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Homer uses this as having the status of a syllable. Sometimes however he uses nai/ instead of ma/, as in "yea by this scepter," when [someone] swears.[1] But when [someone] makes a denial on oath, he adds the [particle] of negation, as "no by Apollo."[2] And in Odyssey: "no by Zeus, Agelaos."[3] But we take ma/ as a part of speech when we say "by Zeus." It is also a precatory adverb.

Ma: touto Homêros hôs sullabês taxin echon tithêsi. pote mentoi anti tou ma tôi nai chrêtai: hôs, nai ma tode skêptron: hote omnusin. hote de apomnusi ti, suzeugnusi to tês apophaseôs: hoion, ou ma gar Apollôna. kai en Odusseiai: ou ma Zên', Agelae. hêmeis de to ma hôs meros logou apomnuntes paralambanomen ma ton Dia legontes. esti de kai epirrêma epeuktikon.

Essentially the same entry (but with an initial 'meaning ou) ma/') in Photius mu1 Theodoridis; similar ones elsewhere.
The difference between ma/ and nai/ seems to be that ma/ is used without a definite article in the epic -- not surprisingly considering that the definite article was not yet fully developed. *ma/ is usually used in negative sentences, except when nai/ is added. The accusative with these particles was originally the object of a verb of swearing; but later the particle came to be felt as a preposition governing the accusative (which may be what the lexicographer means by calling it a "part of speech"). See Smyth §2894 (web address 1) and 1596.
cf. mu 12, mu 31, nu 96, nu 97, nu 98, nu 350.
[1] Homer, Iliad 1.234 (web address 2).
[2] Homer, Iliad 1.86 (web address 3).
[3] Homer, Odyssey 20.339 (web address 4).

David Whitehead (more x-refs; cosmetics) on 30 November 2003@05:01:37.
Catharine Roth (augmented note, added link) on 3 December 2003@00:41:11.
David Whitehead (augmented notes; tweaks; raised status) on 17 June 2011@05:06:58.
Catharine Roth (upgraded links) on 18 June 2011@01:38:38.
David Whitehead (tweaking) on 24 April 2013@08:29:14.
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