μέν (μήν): (1) the same as μήν, in truth, indeed, certainly, Il. 7.89, Il. 1.267, Od. 3.351; sometimes might be written μήν, as the scansion shows, Il. 7.389, Il. 22.482; freq. to emphasize a pronoun or another particle, and of course not always translatable, τοῦ μέν, ἦ μέν, καὶ μέν, οὐ μέν, οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδέ, ζ 13, Il. 2.703. —(2) in correlation, μέν without losing the force above described calls attention to what follows, the following statement being introduced by δέ, αὐτάρ, or some other adversative word. μέν in correlation may sometimes be translated to be sure (quidem), although, but oftener does not admit of translation. It should be remembered that μέν is never a connective, that it always looks forward, never backward. Its combinations with other particles are various.
μέν, σύνδεσμος πο20. 1457 a4, ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν δέ Ργ5. 1407a22. ἔστι μὲν ... ἔστι δὲ, ἔστι μὲν ὡς ... ἔστι δ̓ ὡς Πε2.1302 a28, 36. μὲν ... μέντοι Πγ9. 1280 b18. α11. 1259a28. πρότερον μὲν ... εἶτα Πβ10. 1272 a8. ἓν μὲν ... ἄλλοΠδ16. 1300 b31. μὲν ... καὶ τι11. 171 b8, 11 Wz. πο3.1448 a31 Vhl Poet IV 427. Πβ19. 1329 b15, 16. inter-dum oppositio per part μέν indicata et inchoata non ac-curate continuatur, cuius usus exempla attulit Wz adΑΒ11. 61 a19. μέν interdum non ei additur vocabulo, inquo vis oppositionis cernitur, ὥστε τὴν μὲν πολιτείαν τὴνκατὰ τοὺς νόμους μὴ δημοτικὴν εἶναι, διὰ δὲ τὸ ἦθος καὶ τὴνἀγωγὴν πολιτεύεσθαι δημοτικῶς Πδ5. 1292 b13. -- μένiteratum, ὅσοι μὲν ..., τούτους μὲν sim Γα13. 314 a9. Πγ6.1279 a17. -- μέν omissum in priore oppositionis mem-bro, veluti τὸ μὲν ὑγρὸν τὸ δὲ ξηρόν, καὶ γλισχρὸν τὸ δὲκραῦρον Ζμβ1. 646 b22. cf MA1. 981 b9 Bz. τι21. 178 a3.Γα4. 320 a1. Ζγδ4. 772 a1. Wz ad Αγ22. 83 a24. -- μένinterdum usurpatur, ubi prius membrum grammatice coor-dinatum, re vera subiectum est alteri membro Μθ2. 1046b18. idem usus saepius observatur in coniunctis parti-culis μὲν οὖν, ubi longioris periodi apodosis ab iis inci-pitur MA 3. 983 a33 Bz. ε4. 1027 b28. Ηα10. 1180 a18.Πη13. 1331 b39. μβ9. 369 a24. δ1. 378 b25 al. Bz Ar StIII 57 sqq. usurpantur eaedem particulae μὲν οὖν etiam utomnino ad novam rem transitus significetur πο24. 1460a11 Vhl Poet III 338. Ζυ1. 608 b19. μὲν οὖν i q immo veroΡβ23. 1399 a15, 23. -- μὲν δή, cf δή p 173 a38.Menandri versus ex Andria adhiberi videtur τι4. 166 a36(non attulit Meineke fr com IV 81-85).
