μήν

μήν [(A)], [dialect] Dor. (Epich.78, etc.), [dialect] Aeol. (Sapph.Supp.23.5, etc.), and old [dialect] Ep. [full] μάν (in Hom.always folld. by a vowel exc. Il.5.895,765, whereas μήν is folld. by a consonant exc. in Il.19.45; original μάν has prob. been changed to μέν exc. when the metre prevented), a Particle used to strengthen asseverations,

A verily, truly; a synonym of μέν but stronger, and like it always following the word which begins the clause, ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, καὶ μ. τετελεσμένον ἔσται and so verily . . , Il.23.410; ἴστε μὰν . . ye know doubtless, Pi.I.4(3).35: freq. with imper., ἄγε μ. on then, Il.1.302;

ἄγρει μάν 5.765

;

ἄναγε μάν A.Ch.963

(lyr.);

ἕπεο μάν S.OC182

(lyr.).

II after other Particles,

1 ἦ μήν, now verily, full surely,

ἦ μὴν καὶ πόνος ἐστίν Il.2.291

, cf. h.Ap.87, Hes. Sc.101;

ἦ μάν Il.2.370

, 13.354, Sapph.l.c., Pi.P.4.40, al. (

εἶ μάν IG5

(1).1390.27 (Andania, i B.C.)): strengthd.,

ἦ δὴ μάν Il.17.538

: freq. later in strong protestations or oaths, c. inf.,

ὄμνυσι δ' ἦ μὴν λαπάξειν A.Th.531

, cf. S.Tr.1186, X.An.2.3.26: in negation, ἦ μ. μή . . Th.8.81, etc. (but also

ὀμνύω μὴ μὰν φρονησεῖν SIG527.36

(Crete, iii B.C.)): in Prose also to begin an independent clause,

ὀμνύω . . , ἦ μ. ἐγὼ ἐθυόμην X.An.6.1.31

;

καὶ νὴ τὸν κύνα, . . ἦ μ. ἐγὼ ἔπαθόν τι τοιοῦτον Pl. Ap.22a

.

2 καὶ μήν, sts. simply to add an asseveration, v. sub init., cf. Pi.N.2.13, etc.;

καὶ δὴ μάν Theoc.7.120

: freq. to introduce something new or deserving special attention,

καὶ μὴν Τάνταλον εἰσεῖδον Od.11.582

, cf. 593, A.Pr.459, Pers.406, etc.; esp. in dramatic Poets to mark the entrance of a person on the stage, here comes . . , Id.Th.372, E.El.339; also

ὅδε μ. Αἵμων S.Ant.626

(anap.), etc.; of new facts, and besides, nay more,

καὶ μήν . . γε A.Pr.982

, cf. Ar.Pax 369, X.Smp.4.15, etc.; in Orators to introduce new arguments,

καὶ μήν . . γε Pl.Tht.153b

, D.21.56; to introduce a counter-argument, Ar.Nu.1185, Pl.Grg.452c;

καὶ μὴν καί D.27.30

, etc.: also in answers, to denote approbation or assent, ἀλλ' ἢν ἐφῇς μοι . . λέξαιμ' ἂν ὀρθῶς. Answ. καὶ μ. ἐφίημι well, I allow it, S.El.556; μὴ νῦν διάτριβ', ἀλλ' ἄνυε πράττων . . Answ.

καὶ μ. βαδίζω Ar.Pl.413

(v.l.), cf. Ra.895, E.Hec.317; so

καὶ μ. . . γε Pl.R.426e

, etc.

3 ἀλλὰ μήν, yet truly, Id.Pers.233, etc.;

ἀλλὰ μάν Ar.Ach.765

;

ἀλλὰ μήν . . γε Id.Ra.258

; to allege something not disputed, Pl.Tht.187a: rarely separated,

ἀλλ' ἐστὶ μ. οἰκητός S.OC28

; ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἐγὼ μ. . . E.Hec.401: more strongly,

ὅμως μ. Pl.Plt.297d

.

4 ναὶ μήν, above all, Emp.76.2.

5 οὐ μήν, of a truth not, Il.24.52, A.Ag.1068, etc.: elsewh. in Hom. οὐ μάν, Il.12.318, etc.; μὴ μάν ([dialect] Att. μὴ μήν) oh do not, 8.512, 15.476, etc.;

ἀλλ' οὐ μάν 17.41

;

ἀλλ' οὐ μάν . . γε S.OC153

(lyr.);

οὐδὲ μάν Pi.P.4.87

.

6 ὡς μήν, = ἦ μήν, ὀμμνύω Δία . . ὡς μ. κρινεῖν τὰ ἀντιλεγόμενα Delph.3(1).362 i 40.

III after interrogatives, τί μ.; well, what of it? A.Eu.203, Pl.Tht.145e, etc.; τί μ. οὔ well, why not? E. Rh.706 (lyr.); τῶς μ.; well, but how . . ? X.Cyr.1.6.28; τίνος μ. ἕνεκα; ibid.; ποῦ μ.; to express surprise, Pl.Tht.142a; ἀλλὰ πότε μήν; X. Smp.4.23.

IV with adversative force, esp. after a neg., so that it is equivalent to μέντοι, νῦν ἐμὲ μὲν στυγέει . . , ἔσται μὰν ὅτ' ἄν . . Il. 8.370-373;

οὐ μὴν ἄτιμοι . . τεθνήξομεν A.Ag.1279

; ἀνάγκη μὲν καὶ ταῦτ' ἐπίστασθαι . . , οὐδὲν μ. κωλύει κτλ. Pl.Phdr.268e, cf. Grg.493c, R.529e, etc.;

χαλεπῶς ἔχει ὑπὸ τραυμάτων, μᾶλλον μ. αὐτὸν αἱρεῖ τὸ νόσημα Id.Tht.142b

; expressed more strongly by γε μ., Pi.P.7.18, A.Th.1067 (anap.), S.OC587, X.Cyr.6.1.7, etc.; also

οὐ μ. . . γε A. Pr.270

, Th.538; οὐδὲ μ. ib.809, Ch.189; οὐ μ. οὐδέ nor yet indeed, Th. 1.3, 82, etc.;

οὐ μὰν οὐδέ Il.4.512

;

ἀλλ' οὐ μὰν οὐδέ 23.441

:—on οὐ μὴν ἀλλά, v. ἀλλά 11.5.

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μήν [(B)], ὁ,

A v. μείς.

II [full] Μήν, an Anatolian divinity, IG22.1365,1366, etc.; nom. sg. [full] Μείς Supp.Epigr.4.647.2, 648.3 ([place name] Lydia).