μή

μή: not, lest.—(1) adv., not, differing from οὐκ in expressing a negation subjectively. μή is the regular neg. particle with the inf., in conditions and cond. rel. clauses, in prohibitions and exhortations, in wishes, and in final clauses introduced by ἵνα, ὡς, etc. μή σε παρὰ νηυσί κιχείω, ‘let me not catch thee near the ships!’ Il. 1.26 ; ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς.. μὴ μὲν τοῖς ἵπποισιν ἀνὴρ ἐποχήσεται ἄλλος (μή, and not οὐ, because the statement is in sense dependent on ἴστω, though grammatically the ind. is allowed to stand instead of being changed to the inf.), Il. 10.330, cf. Il. 15.41.—(2) conj., that not, lest (n e), introducing final clauses and object clauses after verbs of fearing, ἀπόστιχε, μή τι νοήσῃ | Ἥρη, ‘in order that Hera may not take note of anything,’ Il. 1.522 ; δείδω μὴ δὴ πάντα θεὰ νημερτέα ϝεῖπεν, ‘lest all the goddess said was true,’ Od. 5.300 .—μή is combined variously with other particles, μὴ δή, μὴ μάν, μή που, μή ποτε, μή πως, etc. It is joined to interrogative words only when the question expects a negative answer, ἦ μή (num), Od. 9.405, , Od. 6.200.