Section Eight

A-C
Background
For the comic background, see the references in Section 5A
Aristophanes and politics 1.58, 8.78ff.; and fantasy 8.77
Part-source of this scene 3.24
ayopa 2.27-9, 33-7
K^a EKKAna^a 6.7ff. (esp. 10)
Grammar
Genitive (all types) and usages Irregular comparatives, and contracted comparatives Present optative active and middle av + optative
avfoxapai, anoAera, TV + participle, ievai, irav, nepiKA^c;
Not a section to linger over - the content is slight, accidence fairly light (all genitives occur, but plural genitives have been mentioned anyway, so there are only three or four endings to add to the grid). Summarize the genitive singular as:
1st decl.: -ncrao
2nd decl.: -ou } cf- definite artkk 3rd decl.: -oc;/-ouc; (=-eoc contracted)
The optative is the main new point; its accidence is simple and its only usage as yet is for the ‘polite request’. Stress -oi- in the present, -ai- in the aorist, and -ei- in irregulars.
Section Eight A
Commentary p. 90
Genitives occur frequently here. All the important terminations can be found on this page alone. Of the usages (GE 180) only comparisons are likely to cause problems. Names: try to elicit the ideas behind Euelpides and Peisetairos.
p. 90 line
1 ayopav: cf. agoraphobia; note the frequency of -ayopac; as a name termination.
3 drciovxa will be forgotten or confused with ovTa. Revise both rav and irav here, and stress the importance of the difference.
Kaxi8rov: despite the pointer in line 3 and despite the fact that the i5- stem was introduced in Section 1, this still causes difficulty. Reinforce firmly.
8 Note the use of the genitive: cf. ‘take hold of.
nai^: slave - cf. the French expression ‘Garmon!’ = ‘Waiter!’.
p. 91 line
14 £v€Ka: note as ‘postposition’, cf. Latin causa.
21 rpexra (Spap-) learnt in section 3D, but it probably needs reiterating here. Kavow: see the picture.
19 xvpio; has a wide range of meanings, usually involving some sense of ‘power’, ‘ability’, ‘validity’. Cf. later usages (in the Text pp. 132.1, 178.13, 184.9, 208.21). It became the ‘Lord’ in the phrase ‘Lord Jesus Christ’, cf. Kyrie eleison.
p. 92 line
20 KopaKa can be recalled if you have already given the literal meaning of ev; Kopaxa;.
29 avioTa^0a: elicit via av-, ara-, -pe0a.
30 l£yoiT€: ask what person of what verb. Establish the approximate meaning first and then explain that it is optative, used for a ‘polite request’ - and often hardly distinguishable from an ordinary future. (A fine example of this in Herodotus, Text pp. 233.9-234.l0.) Stress that -oi- is used in the present optative, -ai- in the weak aorist (still to be introduced), and -ei- in irregulars.
31 aKovoi^i: the person is fixed by eyra. Pause here and ask students to fill in the other active endings (the third person plural must be given).
32 anpay^ova: cf. Euripides, Antiope fr. 193:
OOTI; Ss npaaaei rcoAla npaaaeiv napov, prapo;, napov Zflv ^Ssra; arcpaypova.
37 ^y€^rov: cf. hegemony - also the name Hegestratos (Section l), almost the opposite of Lysistrata.
Section Eight B
Background
Sixaarnpia 6.39ff.
Athenian litigiousness 6.54
Athenians and rhetoric 6.14-17
The ‘new politicians’ l.58
Importance of aristocrats l.l7, 58; 6.16, 20
Commentary
p. 94 line
1 The irregular comparative of peya; occurs here - GE Vocabulary p. 171. 
2 The first genitive of comparison occurs here - cf. the other type of comparison in line 1; cf. Latin ablative of comparison.
3 There is little point in spending much time on the added -eox- if the Course is being used to teach reading. Comparatives and superlatives are still shown by - Tep- and -TOT-.
11 Paperac ^epra: recall Papvc; (p. 45.2), cf. aegre fero. For an extended use of Papvc, see the delightful aphorism in Sophocles’ (?), Aletes (Tr.GF. ii.1c):
avqp yap OOTU; •qSsTai Asyrav asi AsAn0£v amov xoi^ ^uvofioiv &v Papv^.
With help (especially with AeAn0ev) students can translate this.
12 The problems of dikasts have already been met (p. 66.23), and are dealt with more fully in the next section.
13- 4 8iKaoT^piov: for ‘-ery’ as a place of work cf. on p. 60.3.
15 KaTeyn^oavTo: this may be guessed from the KOT- element and the context alone. Stress the yn^- stem: it becomes vital in Section 9 (and later in the Neaira and Euergos sections). Cf. psephology.
16 yeu8o^apTup^av: both yeuS- and papTuc; are known.
19-21 This is taken almost verbatim from Aristophanes’ Birds 39-41.
22 Refer to earlier discussions on Periclean policy (pp. 34.23ff., 42.25ff., and 134.13ff. later).
24 Note the double sense of nyovpai = ‘I lead’ and ‘I consider’: cf. Latin duco. 31-2 See Aristophanes, Knights 304ff. ‘Attic’ declension.
32 rcW:ro<;: explain only if asked. It is not actually -a- contract as explained in the vocabulary in GE p. 172.
Section Eight C
Background
Attitudes to Pericles 1.45; 6.26-7 Benefits of empire 6.81-2 Pericles’ court-case 1.57; 4.10; 6.26-7 Yearning for peace 7.4 Festivals 3.41-55 Pessimism 3.23
Commentary
p. 96 line
15 K^orc^v: the combined effects of the plague, the failure of peace overtures to the Spartans and Pericles’ unsuccessful attempt to capture Epidauros were such as to make the Athenians look for a scapegoat (one danger of such radical democracy). Pericles was suspended from the post of aTparnyoc; and forced to submit his accounts for inspection. A jury of 501 found these accounts were five talents adrift (Thucydides II.59-65 for Pericles’ defence). His conviction was secured by Kleon but, despite being found guilty and fined, he was very soon re-elected aTpaTnyoc;.
17 novnpoc: Peisetairos’ view - not that of the electorate voting him back to power.
25 NB the philosophers’ question - this again boils down to whether ‘good’ in any sense is relative or absolute: cf. the vopoc/^vaic; controversy.
28ff. Some help may be needed - much can be elicited by questions.
32 pou^o^nv: this is the only middle optative in the text of this section. However, the optative can be recognized and students can deduce the other persons of the tense (some help may be needed with the second person singular).
34 KaKa Xiy€iv: Aeyra is apparently followed by a second accusative, but the phrase almost = KaKoAoyevv + obj.
36 xorcov: see on p. 48.7. The name Ne^eAoKoKw^a does not occur in the text. Mention it, as it is used in the Test Exercise.
41, 43-4 Quotations from Odyssey 1.267; Homeric Hymn ii.216-17.
Note especially GE 188 - a very common type of phrase.