ἵημι

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Hellenic *yīyēmi, reduplicated present of Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”). Compare Latin iaciō, Hittite (pe-iezzi, “sends away”). This has been connected with Hittite (iya-, “to do, make”), but that hypothesis is rejected by Kloekhorst (2008).^[1]

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /hǐː.ɛː.mi/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈ(h)i.e̝.mi/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈi.i.mi/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈi.i.mi/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈi.i.mi/

Verb

ῑ̔́ημῐ • (hī́ēmi)

to release, let go
- 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 355
- c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 798
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.205
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 15.19
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 19.383
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.120
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 6.231
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 12.442
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 22.84
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.5.18
(of sounds) to utter, speak, say
- 458 BCE, Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers 563
- 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 636
- 467 BCE, Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 865
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.57
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.16
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 3.152
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 3.221
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 12.192
- Module:Quotations:526: attempt to compare number with nil
- Module:Quotations:526: attempt to compare number with nil
- 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Moralia 2.973e
- 638 BCE – 558 BCE, Solon, Collected Works 36.10
- 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 851
- 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Electra 596
- 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 133
- 460 BCE – 395 BCE, Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.112
to throw, shoot, hurl
- 416 BCE, Euripides, Herakles 320
- c. 440 BCE, Euripides, Rhesus 63
- 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 684
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.774
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 4.498
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.650
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 17.515
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 8.203
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.499
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.538
- 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Olympian Ode 2.90
- 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Theaetetus 194a
- 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Ajax 154
- 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 273
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Agesilaus 1.25
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 1.5.12
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 3.4.17
(of water) to let flow, flow, spout forth
- 525 BCE – 455 BCE, Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 812
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.25
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 21.158
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 7.130
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 11.239
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 16.191
to send
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.479
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.513
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 10.274
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 18.182
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.159
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 21.415
(middle voice) to speed oneself, hasten
- 424 BCE, Aristophanes, The Knights 625
- 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 629b24
- 405 BCE, Euripides, The Bacchae 140
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 2.70
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 6.112
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.78
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 12.274
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 19.187
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 20.356
- 5th century BC, Pherecrates, Fragmenta 134
- 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Cratylus 420a
- 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 432
- 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 1242
(middle voice, with infinitive) to be eager, to desire (to do something)
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 2.589
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 8.301
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 16.383
(middle voice, with genitive) to be set upon, long for
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 11.168
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.371
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.6
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 10.529
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 15.69
- 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 514

Usage notes

All forms except the present and imperfect are used only in composition.

