Reading Passages. Classical Readings

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1 Reading Passages Assignment For each of the following Greek sentences: 1). Read it aloud; 2). Parse each verb and noun; and 3). Translate each sentence into English. Classical Readings 1. The oldest surviving script of a play in the world is Persians by Aeschylus, originally performed in 472 BC. In 479 BC, the Greeks had scored a shocking naval victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. Aeschylus himself had fought in the battle. This play dramatizes the news of this defeat reaching the Persian capital. The play begins with a chorus of old Persian men singing about the attack on Greece by the current Persian king, Xerxes. They have not yet heard the fate of the Persian forces. The Queen of Persia enters (unnamed by Aeschylus, but her name was Atossa). She is the mother of Xerxes (and wife of the previous king, Darius). The Queen reports an ominous dream. At one point in the dream: Ξέρξης πέπλους ῥήγνυσιν ἀµφὶ σώµατι. Ξέρξης (nom sg) ὁ Xerxes πέπλους (acc pl) ὁ robe ῥήγνυµι rip, break Aeschylus Persians A couplet from Aeschylus lost play Ἡλιάδες (Daughters of the Sun) has this to say about Zeus: Ζεύς ἐστιν αἰθήρ, Ζεὺς δὲ γῆ, Ζεὺς δ οὐρανός, Ζεύς τοι τὰ πάντα... αἰθήρ έρος ὁ air γῆ (nom sg) ἡ earth οὐρανός (nom sg) ὁ sky πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό everything τοι = a conversational particle that means really, you know Aeschylus fr Words of encouragement from a lost play of Euripides: δι ἐλπίδος ζῆ καὶ δι ἐλπίδος τρέφου. ζῆ live! (a command) τρέφου take your nourishment! (a command) Euripides Phrixus fr. 826

2 4. In one of Plato s dialogues, conversation turns to discussion of why children can be so different from their parents. At one point, one of the participants, Protagoras, cautions that they should not yet pass judgment on two young men in the room: ἔτι γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς εἰσιν ἐλπίδες νέοι γάρ. ἔτι yet, still νέοι (nom pl) ὁ young Plato Protagoras 328d 5. The Athenian orators Aeschines and Demosthenes were long engaged in a bitter public feud while Philip II of Macedon was gradually taking control of Greece. Each accused the other of corruption. Here Aeschines has charged that Demosthenes lied about ambassadors being sent to Macedonia: τὰ δὲ σώµατά ἐστιν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ, ἀλλ Ἀθήνησι. Ἀθήνησι (dat) ἡ Athens Μακεδονίᾳ (dat sg) ἡ Macedonia Aeschines From a lawsuit about an investment loan. At one point the prosecutor asks: διὰ τί ἡµῖν οὐκ ἀποδίδως τὰ χρήµατα; ἡµῖν (dat pl) us χρῆµα ατος τό thing (pl.) money Demosthenes Aristotle is discussing respiration among sea animals. Crustaceans, he says, must expel the water that they take in with their food, and: τὰ µὲν οὖν µαλακόστρακα, οἷον οἵ τε καρκίνοι καὶ οἱ κάραβοι, παρὰ τὰ δασέα ἀφιᾶσι τὸ ὕδωρ διὰ τῶν ἐπιπτυγµάτων. δασέα (nom/acc pl) τό hairy (part) ἐπίπτυγµα ατος τό fold, flap κάραβοι (nom pl) ὁ crab καρκίνοι (nom pl) ὁ crawfish µαλακόστρακα (nom/acc pl) τό crustacean οἷον for example ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water Aristotle 477a

3 8. From a report on white bears in the region of Mysia. Whenever anyone comes near them, ἀφιᾶσιν ἐκ τοῦ στόµατος φλέγµα πάµπολύ τι, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὃ προσφυσᾷ πρὸς τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν κυνῶν, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνθρώπων (gen pl) ὁ human ἔοικεν it seems κυνῶν (gen pl) ὁ dog πάµπολυ (nom/acc sg) τό whole lot προσφυσᾷ (3 rd sg) blows πρόσωπα (nom/acc pl) τό face φλέγµα ατος τό phlegm, vomit ὡσαύτως in the same way Aristotle 845a21-23 Biblical Readings 1. The Lord cautions the Israelites not to rebel against the protector he has set for them: τὸ γὰρ ὄνοµά µού ἐστιν ἐπ αὐτῷ. µου my LXX Ex. 23:21 2. The Lord specifies how he speaks to Moses: στόµα κατὰ στόµα λαλήσω αὐτῷ, ἐν εἴδει καὶ οὐ δι αἰνιγµάτων... αἴνιγµα ατος τό riddle εἴδει (dat sg) τό form, figure λαλήσω (1 st sg) I will speak LXX Num. 12:8 3. Moses recounts a message sent to Sihon, requesting travel across the River Jordan and: εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡµῶν δίδωσιν ἡµῖν. γῆν (acc sg) ἡ earth, land ἡµῖν (dat pl) us ἡµῶν our LXX Deut. 2:29-3 -