Liddell-Scott-Jones: A Greek-English lexicon
μέν, Particle, used partly to express certainty on the part of the speaker or writer; partly, and more commonly, to point out that the word or clause with which it stands is correlative to another word or clause that is to follow, the latter word or clause being introduced by δέ. A.I.μέν used absolutely to express certainty, not followed by correlative δέ,
indeed, of a truth
, synonymous with μήν, as appears from the Ep. and Ion. form ἦ μέν in protestations and oaths (where Att. used ἦ μήν), καί μοι ὄμοσσον, ἦ μ. μοι πρόφρων ἔπεσιν καὶ χερσὶν ἀρήξεινIl.1.77, cf. 14.275; ἦ μέν τοι τάδε πάντα τελείεταιOd.14.160, cf. Il.24.416; τοῦτον ἐξορκοῖ, ἦ μέν οἱ διηκονήσεινHdt.4.154, cf. 5.93, etc.: with neg., οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακὸν βασιλευέμενOd.1.392, etc.; ὤμοσα, μὴ μὲν ..ἀναφῆναι 4.254, cf. Hdt.2.118, 179; ἔξαρνος ἦν, μὴ μὲν ἀποκτεῖναιId.3.67, cf. 99: without neg., ἀνδρὸς μὲν τόδε σῆμα πάλαι κατατεθνηῶτοσIl.7.89: also in Trag., ἀκτὴ μὲν ἥδε τῆς περιρρύτου χθονόσS.Ph.1, cf. 159 (anap.), OC44, E.Med.676, 1129, etc.; καὶ μένIl.1.269, 9.632, etc.; οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδὲ ..2.703, 12.212; γε μέν, cf. γε 1.5. 2. an answering clause with δέ is sts. implied, τὴν μὲν ἐγὼ σπουδῇ δάμνημ' ἐπέεσσι her can I hardly subdue, [
but
all others easily], Il.5.893; ὡς μὲν λέγουσι as
indeed
they say, [
but
as I believe not], E.Or. 8; καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἦν αὐτῷ πόλεμοσ (with no ἔπειτα δέ to follow), X.An.1.9.14; so νῦν μέν σ' ἀφήσω I will let you go
this time
, Herod.5.81: to give force to assertions made by a person respecting himself, wherein opposition to other persons is implied, ὡς μὲν ἐμῷ θυμῷ δοκεῖOd. 13.154; δοκεῖν μέν μοι ἥξει τήμερον [τὸ πλοῖον] Pl.Cri.43d: hence with the pers. Pron., ἐγὼ μέν νυν θεοῖσι ἔχω χάρινHdt.1.71; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδέν (sc. θέλω) S.Ant.498; ἐμοῦ μὲν οὐχ ἑκόντοσId.Aj.455; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶδαX.Cyr.1.4.12, cf. 4.2.45, etc.: with the demonstr. Pron., τούτου μὲν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐγὼ σοφώτερός εἰμιPl.Ap. 21d: generally, to emphasize the preceding word, πολλὴ μὲν ἡ μεταβολή μοι γέγονεν great
indeed
has been the change, Is.1.1, cf. Simon.5.1, etc. 3.μέν is used alone in questions, when the answer is assumed,
I take it
, θέμις μὲν ἡμᾶς χρησμὸν εἰδέναι θεοῦ; E.Med.676, cf. Ion 520 (troch.), Hipp.316, S.Ant.634, Ar.Av.1214; Ἕλλην μέν ἐστι καὶ Ἑλληνίζει; Pl.Men.82b. II.μέν folld. by δέ in the correlative clause or clauses,
on the one hand, on the other hand
