ἐὰν

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 ἐὰν

   e-AN

   if
2. sentence🔊 ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον

   HO-mōs ta AP-sy-kha phō-NĒN di-DON-ta EI-te au-LOS EI-te ki-THA-ra e-AN di-a-sto-LĒN tois phthog-GOIS mē DŌ PŌS gnō-STHĒ-se-tai to au-LOU-me-non ē to ki-tha-ri-DZO-me-non

   even so the lifeless {things} a sound giving whether a flute or whether a harp if a distinction to the notes not gives how will be known the being played on a flute or the being played on a harp

Exegesis

The conditional clause ean diastolen tois phthongois me do {ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ | eán diastolḗn toîs phthóggois mḗ dō̂i} uses ean with the aorist subjunctive do to express a real condition: “if it does not give a distinction in the tones.”