(Att., also Arc.) indef. in οὔποτε IG 5(2).343.48, 66 (Orchom., iv BC), οὔτε ποτέ Tab. Defix. in Philol. 59.201, and Cypr. in μήποτε Inscr.Cypr. 144H.), Ion. κοτε, Dor. ποκα, Aeol. ποτα Sappho 1.5, enclit. Particle; at some time or other, at some time, τάχ’ ἄν ποτε θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ Il. 1.205, cf. Od. 2.76, etc. ; π. καὶ ἄλλοτε at certain other times, X. An. 6.4.12, Arist. Po. 1451a9, Luc. Herm. 24. in hypoth. clauses, questions, etc., at any time, ever, S. Aj. 755, 1133; εἴ κοτε Call. Aet. Oxy. 2080.69; cf. εἴ ποτε ; also with relatives (cf. δήποτε), Ζεὺς ὅστις ποτ’ ἐστίν A. Ag. 160 (lyr.), etc. ; ὅποι ποτέ, ὅπου π., etc., S. Ph. 780, Aj. 194 (lyr.), etc. ; after πω, πη, v. πώποτε, πήποκα ; very freq. with negatives, οὔτε ποτ’… Il. 1.226; οὐδέ ποτ’ Hes. Th. 759; οὐδέν ποτ’ ἄλλο A. Ch. 16; οὐδεὶς ἐρεῖ ποθ’ S. Aj. 481; οὐκ ἂν δή ποτε Il. 19.271, etc. ; τοῦτο μὴ δόξῃς ποτέ S. Ant. 762, cf. 648, 750, etc. ; cf. οὔποτε, μήποτε, οὐδέποτε, μηδέποτε, οὐπώποτε, μηπώποτε. in correl. clauses it stands first, with accent, ποτὲ μὲν…, ποτὲ δὲ… at one time…, at another…, Pl. Tht. 170c (s.v.l.), Plb. 4.38.6, etc. ; ποτὲ μὲν…, αὖθις δὲ… Pl. R. 560a; ποτὲ…, τοτὲ δ’ οὔ Id. Tht. 192d; ποτ’ εἶχε…, εἶτά γε νῦν D. 36.50; ποτὲ μὲν… νῦν δέ Luc. DMort. 11.1; ποτὲ δὲ…, without any preceding Part., Thphr. Char. 9.7 (dub.). of some unknown point of time, in ref. to the past, once, ὅν ποτ’ Ἀθήνη θρέψε Il. 2.547, etc. ; οὕς ποτ’ ἀπ’ Αἰνείαν ἑλόμην, of the day before, 8.108 (v. Sch.), cf. 14.45; ἤδη π. 1.260, S. Aj. 1142, Ar. Nu. 346, Ra. 931; ποτ’ ἤδη A. Eu. 50; πρόσθε πού ποτ’ S. OC 1549; χρόνῳ ποτ’ Id. Ant. 303; esp. in telling a story, once upon a time, οὕτω ποτ’ ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ Ar. V. 1182, cf. Pl. Phdr. 237b; with historic pres., S. OT 715, E. El. 416, Ba. 2; with a Subst., εἰς τήν π. φιλίαν And. 3.22; τυράννου… πάλαι π. S. OT 1043, cf. Ph. 677 (lyr.), Tr. 555.
at length, μόγις δή κοτε εἶπε Hdt. 1.116; μόγις οὖν π. Pl. Prt. 314e, etc. ; ὀψὲ γοῦν π. Hierocl. in CA 27 p. 484M. in ref. to the future, at some time, καί π. τοι… παρέσσεται… δῶρα Il. 1.213, cf. 240, S. OC 386, Ant. 912, etc. ; also to denote earnest expectation, at length, εὔχεταί π. οἶκον ἰδεῖν Pi. P. 4.293; ἔμελλον ἄρα παύσειν π. Ar. Ra. 268; esp. with imper., μέθες π.
dimitte tandem aliquando, S. Ph. 816; τείσασθ΄, ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ π. ib. 1041, etc. ; ὀψέ π. Jul. Or. 1.31d. with intensive force, in questions, τίς ποτε· who in the world? τίνες ποτ’ ἐστέ· A. Eu. 408, cf. S. Ph. 220, etc. ; τί ποτ’ ἐστὶ τοῦτο τὸ πάθος what it can possibly be, Pl. Tht. 187d; οὐκ ἐξερεῖς ποτε· S. OT 335, cf. 754, Aj. 1290, etc. ; to strengthen ἀεί, ἀεί ποτε from all time, always in the past, ἀεί ποτε ζῇ ταῦτα Id. Ant. 456, cf. Aj. 320, Th. 6.82, al., D.C. 42.5; ἀεὶ δή π. Th. 1.13, 8.73.