ποθι

Alternative forms

• ποθί (pothí) – used after paroxytones

Etymology

From *kʷos (“who”) + -θι (-thi, “locative suffix”).

Pronunciation

Adverb

ποθῐ • (pothi)

(enclitic)

1. somewhere, anywhere
   • 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 886

     τίς ἂν φιλοπόνων ἁλιαδᾶν [...] τὸν ὠμόθυμον εἴ ποθι πλαζόμενον λεύσσων ἀπύοι;

     tís àn philopónōn haliadân [...] tòn ōmóthumon eí pothi plazómenon leússōn apúoi?

     What toiling fisherman [...] can say whether she has anywhere seen the wanderings of fierce-hearted Ajax?

2. ever
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.379

     ἐγὼ δὲ θεοὺς ἐπιβώσομαι αἰὲν ἐόντας, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς δῷσι παλίντιτα ἔργα γενέσθαι

     egṑ dè theoùs epibṓsomai aièn eóntas, aí ké pothi Zeùs dôisi palíntita érga genésthai

     But I will call upon the gods that are forever, if ever Zeus may grant that deeds of requital may be wrought.

3. perhaps
   • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 19.273

     ἀλλά ποθι Ζεὺς ἤθελ᾽ Ἀχαιοῖσιν θάνατον πολέεσσι γενέσθαι

     allá pothi Zeùs ḗthel᾽ Akhaioîsin thánaton poléessi genésthai

     But perhaps it was the good pleasure of Zeus that on many of the Achaeans death should come.