Inflection

Present: ῑ̔́ημῐ, ῑ̔́εμαι (Attic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ῑ̔́ημῐ	ῑ̔́ης	ῑ̔́ησῐ(ν)	ῑ̔́ετον	ῑ̔́ετον	ῑ̔́εμεν	ῑ̔́ετε	ῑ̔ᾶσι(ν)
	subjunctive	ῑ̔ῶ	ῑ̔ῇς	ῑ̔ῇ	ῑ̔ῆτον	ῑ̔ῆτον	ῑ̔ῶμεν	ῑ̔ῆτε	ῑ̔ῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ῑ̔είην	ῑ̔είης	ῑ̔είη	ῑ̔εῖτον, ῑ̔είητον	ῑ̔είτην, ῑ̔ειήτην	ῑ̔εῖμεν, ῑ̔είημεν	ῑ̔εῖτε, ῑ̔είητε	ῑ̔εῖεν, ῑ̔είησᾰν
	imperative		ῑ̔́ει	ῑ̔έτω	ῑ̔́ετον	ῑ̔έτων		ῑ̔́ετε	ῑ̔έντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ῑ̔́εμαι	ῑ̔́εσαι	ῑ̔́εται	ῑ̔́εσθον	ῑ̔́εσθον	ῑ̔έμεθᾰ	ῑ̔́εσθε	ῑ̔́ενται
	subjunctive	ῑ̔ῶμαι	ῑ̔ῇ	ῑ̔ῆται	ῑ̔ῆσθον	ῑ̔ῆσθον	ῑ̔ώμεθᾰ	ῑ̔ῆσθε	ῑ̔ῶνται
	optative	ῑ̔είμην	ῑ̔εῖο	ῑ̔εῖτο, ῑ̔οῖτο	ῑ̔εῖσθον, ῑ̔οῖσθον	ῑ̔είσθην, ῑ̔οίσθην	ῑ̔είμεθᾰ, ῑ̔οίμεθᾰ	ῑ̔εῖσθε, ῑ̔οῖσθε	ῑ̔εῖντο, ῑ̔οῖντο
	imperative		ῑ̔́εσο	ῑ̔έσθω	ῑ̔́εσθον	ῑ̔έσθων		ῑ̔́εσθε	ῑ̔έσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ῑ̔έναι				ῑ̔́εσθαι
participle	m	ῑ̔είς				ῑ̔έμενος
	f	ῑ̔εῖσᾰ				ῑ̔εμένη
	n	ῑ̔έν				ῑ̔έμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Present: ῐ̔́ημῐ, ῐ̔́εμαι (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ῐ̔́ημῐ	ῐ̔́ης/ῐ̔́ησθᾰ	ῐ̔́ησῐ/ῐ̔εῖ	ῐ̔́ετον	ῐ̔́ετον	ῐ̔́εμεν	ῐ̔́ετε	ἱεῖσι (ν) (ῑ̔ᾶσι)
	subjunctive	ῐ̔ῶ, ῐ̔ῶμῐ	ῐ̔ῇς, ῐ̔ῇσθᾰ	ῐ̔ῇ, ῐ̔ῇσῐ	ῐ̔ῆτον	ῐ̔ῆτον	ῐ̔ῶμεν	ῐ̔ῆτε	ῐ̔ῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	ῐ̔είην	ῐ̔είης	ῐ̔είη	ῐ̔εῖτον	ῐ̔είτην	ῐ̔εῖμεν	ῐ̔εῖτε	ῐ̔εῖεν
	imperative		ῐ̔́ει	ῐ̔έτω	ῐ̔́ετον	ῐ̔έτων		ῐ̔́ετε	ῐ̔έντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ῐ̔́εμαι	ῐ̔́εσαι	ῐ̔́εται	ῐ̔́εσθον	ῐ̔́εσθον	ῐ̔έμε(σ)θᾰ	ῐ̔́εσθε	ῐ̔́ενται
	subjunctive	ῐ̔ῶμαι	ῐ̔ῇ	ῐ̔ῆται	ῐ̔ῆσθον	ῐ̔ῆσθον	ῐ̔ώμε(σ)θᾰ	ῐ̔ῆσθε	ῐ̔ῶνται
	optative	ῐ̔είμην	ῐ̔εῖο	ῐ̔εῖτο, ῐ̔οῖτο	ῐ̔εῖσθον, ῐ̔οῖσθον	ῐ̔είσθην, ῐ̔οίσθην	ῐ̔είμεθᾰ, οίμε(σ)θᾰ	ῐ̔εῖσθε, ῐ̔οῖσθε	ῐ̔́ειντο, ῐ̔οίᾰτο
	imperative		ῐ̔́εσο	ῐ̔έσθω	ῐ̔́εσθον	ῐ̔έσθων		ῐ̔́εσθε	ῐ̔έσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ῐ̔έμεν(αι)				ῐ̔́εσθαι
participle	m	ῐ̔είς				ῐ̔έμενος
	f	ῐ̔εῖσᾰ				ῐ̔εμένη
	n	ῐ̔έν				ῐ̔έμενον
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ῑ̔́ην, ῑ̔έμην (Attic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ῑ̔́ην	ῑ̔́εις	ῑ̔́ει	ῑ̔́ετον	ῑ̔έτην	ῑ̔́εμεν	ῑ̔́ετε	ῑ̔́εσᾰν
middle/ passive	indicative	ῑ̔έμην	ῑ̔́εσο	ῑ̔́ετο	ῑ̔́εσθον	ῑ̔έσθην	ῑ̔έμεθᾰ	ῑ̔́εσθε	ῑ̔́εντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ῐ̔́ην, ῐ̔έμην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ῐ̔́ην	ῐ̔́εις	ῐ̔́ει	ῐ̔́ετον	ῐ̔έτην	ῐ̔́εμεν	ῐ̔́ετε	ῐ̔́εσᾰν
