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 Vocabulary

    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
    Previous Vocabulary

    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

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