I. introducing the reason or cause of what precedes, for, τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη· κήδετο γ. Δαναῶν Il. 1.56, etc.; but freq. in expl. of that wh. is implied in the preceding clause, πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα . . τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον 2.118, etc.: hence,

b. in simple explanations, esp. after a Pronoun or demonstr. Adj., ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει· Ἕκτωρ γ. ποτε φήσει 8.148, cf. Od. 2.163; ὃ δὲ δεινότατον . . ὁ Ζεὺς γ. . . Ar. Av. 514; ὃ δὲ πάντων ἀδικώτατον ἔδοξε· τῶν γὰρ προγε γραμμένων ἠτίμωσε καὶ υἱούς Plu. Sull. 31; freq. in introducing proofs or examples, μαρτύριον δέ· Δήλου γ. καθαιρομένης . . Th. 1.8; τεκμήριον δέ· οὔτε γ. Λακεδαιμόνιοι . . Id. 2.39, cf. D. 20.10, etc.; in full, τεκμήριον δὲ τούτου τόδε· αἱ μὲν γ. . . Hdt. 2.58; παράδειγμα τόδε τοῦ λόγου· ἐκ γ. . . Th. 1.2; δηλοῖ δέ μοι τόδε· πρὸ γ. . . ib.3.

c. to introduce a detailed description or narration already alluded to, ὅμως δὲ λεκτέα ἃ γιγνώσκω· ἔχει γ. [ἡ χώρα] πεδία κάλλιστα . . X. An. 5.6.6, etc.

d. in answers to questions or statements challenging assent or denial, yes, . . , no, . . , οὔκουν . . ἀνάγκη ἐστί;—ἀνάγκη γ. οὖν, ἔφη, ay doubtless it is necessary, X. Cyr. 2.1.7, cf. §§ 4 and 13; indicating assent, ἔχει γ. Pl. Phdr. 268a; ἱκανὸς γ., ἔφη, συμβαίνει γ., ἔφη, Id. R. 502b, 502c,cf. Ap. 41a, etc.; οὔκουν δὴ τό γʼ εἰκός.—οὐ γ.: Id. Phdr. 276c.

2. by inversion, preceding the fact explained, since, as, Ἀτρεΐδη, πολλοὶ γ. τεθνᾶσιν Ἀχαιοί . . τῷ σε χρὴ πόλεμον παῦσαι Il. 7.328; χρόνου δὲ οὐ πολλοῦ διελθόντος (χρῆν γ. Κανδαύλῃ γενέσθαι κακῶς) ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν Γύγην τοιάδε, Γύγη, οὐ γ. σε δοκέω πείθεσθαι . . (ὦτα γ. τυγχάνει κτλ.) , ποίει ὅκως . . Hdt. 1.8. cf. 6.102, al.; εἶεν, σὺ γ. τούτων ἐπιστήμων, τί χρὴ ποιεῖν; Pl. Phd. 117a; the principal proposition is sts.

b. blended with the causal one, τῇ δὲ κακῶς γ. ἔδεε γενέσθαι εἶπε, i.e. ἡ δέ (κακῶς γ. οἱ ἔδεε γενέσθαι) εἶπε Hdt. 9.109, cf. 1.24, 4.149, 200, Th. 1.72, 8.30.

c. attached to the hypothet. Particle instead of being joined to the apodosis, οὐδʼ εἰ γ. ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα μὴ θεήλατον, ἀκάθαρτον ὑμᾶς εἰκὸς ἦν οὕτως ἐᾶν, i.e. οὐδὲ γ. εἰ ἦν . . , S. OT 255.

d. repeated, οὐ γ. οὖν σιγήσομαι· ἔτικτε γ. . . Id. OC 980, cf. Ant. 659 sq., 1255.

3. in elliptical phrases, where that of which γάρ gives the reason is omitted, and must be supplied,

a. freq. in Trag. dialogue and Pl., when yes or no may be supplied from the context, καὶ δῆτʼ ἐτόλμας τούσδʼ ὑπερβαίνειν νόμους;—οὐ γ. τί μοι Ζεὺς ἦν ὁ κηρύξας τάδε [yes], for it was not Zeus, etc., S. Ant. 450, cf. OT 102, etc.; καλῶς γὰρ αὐτὸς ἠγάνισαι Pl. Smp. 194a; freq. in phrase ἔστι γ. οὕτω [yes], for so it is, i. e. yes certainly: λέγεταί τι καινόν; γένοιτο γ. ἄν τι καινότερον ἢ . . ; [why,] could there be . . ? D. 4.10; with negs., Ar. Ra. 262 τούτῳ γ. οὐ νικήσετε [do so], yet shall ye never prevail by this means: for ἀλλὰ γ., v. infr. II.1.

b. to confirm or strengthen something said, οἵδʼ οὐκέτʼ εἰσί· τοῦτο γάρ σε δήξεται [I say this], for it will sting thee, E. Med. 1370: after an Exclamation, ὦ πόποι· ἀνάριθμα γ. φέρω πήματα S. OT 168 (lyr.), cf. E. Hel. 857.

c. in conditional propositions, where the condition is omitted, else, οὐ γ. ἄν με ἔπεμπον πάλιν (sc. εἰ μὴ ἐπίστευον) X. An. 7.6.33; γίνεται γ. ἡ κοινωνία συμμαχία for in that case, Arist. Pol. 1280b8.

