Optative

Forms

If we know the indicative forms, which we should by now, the optative forms are easy to recognize (and learn too):
The endings of non-contracted verbs in the present optative all include a long οι, always, with no exception:
      λέγει ἀεὶ τὰ ἀληθῆ is indicative for "he really does always speak the truth." Whereas
      λέγοι ἀεὶ τὰ ἀληθῆ means: "May he always speak the truth", or: "I hope he'll always speak the truth."

 

Table of Present Optative Forms

Normal -ω Verbs

  Indicative: actual fact     optative: wishful thinking  
 learning takes place   may learning take place 
 μανθάνω   εἶθε 
 εἰ γὰρ 		  μανθάνοιμι 
 μανθάνεις    μανθάνοις 
 μανθάνει   μανθάνοι 
 μανθάνομεν   μανθάνοιμεν 
 μανθάνετε   μανθάνοιτε 
 μανθάνουσιν   μανθάνοιεν 

 

the Verb 'TO BE'

 Indicative: actual fact        optative: non-fact, just wishful thinking 
 we really are not something   may we not be whatever 
 οὐκ ἀργός    εἰμι   εἶθε μὴ 
 εἰ γὰρ μὴ 
 μὴ 		  πένης   εἴη 
 οὐκ ἀργὸς   εἶ   πένης   εἴης 
 οὐκ ἀργός    ἐστιν   πένης   εἴη 
 οὐκ ἀργοί    ἐσμεν   πένητες   εἶμεν 
 οὐκ ἀργοί   ἐστε   πένητες   εἶτε 
 οὐκ ἀργοί   εἰσιν   πένητες   εἶεν. 

 

 Additional Note 

As you can see from the last table, we always use "not" for any kind of negation. But the Greeks make a difference:
  • οὐ, οὐκ, οὐχ for negating facts, for saying that something is definitely not ..... The stress is on not fact: is not, does not, did not, will not, cannot, could not possibly be ...
     
  • Because wishful thinking optative verb-forms never express fact pure and simple, we cannot use οὐ but have to use μή. Always. For wishful thinking.
     
  • But not for potential fact.
    Fact is fact, whether actual
    He sleeps a lot. - καθεύδει πολύ.
    or only potential
    He may/might/could or would be asleep now too. - καὶ νῦν καθεύδοι ἄν.
    whether positive: I am expecting a friend, - φίλον τινὰ μένω,
    whether positive: I would be glad if.... - χαίροιμι ἄν εἴ......
    or negative: I am not Theseus' father - οὔκ εἰμι ὁ τοῦ Θησέως πατήρ.
    or negative: I would not worry if... - οὐκ ἂν φροντίζοιμι εἴ.... or
    or negative: I would not worry if... - οὐ φροντίζοιμι ἂν εἴ....
    We have to use οὐ, οὐκ, οὐχ for potential as well as for actual fact.