Imperfect indicative active and middle Position of
adjective
This is the first
section in which real difficulties may occur; much new material is introduced
and sentence structures are further developed. Students may need considerably
more help with translation, and it often happens that the pace of reading slows
down both here and in the next chapter. Use the supplementary exercises to
consolidate reliable recognition of vital stem changes, and to work back from
the forms of verb in the text to the form given in the lexicon. Check
vocabulary thoroughly; there are many new words here.
As Clouds
is the only source for this adapted text, try to add some material from the
original. Students should also be encouraged to read a translation.
With all the problems, try to keep the
students cheerful; the grammar is constantly revised in Sections 8-11, and if
students can get over this hurdle, the way ahead will be much easier.
p. 54 line
1
The
opening sentence can be teased out: olo^upo^evo; was learnt in Section 4d
and most of the rest can be deduced from the English introduction.
2
ircrco^av^:
cf. hippopotamus, hippodrome; mania and the various maniac suffixes.
pa0£w<;: check that
the part of speech is recognized. Cf. bathos, bathy-scope, bathysphere etc.
3
vnvo^:
cf. hypnosis.
3
The
first ten words are the first ten words of Clouds.
It may be useful to have a copy of the original text open while reading all
these sections: (a) to be aware of how close the text is to the original, and
(b) to point out exact correspondences.
1
8aKv€i
xa xp£a: cf. xp^ara (l), then deduce the general sense of Saxvei (‘annoy, get
on the nerves’ etc.). Then give the literal meaning ‘bite’ for future
reference; the literal meaning occurs in Section 6A.
14
xp^oxai:
the xpn- root again. (Illustrate the xpa-/xpn- root (= need) between xpao^ai,
xpn, xp%a, xpn^ara, xpnarn; (see LSJ).)
Ask who is likely to be
chasing him.
8iKnv la^pavouoiv: the Sik- stem has been
met in aSixo; (p. 50.30), but it will need reinforcing. Put particular emphasis
on the meaning of the Six- stem; it is very heavily used both here and in
Section 9.
11
Translate
x0e; = yesterday, and the past of ei^i falls into place.
From this point the
imperfect begins to appear: it is useful to revise the present active and
middle endings and put these on the board ready for comparison with the
imperfect endings.
Set up a comparative
grid, revise and fill in the forms of navra, then fill in the imperfect as it
occurs. It is probably best to leave contractions till a little later since the
augment preceded by prefix and new endings will demand much close attention.
|
|
Pres. act.
|
Imperf. act.
|
Pres. mid.
|
Imperf. mid.
|
|
1
|
nav®
|
snauov
|
navopai
|
enauopnv
|
|
2
|
naueiq
|
snaueq
|
navn
|
enavou
|
|
3
|
navei
|
snaue
|
naveTai
|
enaveTo
|
|
|
etc.
|
etc.
|
etc.
|
etc.
|
|
Stress the different
endings for present and imperfect middles.
|
|
-pai
|
Imperf. -pnv
|
|
-aai
|
-ao
|
|
-Tai
|
-to
|
|
-pe0a
|
-pe0a
|
|
-a0e
|
-a0e
|
|
-ovTai
|
-vto
|
Note: In the second person singular,
intervocalic -a- disappears and contraction takes place:
-e(a)ai ^ n -e(a)o ^ ou
With augments, highlight
four points during the reading: (a) the addition of e -, (b) the lengthening of
initial vowels, (c) the occasional lengthening of initial e- to ei-,
(d) the augment nearly always replacing the
final vowel of a prefix, e.g. SieAiyeTo. p. 54 line
17 5A^v t^v
vvKTa: cf. hologram, holocaust.
17-18 €Ka0€u8ov,
£8foKov: check the formation and ask for the corresponding rcaura form; do the
same with other imperfects as they occur.
There is no need to
mention the accusative of duration; it will be explained in Section 9a-e.
17
6v€iporcoA€i:
use this to explain the lengthening of an initial short vowel to act as the
augment, and cf. a ^ ^ (^Koue, line 25), and e ^ ^.
aiTio^: cf. aetiology.
18
8i€A£y€To:
ask the students to explain the placing of the augment and develop the rule.
26
K€^aA^v:
there are many medical derivations: encephalograph, encephalitis,
hydrocephalitis, and the subdivisions dolichocephalic and brachycephalic according
to the ‘cephalic index’.