4. in abrupt questions, why, what, τίς γ. σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκεν; why who hath sent thee? Il. 18.182; πῶς γ. νῦν . . εὕδουσι; 10.424; πατροκτονοῦσα γ. ξυνοικήσεις ἐμοί; what, wilt thou . . ? A. Ch. 909: generally, after interrog. Particles, ἦ γ. . . ; what, was it . . ? S. OT 1000,1039, etc.; τί γ.; quid enim? i. e. it must be so, Id. OC 539,542,547, etc.; τί γ. δή ποτε; D. 21.44; also πῶς γ.; πῶς γ. οὔ;, v. πῶς.

5. to strengthen a wish, c. opt., κακῶς γ. ἐξόλοιο O that you might perish ! E. Cyc. 261; cf. αἴ, εἰ, εἴθε, πῶς.

II. joined with other Particles:

1. ἀλλὰ γ. where γάρ gives the reason of a clause to be supplied between ἀλλά and itself, as ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ Τρώων πεδίῳ . . but [far otherwise], for . . , Il. 15.739; ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἥκουσʼ αἵδʼ ἐπὶ πρᾶγος πικρόν but [hush], for . . , A. Th. 861; ἀλλʼ οὐ γ. σʼ ἐθέλω . . but [look out] for . . , Il. 7.242; in full, ἀλλʼ οὐ γάρ σφιν ἐφαίνετο κέρδιον εἶναι μαίεσθαι προτέρω, τοὶ μὲν πάλιν αὖτις ἔβαινον Od. 14.355; ἀλλʼ, οὐ γ. ἔπειθε, διδοῖ τὸ φᾶρος Hdt. 9.109.

2. γ. ἄρα for indeed, Pl. Prt. 315d, Smp. 205b.

3. γ. δή for of course, for you know, Il. 2.301,23.607, Hdt. 1.34, 114, etc.; φάμεν γ. δή yes certainly we say so, Pl. Tht. 187e, cf. 164d; οὐ γ. δή S. Ant. 46, etc.

4. γ. νυ Od. 14.359.

5. γ. οὖν for indeed, to confirm or explain, Il. 15.232, Hdt. 5.34, S. Ant. 489,771, etc.; φησὶ γ. οὖν yes of course he says so, Pl. Tht. 170a; γ. οὖν δή Id. Prm. 148c, etc.; οὐ γ. οὖν ib.134b; cf. τοιγαροῦν.

6. γ. που for I suppose, esp. with negs., Id. R. 381c, Phd. 62d, etc.; οὐ γ. δήπου Id. Prt. 309c.

7. γ. ῥα, = γὰρ ἄρα, Il. 1.113, al.

8. γ. τε, 23.156; also τε γ. D. 19.159, Arist. Pol. 1333a2, al.

9. γ. τοι for surely . . , E. Hel. 93, Supp. 564, etc.; οὐ γ. τοι Od. 21.172, etc.; cf. τοιγάρτοι.

B. POSITION: γάρ prop. stands after the first word in a clause, but in Pocts it freq. stands third or fourth, when the preceding words are closely connected, as ὁ μὲν γὰρ . . S. Aj. 764; χἠ ναῦς γὰρ . . Id. Ph. 527; τό τʼ εἰκαθεῖν γὰρ . . Id. Ant. 1096; τὸ μὴ θέμις γὰρ . . A. Ch. 641, cf. 753: also in Prose, τὸ κατʼ ἀξίαν γὰρ . . Arist. EN 1163b11: sts. for metrical reasons, where there is no such connexion, as third (A. Ag. 222.729, S. Ph. 219 (all lyr.)), fourth (Ar. Av. 1545); in later Com. fifth (Men. 462.2); sixth (Antiph. 26.22); seventh (Men. Epit. 531, Pk. 170, Athenio 1.5); once sixth in S., καιρὸς καὶ πλοῦς ὅδʼ ἐπείγει γὰρ κατὰ πρύμναν Ph. 1451.

2. inserted before the demonstr. -ί, as νυνγαρί for νυνὶ γάρ; cf. νυνί.

C. QUANTITY: γάρ is sts. long in Hom. metri gr., θήσειν γὰρ ἔτʼ ἔμελλεν Il. 2.39; φωνῆς γὰρ ἤκουσα h.Cer. 57.—In Att. always short: Ar. Eq. 366, V. 217, Lys. 20 are corrupt.