4 In sentences 4-7, notice that the relative pronoun has been attracted to the case of its antecedent, rather than representing the case it should be in its relative clause. When this happens, it is almost always when the antecedent is in the genitive or dative case, and the case that it is replacing is the accusative. 4. Moses relays the Lord s blessings for the Israelites: ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι... γῆς (gen sg) ἡ earth, land σοι (dat sg) you σου your LXX Deut. 4:40 5. Moses advises where they might hear of someone worshipping other gods: ἐν µιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου, ὧν κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι µιᾷ (dat sg) ἡ one πόλεων (gen pl) ἡ city σοι (dat sg) you σου your LXX Deut. 13:13 6. In discussing the sabbatical year, Moses again invokes the blessings that the Lord promises: ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι γῇ (dat sg) ἡ earth, land σοι (dat sg) you σου your LXX Deut. 15:4 7. Moses relays the Lord s rule that the Israelites appoint judges: ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου, αἷς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι, πάσαις (dat pl) ἡ all πόλεσιν (dat pl) ἡ city σοι (dat sg) you - 4 -

5 σου your LXX Deut. 16:18 8. The prophet Isaiah quotes the Lord in order to encourage King Hezekiah: ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωµι ἐν αὐτῷ πνεῦµα ἐγώ (nom sg) I ἰδού look! LXX 4 Kings 19:7 9. The Lord (Κύριος) agrees to hand over Job to the Slanderer (Διάβολος): Ἰδοὺ πάντα,, δίδωµι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου. Ἰδοὺ παραδίδωµί σοι αὐτόν. ἰδού look! πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό all, everything σοι (dat sg) σου your χείρ, χειρός ἡ hand LXX Job 1:12, 2:6 10. Mattathias encourages his sons with an example of virtue being rewarded: Δανιηλ ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτοῦ ἐρρύσθη ἐκ στόµατος λεόντων. ἁπλότης ητος ἡ singularity, generosity ἐρρύσθη (3 rd sg) was protected λέων οντος ὁ lion LXX 1 Macc. 2: From a Psalm: σῶσόν µε ἐκ στόµατος λέοντος... λέων οντος ὁ lion µε (acc sg) me σῶσον save (a command) LXX Ps. 21: From the opening of a Psalm: - 5 -

6 κλίνατε τὸ οὖς ὑµῶν εἰς τὰ ῥήµατα τοῦ στόµατός µου ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόµα µου ἀνοίξω (1 st sg) I will open κλίνατε lean (a command) µου my οὖς, ὠτός τό ear παραβολαῖς (dat pl) ἡ parable ῥῆµα ατος τό speech ὑµῶν your, y all s LXX Ps. 77: The end of a Psalm: οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεὸς ἡµῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος αὐτὸς ποιµανεῖ ἡµᾶς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. αἰών ῶνος ὁ eternity ἡµᾶς (acc pl) us ἡµῶν our οὗτος (mas. nom. sg.) this ποιµανεῖ (3 rd sg) shepherds LXX Ps. 47: From a prophecy: καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὸ αἷµα αὐτῶν ἐκ στόµατος αὐτῶν... ἐξαρῶ (1 st sg) I will take out LXX Zech. 9:7 15. John speaks of those becoming children of God: οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱµάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός ὁ man ἐγεννήθησαν (3 rd pl) were born θέληµα ατος τό will θεοῦ (gen sg) ὁ god σάρξ, σαρκός ἡ flesh Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1: From Jesus conversation with Nicodemus on being born again: τὸ γεγεννηµένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ γεγεννηµένον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύµατος πνεῦµά ἐστιν

7 γεγεννηµένον (nom/acc sg) τό what is born σάρξ, σαρκός ἡ flesh Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1: Jesus the good shepherd: ἐγώ εἰµι ὁ ποιµήν ὁ καλός... καὶ τὴν ψυχήν µου τίθηµι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων. ἐγώ (nom sg) I καλός (nom sg) ὁ good, beautiful µου my ποιµήν -µένος ὁ shepherd προβάτων (gen pl) τό sheep ψυχήν (acc sg) ἡ life, soul, breath Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 10: Clement of Alexandria describes Jesus as the ultimate tutor and invokes the image of the good shepherd: ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ποιµὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων. ἀγαθός (nom sg) ὁ good ἑαυτοῦ his own ποιµήν -µένος ἡ shepherd προβάτων (gen pl) τό sheep ψυχήν (acc sg) ἡ life, soul, breath Clement of Alexandria Pedagogue Paul closes a section of his letter to the Romans with words on the omnipotence of God: ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀµήν. αἰών ῶνος ὁ eternity δόξα (nom sg) ἡ glory πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό everything Πρὸς Ῥωµαίους 11:36 Note: In sentences that lack a verb, it is almost always a good idea to supply a form of the verb εἰµί. 20. Paul discusses unity: εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν

8 εἷς (nom sg) ὁ one θεός (nom sg) ὁ God πάν, πάντος τό everything πατήρ, πατρός ὁ father πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:6-8 -