The fact that
Strepsiades was responsible for all his son’s debts underlies the
responsibility of the father in the Greek family (Was Pheidippides a minor?
There is no indication of his age). Judging from some of the sums quoted in Clouds,
Strepsiades was certainly not impoverished - the family owned
several horses, and his wife clearly came from a fairly wealthy family.
27
Quote
in translation from the original Aristophanes text (Clouds
lines 60-7) the quarrel about the name of the son. Strepsiades wanted his
father’s name,
Pheidon, but his wife
insisted on inserting a horse somewhere, hence Pheidippides.
28
ya^ou^:
cf. monogamy, bigamy, polygamy.
29
aypoiKo^:
deduce the meaning from the ayp- element (agriculture etc.), then the contrast
with aaTerac; should give the meaning of the latter. Read the story of the
wedding night (Clouds 49-52) to point the contrast. For the overtones
of city life as against life in the country cf. urbane, polite (v. rustic,
provincial) in English.
Note that the second person singular and
the first and second persons plural of the imperfect active do not occur; they
can be supplied by comparison with the present verb endings. For the middle,
the first and second persons singular and the second person plural do not
occur; the second person plural can be taken from the present middle but the
other two should be given.
Section Five B
Background
Olives
2.10-1, 17; 5.51-2; 7.7 Slaves 5.61-6; 5.7; and war 5.7; 1.75 Arguments as
means to ends 8.17-18 Learning rhetoric 8.19-21
p. 56 line
1
arcre
W/vov: M%vov - refer to the picture; ame - ask what the time was and how you
lit the lamp. Note also the difficulties caused by darkness. Even battles had
to stop at night, as night manoeuvres could be chaotic (Plataia; Thucydides
ii.
34;
Syracuse, ibid., vii.44). Cf. the chaos in Peiraieus in
Section 3.
4
Olives,
the source of oil for lamps, were scarce during the war because of the annual
Spartan invasions.
5
K^aie:
ask for suggestions; make sure the accurate literal translation is known before
idiomatic versions are approved. The verb recurs later (Text
p. 186.3, derivative).
6-7 Why does war prevent
the punishment of the slaves? The proximity of the Spartans during their annual
invasions meant that slaves could easily desert to the enemy. What Strepsiades
here laments is the fact that the war prevents him from treating his slaves as
property for fear of their desertion. In his youth slaves were constrained
through fear to remain loyal to their masters. This argument is not from Clouds.
5
apyow;:
note the two elements: a- privative + epyov.
Use the supplementary exercise here. If
more are needed, concentrate on working back from imperfects to the lexicon
form, mixing in contract forms, e.g. enoiov^ev, adding a verb with a prefix
(very important), e.g. arcexrapei;, then one which begins with a vowel and whose
vowel lengthens to form the augment, e.g. ^nopei;. This is the moment to refer
students to GE pp. 497-8. Again, virtually any learnt verb will do
for these exercises (not, however, opara).
Section Five C-D
Future
indicative active and middle Active/middle distinction Indefinite words
IraKpaTnc/Tpvnpn; (nom., acc.)
This section introduces
the future tense: avpiov (Text p. 58.5) should be given, then
the tense becomes obvious. Elicit first the basic formation, leaving
refinements (e.g. the lengthening of the stem-vowel in contracted verbs) until
later, -ara futures are easy enough, but note (a) those sigmas combining with
consonants (highlight y, k, X, + a ^ %; n(r), P, ^ + a ^ y; rr/aa + a ^ %; £/0
+ a ^ a); (b) those which have middle forms (only axovao^ai (p. 58.17) in
Section 5c, so these may be left until Section 5d when the basic pattern will
be more familiar); and (c) (most difficult to spot) the -era futures, mainly
for verbs with stems ending in l, ^, v, p and -i^ra.