middle/ passive	indicative	ῐ̔έμην	ῐ̔́εσο	ῐ̔́ετο	ῐ̔́εσθον	ῐ̔έσθην	ῐ̔έμε(σ)θᾰ	ῐ̔́εσθε	ῐ̔́εντο
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: ἵεσκον, ἱεσκόμην (Ionic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἵεσκον	ἵεσκες	ἵεσκε(ν)	ἱέσκετον	ἱεσκέτην	ἱέσκομεν	ἱέσκετε	ἵεσκον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἱεσκόμην	ἱέσκου	ἱέσκετο	ἱέσκεσθον	ἱεσκέσθην	ἱεσκόμεθᾰ	ἱέσκεσθε	ἱέσκοντο
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: ἥσω, ἥσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἥσω	ἥσεις	ἥσει	ἥσετον	ἥσετον	ἥσομεν	ἥσετε	ἥσουσῐ(ν)
active	optative	ἥσοιμῐ	ἥσοις	ἥσοι	ἥσοιτον	ἡσοίτην	ἥσοιμεν	ἥσοιτε	ἥσοιεν
middle	indicative	ἥσομαι	ἥσῃ, ἥσει	ἥσεται	ἥσεσθον	ἥσεσθον	ἡσόμεθᾰ	ἥσεσθε	ἥσονται
middle	optative	ἡσοίμην	ἥσοιο	ἥσοιτο	ἥσοισθον	ἡσοίσθην	ἡσοίμεθᾰ	ἥσοισθε	ἥσοιντο
		active			middle
infinitive		ἥσειν			ἥσεσθαι
participle	m	ἥσων			ἡσόμενος
	f	ἥσουσᾰ			ἡσομένη
	n	ἧσον			ἡσόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἧκᾰ, ἡκᾰ́μην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἧκᾰ	ἧκᾰς	ἧκε(ν)	ἥκᾰτον	ἡκᾰ́την	ἥκᾰμεν	ἥκᾰτε	ἧκᾰν
middle	indicative	ἡκᾰ́μην	ἥκω	ἥκᾰτο	ἥκᾰσθον	ἡκᾰ́σθην	ἡκᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἥκᾰσθε	ἥκᾰντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: ἕηκᾰ, ἑηκᾰ́μην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἕηκᾰ	ἕηκᾰς	ἕηκε(ν)	ἑήκᾰτον	ἑηκᾰ́την	ἑήκᾰμεν	ἑήκᾰτε	ἕηκᾰν
middle	indicative	ἑηκᾰ́μην	ἑήκᾰο	ἑήκᾰτο	ἑήκᾰσθον	ἑηκᾰ́σθην	ἑηκᾰ́με(σ)θᾰ	ἑήκᾰσθε	ἑήκᾰντο
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: εἵμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative				εἷτον	εἵτην	εἷμεν	εἷτε	εἷσᾰν
	subjunctive	ὧ	ᾗς	ᾗ, ᾗσι(ν)	ἧτον	ἧτον	ὧμεν	ἧτε	ὧσῐ(ν)
	optative	εἵην	εἵης	εἵη	εἷτον/εἵητον	εἵτην/εἱήτην	εἷμεν/εἵημεν	εἷτε/εἵητε	εἷεν/εἵησᾰν
	imperative		ἕς	ἕτω	ἕτον	ἕτων		ἕτε	ἕντων
middle	indicative	εἵμην	εἷσο	εἷτο	εἷσθον	εἵσθην	εἵμεθᾰ	εἷσθε	εἷντο
	subjunctive	ὧμαι	ᾗ	ἧται	ἧσθον	ἧσθον	ὥμεθᾰ	ἧσθε	ὧνται
	optative	εἵμην	εἷο	εἷτο/οἷτο	εἷσθον	εἵσθην	εἵμεθᾰ/οἵμεθᾰ	εἷσθε/οἷσθε	εἷντο/οἷντο
	imperative		οὗ	ἕσθω	ἕσθον	ἕσθων		ἕσθε	ἕσθων
		active			middle
infinitive		εἷναι			ἕσθαι
participle	m	εἵς			ἕμενος
	f	εἷσᾰ			ἑμένη
	n	ἕν			ἕμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation. The unaugmented 3rd plural middle indicative form ἕντο (hénto) is found in Epic Greek.