; commonly in Classical Gr., less freq. in later Gr. (rare in NT): 1.μέν .., δέ ..(or when the correlative clause is neg., μέν .., οὐδέ .., Il.1.318,536), to mark opposition, Hom., etc.— The opposed clauses commonly stand together, but are freq. separated by clauses, parenthetic or explanatory; e.g. μέν in Il.2.494 is answered by δέ in 511, 527 sq.; in X.An.1.9.2, πρῶτον μέν is answered by ἐπεὶ δέ in 6; in Id.Mem.1.1.2, πρῶτον μέν is answered by θαυμαστὸν δέ in 1.2.1. 2. to connect a series of clauses containing different matter, though with no opposition, Il.1.18sq., 306 sq. (five δέ-clauses), 433 sq. (eight δέ-clauses), cf. X.An. 1.3.14,7.10sq.: freq. when the members of a group or class are distinctly specified, παῖδες δύο, πρεσβύτερος μὲν Ἀρταξέρξης, νεώτερος δὲ Κῦροσ ib.1.1.1; τάφρος .., τὸ μὲν εὖρος ὀργυιαὶ πέντε, τὸ δὲ βάθος ὀργυιαὶ τρεῖσ ib.1.7.14; πρῶτος μέν .., δεύτερος δέ .., τρίτος δέ ..ib.5.6.9; τότε μέν .., τότε δέ .., at
one
time .., at
another
.., ib.6.1.9, etc.: esp. with the Art. used as a Pron., ὁ μέν .., ὁ δέ ..; τὸ μέν .., τὸ δέ .., etc. 3. the principal word is freq. repeated, οἳ περὶ μὲν βουλὴν Δαναῶν, περὶ δ' ἐστὲ μάχεσθαιIl.1.258, cf. 288, Od.15.70; ἔνι μὲν φιλότης, ἐν δ' ἵμερος, ἐν δ' ὀαριστύσIl.14.216; Ξέρξης μὲν ἄγαγεν .., Ξέρξης δ' ἀπώλεσενA.Pers.550, cf. 560, 694, 700 (all lyr.); χαλεπαίνει μὲν πρῳρεύς, χαλεπαίνει δὲ κυβερνήτησX.An.5.8.20. 4. one of the correlative clauses is sts. independent, while the other takes the part. or some other dependent form, ἐβλασφήμει κατ' ἐμοῦ .., μάρτυρα μὲν ..οὐδένα παρασχόμενος .., παρεκελεύετο δέ ..D.57.11; οἱ ἀμφὶ βασιλέα, πεζοὶ μὲν οὐκέτι, τῶν δὲ ἱππέων ὁ λόφος ἐνεπλήσθηX.An.1.10.12, cf. 2.1.7, 5.6.29; ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σ' ἁδεῖα μὲν ἀντία δ' οἴσωS.Tr.123, cf. OC 522 (bothlyr.); χωρὶς μὲν τοῦ ἐστερῆσθαι .., ἔτι δὲ καὶ ..δόξω ἀμελῆσαιPl.Cri.44 b. 5.μέν and δέ freq. oppose two clauses, whereof one is subordinate to the other in meaning or emphasis, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο θαυμάζω, εἰ Λακεδαιμονίοις μέν ποτε ..ἀντήρατε, ..νυνὶ δὲ ὀκνεῖτ' ἐξιέναι (for εἰ ..ἀντάραντες νυνὶ ὀκνεῖτε) D.2.24, cf. E.IT116, Lys.34.11, X.Mem.2.7.11, etc.: so in an anacoluthon, τρία μὲν ὄντα ..ναυτικά .., τούτων δ' εἰ περιόψεσθε τὰ δύο, κτλ., Th.1.36. 6.μέν is not always answered by δέ, but freq. by other equiv. Particles, as ἀλλά, Il.1.22 sq., 2.703 sq., Pi.O.9.1, A.Pers.176, X.An.1.7.17:— by μέντοι, Hdt.1.36, S.Ph. 350, D.21.189, etc.:— by ἀτάρ, Il.6.84,124, A.Pr.342, S.OT1051sq., Pl.Tht.172c, etc. (so μέν .., αὐτάρ in Ep., Il.1.50, Od.19.513, etc.):— by αὖ, Il.11.108, Od.4.210:— by αὖθισ, S.Ant.165:— by αὖτε, Il.1.234, Od.22.5:— by temporal Particles, πρῶτα μέν .., εἶτα ..S.El.261; πρῶτον μέν .., μετὰ τοῦτο ..X.An.6.1.5-7; μάλιστα μὲν δὴ .., ἔπειτα μέντοι ..S.Ph.350, cf. OT647:— rarely by μήν with neg., οὐδὲν μὴν κωλύειPl.Phdr.268e; οὐ μὴν αὐταί γεId.Phlb.12d. b. when the opposition is emphatic, δέ is sts. strengthd., as ὅμως δέ ..S.OT785, Ph.473, 1074, etc. (so ἀλλ' ὅμωσEl.450); δ' αὖ ..Il.4.415, X.An.1.10.5; δ' ἔμπησ ..Il.1.561-2. c.μέν is sts. answered by a copul. Particle, κάρτιστοι μὲν ἔσαν καὶ καρτίστοις ἐμάχοντο ib.267, cf.459, Od. 22.475, S.Aj.1, Tr.689, E.Med.125 (anap.), etc.: rarely in Prose, τρία μὲν ἔτη ἀντεῖχον .., καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἐνέδοσανTh.2.65 (dub.). B.μέν before other Particles: I. where each Particle retains its force, 1.μὲν ἄρα, in Hom.μέν ῥα, Il.2.1, 6.312, Od.1.127, Pl.Phdr.258d, R.467d, etc. 2.