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Category: Ancient Greek
If present/imperfect middle forms of ἵστημι can be transitive or intransitive, is their intransitive meaning similar to the perfect/pluperfect forms?
Ancient Greek verbs. Gotta love ’em. Well, actually, no. Don’t gotta love ’em. So. As Stephen Nelson continues to be thrown by the middle voice, I continue with the series “Ancient Greek Middle Voice: Booooo”, last installment being Nick Nicholas’ answer to Since the active and middle voices of the 2nd aorist forms of “to […]
How did Plato address Socrates? Teacher? Master?
Originally Answered: How does Plato call Socrates? Of course, we don’t have transcripts by Plato of chats with Socrates, we have dialogues he made up. But Socrates is constantly addressed in Plato’s dialogues as “O Socrates” (ὦ Σώκρατες), with monotonous regularity—over 1200 times in the works of Plato. Socrates in turn addresses his trollees (er, […]
Since the active and middle voices of the 2nd aorist forms of “to stand” are intransitive (ἵστημι – ἔστην vs ἐστάμην), are these forms synonymous?
James Garry’s answer to Since the active and middle voices of the 2nd aorist forms of “to stand” are intransitive (ἵστημι – ἔστην vs ἐστάμην), are these forms synonymous? This is the answer to this question. And my thanks, James. What I’m writing here is an answer to a more general question: how much do […]
Did ancient Greek scholars ever adapt Roman numerals?
Greeks did not adopt Roman numerals, like, ever. (“Roman Numerals? We taught those beef eaters everything they know!”) Where the West uses Roman numerals, Greek continues to use Greek numerals; see examples in Nick Nicholas’ answer to Is it possible to shorten the ordinal numbers in modern Greek? I’m honestly not aware of any tradition […]
What obstacles will I run into transitioning from Attic to Koine Greek?
Like Michael Masiello said, no real obstacles: things are simpler. There will be fewer Attic futures and Attic second declensions. In fact, they were historically called Attic not because they were alien to Doric (Doric loved the “Attic” future), but because they were alien to Koine. So λαός, σκανδαλίσω, not λεώς, σκανδαλιῶ. Some Latin loan […]
What is the word on Wonder woman’s shield?
Wonder Woman’s Shield says that the quote OP gives is on the shield. However, The Badass Quote That’s Engraved On Wonder Woman’s Sword says that it is on her sword: In the “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Tech Manual” (via Digital Spy), it’s revealed that director Zack Snyder wanted inscriptions on the sword and […]
In Ancient Greek, does the middle voice of φιλέω (φιλέομαι) mean “I love in my own interest,” “I love myself,” (reflexive) or “I am loved” (passive)?
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0029:card=976&highlight=filou%3Dmai I’m going to do some backgrounding on this for people not blessed enough to have delved in the waters of Greek. English makes a distinction between active and passive voices of a verb. Homeric Greek made a distinction between active and middle voices of a verb. It distinguished between you actively doing something to […]
What does Archaiomelesidonophrunicherata mean?
https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=SYkS-Vj-g3wC&pg=PA353&lpg=PA353&dq=Archaiomelesidonophrunicherata&source=bl&ots=3zo-hj2vo_&sig=97J1-BT8D-UNebTujARTq3xXhNU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0A_5VLPQFoSf8QXG8IJI&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Archaiomelesidonophrunicherata&f=false My thanks to Konstantinos Konstantinides for doing the back research. The word is real, and it’s not mangled much: it should be –melisi– It’s another coinage by Aristophanes, from Wasps 220: ἀρχαιομελισιδωνοφρυνιχήρατα. Aristophanes, Wasps, line 183 ὡς ἀπὸ μέσων νυκτῶν γε παρακαλοῦσ’ ἀεί,λύχνους ἔχοντες καὶ μινυρίζοντες μέληἀρχαιομελισιδωνοφρυνιχήρατα,οἷς ἐκκαλοῦνται τοῦτον. They arrive here, carrying lanterns […]
Can hendiadys ever have singular agreement?
Found one! 1 Corinthians 15:50 Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται, οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ. “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” The verb for cannot is singular in the Greek. See also […]
Does the middle voice of τιμάω (τιμάομαι) in Attic Greek usually have an active (i.e. Epic: “to avenge”) or a mid/passive meaning (“to be honored”)?
Perusing the entry for τιμάω in Liddell–Scott, the negative meaning you mention is not Epic, and first turns up in Plato and Aristophanes; LSJ describes it as an “Attic law term”. The transition is: to honour (since Homer) to award (as an honour) (in Tragedy) to award a penalty to someone, including a fine or […]