πάλαι
I. "long ago, in olden time, in days of yore, in time gone by" Il., Soph., etc.; πάλαι ποτέ "once upon a time", Ar.:—often used with a pres. in the sense of a perf., ὁρῶ πάλαι, Lat. dudum video, I have long seen, Soph.; πάλαι ποτ᾽ ὄντες ye who have "long ago" been, Ar.;—also with the Art., τὸ πάλαι Hdt., Thuc., etc.
2. πάλαι is often used like an adj. with the Art. and a Noun, οἱ πάλαι φῶτες men "of old", Pind.; Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι Soph.; τὰ π. Dem.
II. of time "just past", ἠμὲν πάλαι ἠδ᾽ ἔτι καὶ νῦν Il.: hence πάλαι comes to mean "not long ago, but now, just now", much like ἄρτι, Aesch., Plat.