μὲν γάρS.OT62, Th.1.142, etc.:— in Hom. there is freq. no second clause, Od.1.173,392, cf. S.OT1062, etc.; μὲν γὰρ δήIl.11.825; μὲν γάρ τε 17.727. 3.μέν γε, when a general statement is explained in detail, Κορινθίοις μέν γε ἔνσπονδοί ἐστεTh.1.40, cf. 70, 6.86, Hdt.6.46, Antipho 5.14, Lys. 13.27, Is.4.8, Ar.Nu.1382, V.564, E.Fr.909.4. 4.μὲν δήIl.1.514, Hdt.1.32, etc.: freq. used to express positive certainty, ἀλλ' οἶσθα μὲν δήS.Tr.627, cf. OT294; τὰ μὲν δὴ τόξ' ἔχεισId.Ph.1308; esp. as a conclusion, τοῦτο μὲν δὴ ..ὁμολογεῖταιPl.Grg.470b, cf. X.Cyr.1.1.6, etc.: in closing a statement, τοιαῦτα μὲν δὴ ταῦταA.Pr.500, etc.: used in answers to convey full assent, ἦ μὲν δή (cf. supr. A) Il.9.348, Od.4.33; καὶ μὲν δή ..γεPl.R.409b; οὐ μὲν δή, to deny positively, Il.8.238, X.Cyr.1.6.9, Pl.Tht.148e, etc.; οὐ μὲν δή ..γεX.An.2.2.3, 3.2.14; ἀλλ' οὔ τι μὲν δή ..Pl.Tht.187a. 5.μὲν οὖν, v. infr.11.2. II. where the Particles combine so as to form a new sense, 1.μέν γε
at all events, at any rate
(not in Trag.), τοῦτο μέν γ' ἤδη σαφέσAr.Ach. 154, cf. Nu.1172, Lys.1165, Ra.80, Th.3.39; μέν γέ πουPl.R.559b, Tht.147a. 2.μὲν οὖν is freq. used with a corresponding δέ, so that each Particle retains its force, Od.4.780, Pi.O.1.111, S.OT244, 843; Ph.359, D.2.5, etc.: but freq. also abs.,
so then
, S.Ant.65; ταῦτα μὲν οὖν παραλείψωD.2.3; esp. in replies, sts. in strong affirmation, παντάπασι μὲν οὖνPl.Tht.158d; κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν ib.159e; πάνυ μὲν οὖν ib.159b; ἀνάγκη μὲν οὖν ib.189e; also to substitute a new statement so as to correct a preceding statement,
nay rather
, κακοδαίμων; Answ. βαρυδαίμων μὲν οὖν! Ar.Ec.1102; μου πρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποψῶ wipe your nose on my head: Answ. ἐμοῦ μὲν οὖν ..
nay
on mine, Id.Eq.911, cf. A.Pers.1032 (lyr.), Ag.1090 (lyr.), 1396, S.Aj. 1363, El.1503, OT705, Ar.Ra.241, Pl.Cri.44b, Grg.466a, 470b, Prt. 309d, etc.; also μὲν οὖν δήS.Tr.153; καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖνId.OC31; cf. οὐμενοῦν: in NTμενοῦν and μενοῦνγε, to begin a sentence,
yea rather,
Ev.Luc.11.28, Ep.Rom.9.20, etc., cf. Phryn.322, Hsch.— In Ion., μέν νυν is used for μὲν οὖν, Hdt.1.18, 4.145, etc. 3. by μέν τε, if δέ τε follows, the two clauses are more closely combined than by τε .., τε .., Il.5.139, al.; μέν τε is freq. answered by δέ alone, 16.28, al.; by ἀλλά, αὐτάρ, 17.727, Od.1.215, al.; perh. by ἠδέ, Il.4.341:— Hom. also uses μέν τε abs., when τε loses its force, as after ἦ, τίσ, etc., Il.2.145, al. 4.μέν τοι in Hom. always occurs in speeches, where τοι can be regarded as the dat. of the Pron.: later, μέντοι is written as a single word, and is used: a. with a conj. force,
yet, nevertheless
, A.Pr.320, 1054 (anap.), S.Tr.413, etc.; and sts. stands for δέ, answering to μέν, v. supr. A.11.6 a. b. as an Adv., in strong protestations, οὐ μέντοι μὰ Δία ..D.4.49; in eager or positive assent,
of course
, φαμέν τι εἶναι ..; Answ. φαμὲν μέντοι νὴ ΔίαPl.Phd.65d, al.: with a neg. to give emphasis to a question, οὐ σὺ μέντοι ..;
why
