, πρίν γε, see[
Refs 5th c.BC+]; even in the same clause, οὐδέν γ᾽ ἄλλο πλήν γε καρκίνους [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV) POSITION: γε normally follows the word which it limits; but is frequently placed immediately after the Article, as ὅ γε πόλεμος [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; or the
preposition, κατά γε τὸν σὸν λόγον [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ δέ γε[
Refs]; frequently in retorts, ἁμές ποκ᾽ ἦμες ἄλκιμοι νεανίαι. Answ. ἁμὲς δέ γ᾽ εἰμές [
Refs]; οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι λέγεις. Answ. ἡ γραῦς δέ γε οἶδ᾽, ὡς ἐγῷμαι [
Refs 4th c.BC+]