29.11 Although this form is called the "AORIST PASSIVE" in most textbooks and grammars, it is a misnomer. The voice of a given "AORIST PASSIVE" verb form is not necessarily passive! In fact, the "AORIST PASSIVE" marker -θη (or -η) originally developed to mark INTRANSITIVE AORIST forms with an ACTIVE or MIDDLE meaning (S 802, G 501). To avoid terminological confusion, it is best to think of the "AORIST PASSIVE" form as simply the THETA AORIST (-θη- / -η-).
For example, some important verbs have THETA AORISTS that are always in an active or middle voice:
- βούλομαι, βουλήσομαι, -, -, βεβούλημαι, ἐβουλήθην want, prefer
- ἐβουλήθην I wanted, preferred
- δύναμαι, δυνήσομαι, -, -, δεδύνημαι, ἐδυνήθην be able, can
- ἐδυνήθην I was able, I could
- Note that there is no separate AORIST ACTIVE form for either of these verbs, so none is listed for the 3rd principal part.
That said, over time the marker -θη (or -η) came to be used consistently to indicate PASSIVE VOICE for a number of verbs:
- Active: ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ θεός.
- God gave us eternal (αἰώνιον) life. 1 John 5:11
- Passive: ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη.
- The law was given through Moses. John 1:17
Even at later dates, however, many verbs in the THETA AORIST retained an active or middle voice:
- “οἱ δὲ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν…”
- “…the eleven disciples went (ἐπορεύθησαν) into Galilee…” Matthew 28:16
- “Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς…ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν”
- “Joseph, her husband…wanted to dismiss her quietly (λάθρᾳ).” Matthew 1:19
29.12 Context within a sentence helps to translate the voice of the THETA AORIST form. A rule of thumb is to look for a GENITIVE OF AGENT following ὑπό.
Note the following examples:
- τὸ βιβλίον ὑπὸ τοῦ ποιητοῦ γράφεται.
- The book is being written by the poet.
- τὸ βιβλίον ὑπὸ τοῦ ποιητοῦ ἐγράφη.
- The book was written by the poet.
- The THETA AORIST of γράφω has dropped the θ, but otherwise declines normally: ἐγράφην, ἐγράφης, ἐγράφη...
- αἱ πόλεις ὑπὸ τῶν Περσῶν λύονται
- The cities are being destroyed by the Persians…
- αἱ πόλεις ὑπὸ τῶν Περσῶν ἐλύθησαν
- The cities were destroyed by the Persians…