Perfect: εἷκᾰ, εἷμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	εἷκᾰ	εἷκᾰς	εἷκε(ν)	εἵκᾰτον	εἵκᾰτον	εἵκᾰμεν	εἵκᾰτε	εἵκᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	εἵκω	εἵκῃς	εἵκῃ	εἵκητον	εἵκητον	εἵκωμεν	εἵκητε	εἵκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	εἵκοιμῐ, εἱκοίην	εἵκοις, εἱκοίης	εἵκοι, εἱκοίη	εἵκοιτον	εἱκοίτην	εἵκοιμεν	εἵκοιτε	εἵκοιεν
	imperative		εἷκε	εἱκέτω	εἵκετον	εἱκέτων		εἵκετε	εἱκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	εἷμαι	εἷσαι	εἷται	εἷσθον	εἷσθον	εἵμεθᾰ	εἷσθε	εἷνται
	subjunctive	εἱμένος ὦ	εἱμένος ᾖς	εἱμένος ᾖ	εἱμένω ἦτον	εἱμένω ἦτον	εἱμένοι ὦμεν	εἱμένοι ἦτε	εἱμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	εἱμένος εἴην	εἱμένος εἴης	εἱμένος εἴη	εἱμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	εἱμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	εἱμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	εἱμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	εἱμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		εἷσο	εἵσθω	εἷσθον	εἵσθων		εἷσθε	εἵσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		εἱκέναι				εἷσθαι
participle	m	εἱκώς				εἱμένος
	f	εἱκυῖᾰ				εἱμένη
	n	εἱκός				εἱμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Perfect: ἕωκᾰ, ἕωμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἕωκᾰ	ἕωκᾰς	ἕωκε(ν)	ἑώκᾰτον	ἑώκᾰτον	ἑώκᾰμεν	ἑώκᾰτε	ἑώκᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	ἑώκω	ἑώκῃς	ἑώκῃ	ἑώκητον	ἑώκητον	ἑώκωμεν	ἑώκητε	ἑώκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἑώκοιμῐ, ἑωκοίην	ἑώκοις, ἑωκοίης	ἑώκοι, ἑωκοίη	ἑώκοιτον	ἑωκοίτην	ἑώκοιμεν	ἑώκοιτε	ἑώκοιεν
	imperative		ἕωκε	ἑωκέτω	ἑώκετον	ἑωκέτων		ἑώκετε	ἑωκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἕωμαι	ἕωσαι	ἕωται	ἕωσθον	ἕωσθον	ἑώμεθᾰ	ἕωσθε	ἕωνται
	subjunctive	ἑωμένος ὦ	ἑωμένος ᾖς	ἑωμένος ᾖ	ἑωμένω ἦτον	ἑωμένω ἦτον	ἑωμένοι ὦμεν	ἑωμένοι ἦτε	ἑωμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	ἑωμένος εἴην	ἑωμένος εἴης	ἑωμένος εἴη	ἑωμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	ἑωμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	ἑωμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	ἑωμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	ἑωμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		ἕωσο	ἑώσθω	ἕωσθον	ἑώσθων		ἕωσθε	ἑώσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		ἑωκέναι				ἑῶσθαι
participle	m	ἑωκώς				ἑωμένος
	f	ἑωκυῖᾰ				ἑωμένη
	n	ἑωκός				ἑωμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Pluperfect: εἵμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle/ passive	indicative	εἵμην	εἷσο	εἷτο	εἷσθον	εἵσθην	εἵμεθᾰ	εἷσθε	εἷντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

ἀνίημι (aníēmi)
ἀφίημι (aphíēmi)
διΐημι (diḯēmi)
εἰσίημι (eisíēmi)
ἐνίημι (eníēmi)
ἐξίημι (exíēmi)
ἐπανίημι (epaníēmi)
ἐφίημι (ephíēmi)
καθίημι (kathíēmi)
μεθίημι (methíēmi)
παρίημι (paríēmi)
προΐημι (proḯēmi)
προσίημι (prosíēmi)
συνίημι (suníēmi)
ὑπερίημι (huperíēmi)
ὑφίημι (huphíēmi)

Related terms

ἑσία (hesía)
ἕσις (hésis)
ἑσμός (hesmós)
ἑτός (hetós)
ἵεσις (híesis)

References

^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἵημι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 581-2