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316. The rules of contraction are as follows:
1. An open and a close vowel, when the open vowel comes first, are united in the diphthong which is composed of the two vowels in question.
Example: ε-ι makes ει. It must be observed, however, that when the close vowel comes before the open vowel, a diphthong is never formed. Thus ἱ-ε (for example, in ἱ-ε-ρόν), is always two syllables, never a diphthong.
2. Two like vowels form the common long.
Examples: α-α makes long α; ε-η makes η; ο-ω makes ω.
3. But ε-ε makes ει and ο-ο makes ου.
This rule forms an exception to rule 2.
4. An ο-sound (ο or ω) overcomes α, ε, or η (whether the ο-sound comes first or second), and forms ω.
Examples: α-ο makes ω ; ε-ω makes ω.
5. But ε-ο and ο-ε make ου. This rule forms an exception to rule 4.
6. When α and ε or η come together, whichever one comes first overcomes the other, and forms its own long.
Examples: α-ε and α-η make long α ; ε-α makes η.
1. A vowel disappears by absorption before a diphthong that begins with the same vowel.
Examples: ε-ει makes ει; ο-ου makes ου.
2. When a vowel comes before a diphthong that does not begin with the same vowel, it is contracted with the diphthong’s first vowel. The diphthong’s second vowel disappears, unless it is ι, in which case it becomes subscript.
Examples: α-ει makes ᾳ (α is first contracted with ε in accordance with I. 6, and then the ι becomes subscript); α-ου makes ω (α is contracted with ο by I. 4, and the υ disappears); ε-ου makes ου (ε is contracted with ο by I. 5, and υ disappears).
3. But ο-ει and ο-ῃ make οι.
1. If either of the contracted syllables had an accent, the resulting syllable receives an accent. If the resulting syllable is a penult or an antepenult, the general rules of accent (see §11) will always tell which kind of accent it has. If the resulting syllable is an ultima it has a circumflex.
Examples: (1) φιλέομεν makes φιλουμεν, in accordance with I 5. Since one of the two syllables that united to make ου had an accent, ου must have an accent. The general rules of accent declare that if the ultima is short, a long penult, if accented at all, must have the circumflex. Hence φιλοῦμεν is correct. (2) τιμαόμεθα makes τιμωμεθα in accordance with I. 4. Since one of the two syllables that united to make ω had an accent, ω must have an accent. But in accordance with the general rules of accent only an acute can stand on an antepenult. Therefore τιμώμεθα is correct. (3) δηλόεις makes δηλοις in accordance with II. 3.
Since one of the two syllables that united to make οι had an accent, οι must have an accent. The general rules of accent will permit either an acute or a circumflex to stand on a long ultima. But the present rule gives special guidance. Therefore δηλοῖς is correct.
2. If neither of the contracted syllables had an accent, the resulting syllable receives none.
Example: ἐφίλεε makes ἐφιλει in accordance with I. 3. Since neither of the two syllables that unite to make ει is accented, ει receives no accent, and ἐφίλει is correct.