ἢν δέ τις ἀπειθῇ, ἢν ψηφίσασθαι...

[Pacifica]

Reading this sentence in the Anabasis:

ἢν δέ τις ἀπειθῇ, ἢν ψηφίσασθαι τὸν ἀεὶ ὑμῶν ἐντυγχάνοντα σὺν τῷ ἄρχοντι κολάζειν

I wasn't sure what the second ἢν meant. The only way I could find to interpret it was the imperfect of εἶναι in the sense "to be possible." But then why this tense? The sense of the sentence seems future rather than past (real) or present unreal. I looked at a translation:

"We must pass a vote that, in case anyone is disobedient, whoever of you may be at hand at the time shall join with the officer in punishing him."

But it doesn't help me. I don't see how it can mean "must" but maybe it's an idiom I'm not aware of ("it was possible" because we must or something...).

So can someone explain to me?

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

If you look at an edition with a critical apparatus, you'll see that there are variant readings, and proposed emendations: http://heml.mta.ca/lace/sidebysideview2/5622574

 

[Pacifica]

Ok, so it probably just doesn't really make sense as it stands. Thanks.

 

[Oups]

ἤν = εἰ ἄν and ἐάν

 

[Imber Ranae]

ἤν = εἰ ἄν and ἐάν

She's asking about the second one. It wouldn't make sense to have two protases here.

 

[Oups]

Of course. That is why most of modern editions put the second ἤν between brackets. But it is this, not a verb !