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οὐ with future indicative in interrogative main clause: strong command

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Syntactical Level
main clause
Form
future stem
Meaning
interrogative clause
imperative clause

οὗτος, οὐ μενεῖς;

‘You there, stay here!’ (Aristoph. Birds 354)

The future indicative in an interrogative main clause, preceded by οὐ, signals a strong (urgent, threatening, ironic) command.

Translation tips

Although the usual translation involves the imperative mood, an English interrogative sentence can also have imperative or prohibitive force: Will you be quiet?

Example Sentences: 

ἄτοπόν γ’, ἔφη, λέγεις· οὔκουν καλεῖς αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ ἀφήσεις;

You say something strange, said [Agathon], "Then call him and don't send him away. [provisional translation]

Plat. Sym. 175a

βάλλε βάλλε βάλλε βάλλε,

παῖε παῖε τὸν μιαρόν.

οὐ βαλεῖς; οὐ βαλεῖς;

οὐ σιωπήσει;

Be quiet, will you!

Aristoph. Birds 225

οὐ σωφρονήσεις;

Do control yourself. ֍

Soph. Aj. 1259

Verwant met

οὐ μή with future indicative in interrogative main clause: strong prohibition

References

Referentie 200741