Circumstantial Participles

39.7 A participle is CIRCUMSTANTIAL when no article precedes it (S 2054-2069, G 583). Most participles that you will encounter are circumstantial participles. In this use, the participle introduces the circumstances under which an action occurred. It is often translated into English with a dependent clause.

• τρέχομεν. λαμβάνομεν τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We are running. We catch the horses.
• τρέχοντες λαμβάνομεν τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We are running and we catch the horses.
  • When we are running, we catch the horses.
  • Because we are running, we catch the horses.
  • Although we are running, we catch the horses.
  • If we are running, we catch the horses.
  • Since we are running, we catch the horses.
  • While we are running, we catch the horses.
  • As long as we are running, we catch the horses.

Make sure you identify the antecedent of the circumstantial participle correctly.

• λαμβάνομεν τρέχοντες τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We catch the horses, while we are running.
• λαμβάνομεν τρέχοντας τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We catch the horses, while they are running.

Tenses of Circumstantial Participles

39.8 The TENSE of the CIRCUMSTANTIAL participle indicates a temporal relationship with the main verb (S 2061, G 581a):

• The PRESENT participle:
  • refers to action happening at the SAME TIME as the main verb
• The FUTURE active participle:
  • refers to action AFTER the main verb
• The AORIST participle:
  • often refers to action PRIOR to another verb

39.9 Present Circumstantial Participles:

• τρέχοντες λαμβάνομεν τοὺς ἵππους.
  • While we are running, we catch the horses.
• τρέχοντες ἐλαμβάνομεν τοὺς ἵππους.
  • While we were running, we caught the horses.
• λαμβάνομεν φεύγοντας τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We catch the horses, while they are running away. 

39.10 Future Circumstantial Participles:

• λαμβάνομεν φευξομένους τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We catch the horses, while they are about to run away.
  • Note that the second principal part of φεύγω is φεύξομαι, so the form of the participle also must be future middle.

In practice, the future active participle often expresses PURPOSE (S 2065, G 583b):

• ἐτρέχομεν διώξοντες τοὺς ἵππους.
  • We were running, when we were about to chase the horses.
  • We were running, in order to chase the horses. 

39.11 Aorist Circumstantial Participles:

• λαβόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι τοὺς ἵππους, ἤγαγον οἴκαδε.
  • After the men captured the horses, they led them home.
  • The men captured the horses, before they led them home.