| INDIRECT STATEMENTS
There are two ways of doing Indirect Statements
in Greek. One way is the Accusative and Infinitive
Construction; the other is to use the oti
Construction, which uses the Indicative or Optative, depending on the tense
of the main verb.
Click here
for Present Optative Paradigm.
Click here for
Future Optative Paradigm.
Click here for
Aorist Optative Paradigm.
eipen oti o PausaniaV logou katarcoi.
"He said that Pausanias was beginning a speech."
enomizon oti o basileuV qanoi.
"They thought that the king had died."
upelabe oti oi polemioi di¢ oligou epiqhsointo.
"He answered that the enemy would attack soon."
Note:
1. The word for "that" is oti
or
wV.
2. A. If the introductory verb is in a Primary
Tense (Present, Future, Perfect) you keep the same tense and
mood.
B. If the introductory verb is in a Secondary
Tense (Imperfect, Aorist, Pluperfect) you use the same tense
as the speaker did, but you change
it into the optative mood.
In the second sentence, he actually said:
"Pausania IS beginning a speech." He used the present tense; therefore
you use the present optative.
In the third sentence, he answered: "The enemy
WILL ATTACK." So you use the future optative.
3. Sometimes the Greeks ignore rule 2.B. and they
keep the verb in its original tense and mood. This is called the Graphic
Construction.
eipen oti o PausaniaV logou katarcei.
"He said that Pausanias was beginning a speech."
enomizon oti o basileuV eqane.
"They thought that the king had died."
upelabe oti oi polemioi di¢ oligou epiqhsontai.
"He answered that the enemy would attack soon."
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