I. ναὶ μὰ . . , in affirmation, ναὶ μὰ τόδε σκῆπτρον yea by this staff, Il.1.234, cf. h.Merc.460; “ναὶ μὰ γὰρ ὅρκον” Pi.N.11.24; ναὶ μὰ Δία, ναὶ μὰ τὸν Δία, etc., Ar.Ach.88, Pl.R.407b, etc.; also “μὰ ναί” Inscr.Cypr.109 H.
II. οὐ μὰ . . , in negation, οὐ μὰ γὰρ Ἀπόλλωνα, οὐ μἀ Ζῆνα, nay, by . . , Il.1.86, 23.43; “οὐ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν Ἄρτεμιν” S. El.626; “οὔ τοι μὰ τοὺς δώδεκα θεούς” Ar.Eq.235; οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία, οὔκουν οὕτω γε . . Pl.Tht.142e.
III. after Hom. μά is freq. used alone,
1. chiefly in negation when the negative follows, “μὰ Δί᾽ οὐκ εἶδον ἐμαυτοῦ ἀμείνω ὑλοτόμον” IG12.1084; μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ὕβρει λέγω τάδ' S.El.881; “μὰ τοὺς παρ᾽ Ἅιδῃ νερτέρους ἀλάστορας, οὔτοι ποτ᾽ ἔσται τοῦτο” E.Med.1059; “μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω, οὔκ” Ar.Th.269, cf. A.Ag.1432, E.Cyc.262, Pl.Prt.312e; “μὰ τὴν γῆν, μὴ σύγε δῷς” Anaxil.9; “μὰ δαίμονας, οὐκ ἀπὸ ῥυσμοῦ εἰκάζω” Call.Epigr.44; μὰ τὸν Δία δὲ οὐδὲ νομίζω . . IG22.1099.30 (ii A.D.); “μὰ σέ, Καῖσαρ, οὐδείς σε νικᾷ” D.C.61.20: with preceding neg., “οὐδ᾽ ὄναρ, μὰ τὰς Μοίρας” Herod. 1. II: in answers, when the negation is expressed in the question, οὐκ αὖ μ᾽ ἐάσεις; Answ. “μὰ Δί᾽, ἐπεὶ κἀγὼ πόνηρός εἰμι” Ar.Eq.336, cf. 338 (where οὐκ ἐάσω is to be supplied after μὰ Δία from the question, cf. Ra.951, Pl.400): when ἀλλά follows, δύο δραχμὰς μισθὸν τελεῖς; Answ. “μὰ Δί᾽, ἀλλ᾽ ἔλαττον” Id.Ra.174 (where οὐ τελῶ is understood, cf. ib. 753, 779, 1053, X.Mem.3.13.3): in “μὰ γῆν, μὰ κρήνας, μὰ ποταμούς, μὰ νάματα” Antiph.296 = Timocl.38, the context is missing.
2. in later Gr. in affirmation, “δακρύω μὰ σέ, δαῖμον” Annales du Service 27.32 (Egypt); “μὰ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν Ἀκοντίῳ γαμοῦμαι” Aristaenet. 1.10, cf. Ach.Tat.8.5.
IV. in colloquial discourse, esp. Att. (cf. Greg.Cor.p.150 S., Ph.2.271), the name of the deity sworn by was often suppressed, to avoid a downright oath, “μὰ τόν” Ar.Ra.1374 (lyr.), Pl.Grg.466e; “μὰ τήν” Men.369; “ναὶ μὰ τόν” Call.Fr.66d, Ael. NA3.19; ναὶ μὰ τάς (sc. Χάριτας) Suid. s.v. ναὶ μὰ τό (codd. dett.); “οὐ μὰ τὸν—οὐκ ὀμόσω” AP12.201 (Strat.), cf. 7.112 (D.L.).