, are you not ..? Id.Prt.309a, cf. Phdr.229b, R.339b, etc.: sts. to express impatience, ὄμνυμι γάρ σοι— τίνα μέντοι, τίνα θεῶν; Id.Phdr. 236d; τί μ. πρῶτον ἦν, τί πρῶτον ἦν;
nay
what
was
the first? Ar.Nu. 787; οὗτος, σὲ λέγω μ.Id.Ra.171; σὺ μέντοι ..Luc.Alex.44: with imper., to enforce the command, τουτὶ μ. σὺ φυλάττου
only
take heed .., Ar.Pax1100, cf.Av.661, X.An.1.4.8: in answers, γελοῖον μέντἂν εἴη
nay
it would be absurd, Pl.Tht.158e; summing up a long temporal clause, And.1.130. c.μέντοι γεX.Cyr.5.5.24, etc.; οὐ μ. γεDiog.Apoll.5: in later Gr. μέντοιγε stands first in the sentence, μ. οὐ θέλωPLond.3.897.13(i A.D.); also γε μέντοιA.Ag.938, S.OT778, 1292, E.Hec.600; ὅμως γε μ.Ar.Ra.61. d.καὶ μ. καί is used to add a point to be noted, Heraclit.28, Pl.R.331d; also καί ..μ., νῦν σοι καιρός ἐστιν ἐπιδείξασθαι τὴν παιδείαν, καὶ φυλάξασθαι μέντοι ..and
of course
to take care .., X.An.4.6.15 (v.l.), cf. 1.8.20, Pl.Prt.339c, Tht.143a. e.ἀλλὰ μέντοι
well, if it comes to that
, X.An.4.6.16;
well, of course
, Pl.R.331e, etc.; cf. μέντον. C. for μέν after other Particles, see each Particle. D. Position of μέν. Like δέ, it usu. stands as the second word in a sentence. But when a sentence begins with words common to its subordinate clauses, μέν stands second in the first of these clauses, as ἥδε γὰρ γυνὴ δούλη μέν, εἴρηκεν δ' ἐλεύθερον λόγονS.Tr.63; οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐτάξαντο μέν .., ἡσύχαζον δέ ..Th.4.73, cf. 113, etc. It also attaches itself to words which mark opposition, as πρῶτον μέν, τότε μέν, ἐγὼ μέν, even when these do not stand first: sts. however it precedes them, ὡς μὲν ἐγὼ οἶμαιPl.Phdr.228b; ὡς μέν τινες ἔφασανX.Cyr.5.2.28. It generally stands between the Art. and Noun, or the Prep. and its Case: but if special stress is laid on the Noun, this is sts. neglected, as οἱ Τεγεᾶται μὲν ἐπηυλίσαντο, Μαντινῆς δὲ ἀπεχώρησανTh.4.134; ἀνὰ τὸ σκοτεινὸν μέν ..Id.3.22; also τῇ σῇ μὲν εὐδαιμονίῃ, τῇ ἐμεωυτοῦ δὲ κακοδαιμονίῃHdt. 1.87. II.μέν is freq. repeated: 1. when, besides the opposition of two main clauses, a subordinate opposition is introduced into the first, ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ τοιαῦτα μὲν πεποίηκε τοιαῦτα δὲ λέγει, ὑμῶν δέ ..X.An.1.6.9, cf. 5.8.24, Th.8.104, D.18.214, 23.208. 2. in apodosi with the demonstr. Pron. or Adv., τὸν μὲν καλέουσι θέρος, τοῦτον μὲν προσκυνέουσι, τὸν δὲ χειμῶνα ..Hdt.2.121; ὅσοι μὲν δὴ νομοῦ τοῦ Θηβαίου εἰσί, οὗτοι μέν [νυν] ..αἶγας θύουσι· ὅσοι δὲ ..νομοῦ τοῦ Μενδησίου εἰσί, οὗτοι δὲ ..ὄϊς θύουσι ib.42, cf.3.108, al.; ὅτε μέν με οἱ ἄρχοντες ἔταττον .., τότε μὲν ἔμενον .., τοῦ δὲ θεοῦ τάττοντος, ..ἐνταῦθα δέ ..Pl.Ap.28e, cf. Grg. 512a. 3.μέν used absolutely is freq. folld. by a correlative μέν, εἰ μὲν οὖν ἡμεῖς μὲν ..ποιοῦμενId.R.421a. III.μέν is sts. omitted (esp. in Poetry) where it is implied in the following δέ, φεύγων, ὁ δ' ὄπισθε διώκωνIl.22.157; ἐλευθεροῦτε πατρίδ', ἐλευθεροῦτε δὲ παῖδασA.Pers.403; σφραγῖδε ..χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα τὸν δακτύλιον, ἡ δ' ἑτέρα ἀργυροῦνIG22.1388.45, cf. Ar.Nu.396, Pl.Sph.221e, Arist.Po.1447b14, etc.