Note: There is a printable version of this reading in the "printables" tab to the right.
For each of the following Greek sentences:
- Read it aloud.
- Parse each verb and noun.
- Translate each sentence into English. Notes for each of the sentences are to the right.
1. Euripides’ tragedy Phoenician Women is an epic-length version of the house of Oedipus,
focusing primarily on the battle between Oedipus’ two sons, Polynices and Eteocles. Eteocles has
forced his brother from power and exiled him. Polynices raises an army to attack his brother and
regain power. As part of negotiations between the two, their mother Jocasta cites a proverb:
αἱ δ’ ἐλπίδες βόσκουσι φυγάδας
Euripides Phoenician Women 396
2. In a fragment of Euripides’ play about Archelaus, someone is asking for help, to which the
addressee asks why he is needed. The first person explains that:
ἐλπίδας δίδως.
Euripides Archelaus fr. 231
3. This is from an ancient collection of curious and bizarre information. One section explains
how a certain people in Illyria get salt. From a specific mountain spring, they collect a lot of
water which they cover during the day, and at night (τὰς δὲ νύκτας):
…[τὸ ὕδωρ] εἰς τὴν αἰθρίαν τιθέασι.
Aristotle 844b14
Chapter Nav.
notes
1.
βόσκουσι (3rd pl) from βόσκω, feed, nourish. This is a kind of verb which you will begin to learn in unit 14.
δ’ and
φυγάδας φυγάς, φυγάδος ὁ exile
3.
αἰθρίαν (acc sg) from αἰθρία, αἰθρίας, ἡ open air
δέ and
εἰς (+ acc.) into, in
New Vocab.
δαίμων δαίμονος ὁ, ἡ divinity
παῖς, παιδός ὁ, ἡ child
ἐλπίς ἐλπίδος ἡ hope
μυριάς μυριάδος ἡ ten thousand; countless
νύξ νυκτός ἡ night
πατρίς πατρίδος ἡ fatherland
αἷμα αἵματος τό blood
γράμμα γράμματος τό letter
θέλημα θελήματος τό will, wish, desire
ὄνομα ὀνόματος τό name
οὖς, ὠτός τό ear
πνεῦμα πνεύματος τό wind, breath, spirit
πρᾶγμα πράγματος τό thing; (pl.) circumstances, affairs, business
ῥῆμα ῥήματος τό word, saying
σπέρμα σπέρματος τό seed, offspring
στόμα στόματος τό mouth
σχῆμα σχήματος τό form, appearance
σῶμα σώματος τό body
ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water
ὑπάρχοντα ὑπαρχόντων τά circumstances, property
- only occurs in the plural!
φῶς, φωτός τό light
χρῆμα χρήματος τό thing; (pl.) money
NOTE: Three entries on this list have irregular nom./acc. singular forms:
οὖς, ὠτός τό ear
- (stem ὠτ-); cf. medical terms with "oto-." This monosyllabic noun is accented like παῖς, παιδός ὁ, ἡ i.e., the genitive plural is ὤτων.
ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water
- (stem ὑδατ-); cf. “hydr-” words in English (dehydrate, hydrogen).
φῶς, φωτός τό light
- (stem φωτ-); cf. “phosphorescent” and “photo” in English. This monosyllabic noun is accented like παῖς, παιδός, ὁ, ἡ i.e., the genitive plural is φώτων.
Prev. Vocab.
ἀγών ἀγῶνος ὁ contest
αἷμα αἵματος τό blood
αἰών αἰῶνος ὁ age, eternity
ἀνίστημι raise, appoint
ἀποδίδωμι give back
ἀπόλλυμι kill, destroy
ἄρχων ἄρχοντος ὁ ruler
ἀφίημι send forth; let go, allow
γράμμα γράμματος τό letter
δαίμων δαίμονος ὁ divinity
δείκνυμι show
δίδωμι give
εἰμί be
ἐλπίς ἐλπίδος ἡ hope
ἐπιτίθημι put on
ζεύγνυμι yoke, join together
ἡγεμών ἡγεμόνος ὁ guide, commander
θέλημα θέλματος τό will, wish, desire
ἵημι throw
ἵστημι stand
καθίστημι set down, establish
μή no, not (infinitive mood)
μίγνυμι mix
μυριάς μυριάδος ἡ ten thousand; countless
νύξ νυκτός ἡ night
ὄμνυμι swear (an oath); swear to
ὄνομα ὀνόματος τό name
οὐ, οὐκ, οὐχ no, not (indicative mood)
οὖς, ὠτός τό ear
παῖς, παιδός ὁ child
παραδίδωμι hand over, deliver
πάρειμι be present
παρίστημι present, offer, supply
πατρίς πατρίδος ἡ fatherland
πνεῦμα πνεύματος τό wind, breath, spirit
πούς, ποδός ὁ foot
πρᾶγμα πράγματος τό thing; (pl.) circumstances, affairs, business
προστίθημι add to
ῥήγνυμι break, shatter
ῥῆμα ῥήματος τό word, saying
σκεδάννυμι scatter, disperse
σπέρμα σπέρματος τό seed, offspring
στόμα στόματος τό mouth
σχῆμα σχήματος τό form, appearance
σῶμα σώματος τό body
τίθημι put, place, make
ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water
ὑπάρχοντα ὑπαρχόντων τά circumstances, property
φημί say, assert
φῶς, φωτός τό light
χρῆμα χρήματος τό thing; (pl.) money