Make
up a grid comparing the present tense with the future; also revise present
epsilon-contract verbs for comparison with the future epsilon-contracts, e.g.:
|
Pres. act.
|
Fut. act.
|
Pres.
mid.
|
Fut. mid.
|
E-
contract
|
e-contract
future
|
|
|
navra
navei;
etc.
|
navara
navaei;
etc.
|
navo^i
navfl
etc.
|
navao^i
navafl
etc.
|
noiffl
noiei;
etc.
|
Sia^0ep®
Sia^0epei;
etc.
|
(cf. present 8la^0e^pra 8la^0e^pel; etc.)
|
The play proper begins
here. Set the scene first with a description of the Greek theatre - the large
circular orchestra (= dancing place), a low stage reached by steps from the
orchestra and a building behind with door(s), windows and a flat roof. The
plays were performed in daylight, so no lighting effects were possible - a
problem in this play which is supposed to open at night when it is too dark for
Strepsiades to read. Note how this affects the writing, for the characters have
to announce the fact that it is pitch-dark etc. (compare many similar devices
in Shakespeare). How much scenery was incorporated is debatable: perhaps quote
R. S. Glen, Two Muses:
‘A modern audience at the Elijah of Mendelssohn does not think
of the platform on which the performers stand as representing first Ahab’s
court and then Mount Carmel.’ The parallel may not be exact, yet the point is
still valid.
Section Five C
Commentary
p. 58 line
10 rafoopai: consonant combinations may be collated as they occur, or left to the end of Section 5c and given all together, referring back to examples.
2 Note the change of oath from Poseidon (the god of horses) to Dionysos.
12 Comment upon the change to the middle in aKovaopai only if students notice it.
Section Five D
Background
Socrates and sophists
5.44-8; 8.22-3
Intellectuals and
methods of arguing 8.21 (especially analogy 8.10)
Importance of Aoyoc; 6.16; 8.18, 27 Education 5.37ff.
Importance of leisure 5.50
p. 60 line
1 Diminutives: these are
‘persuasive’, i.e. the speaker is trying to gain a favour from another.
2
yu/rav:
cf. psychology, psychiatrist, psychotherapy etc.
oo^rav: cf. philosophy,
sophomore. Note the high-flown style of the speech. Possibly Strepsiades is
supposed to use tones of reverential awe, evoking an ironic response in the
audience. As an ignorant man absurdly proud of the few halfdigested facts he
has acquired, Strepsiades is in some ways the prototype of Monsieur Jourdain in
Moliere’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; see especially Act
ii scene 4 (Jourdain and the Professor of
Philosophy).
9povTioT^piov: the meaning can be extracted
from ^povTiZe + selected English ‘-ery’ words denoting a place of work (bakery,
brewery etc.). All teachers will have their favourite translation: I rather
favour ‘reflectory’ - cf. -erium in Latin, e.g. apodyterium
(Greek ano, Sura, -npiov).
3
^a0nTa^:
the meaning should be elicited from the stem pa0- (learnt with pav0avra in
Section 3c).
ovpavo^: Latin Uranus may help if students know him as
the sky god. nviy£u^: refer to the picture. It was an oven heated by coals
which were then removed to the outside and replaced by dough. Thus the point of
the comparison is simply one of shape - any hemispherical object would do.
4
av0paK€^:
cf. anthracite, anthrax.
5
The
sophists were the educators of a leisured and wealthy elite. Socrates often
insisted that he was not a sophist, and there is no evidence that he ever took
any money for his conversations. A vivid and amusing encounter with some
sophists occurs in Plato, Protagoras 315c-316a.
6
^aO^oovTai:
now that the regular pattern for future verbs is fixed, those with middle forms
may be commented upon here. This form should present no problems - the stem
pa0- has been not only learnt but revised six lines earlier! Refer back to
aKovaopai (p. 58.17).
7
^oyou^:
another meaning here - explain some of the possibilities, e.g. argument,
story, an account, a word.
12
8teaiov,
a8iKov:
the Sik- root has already been mentioned (p. 54.14); reinforce it here.
3
Strepsiades’
motive: to win the lawsuits brought against him. Note what we might consider an
amoral approach, typical of the Athenian legal system: one tried not to
establish one’s innocence, but to argue persuasively. The two might be the same,
but the later fifth century manifested a dramatic growth of interest in the
technique of persuasion, related of course to the development of the radical
democracy, the Assembly and the lawcourts (cf. Sections 3c, 4a).
4
5vo^a:
cf. anonymous, synonym, pseudonym, onomatopoeia etc.
5
KaAoi
... KayaOou for the qualities indicating moral goodness, see K. J. Dover, Greek
Popular Morality (Blackwell, 1974) 45.
13
6/pov^:
ochre is pale yellow or brown. The students are pale because they are always
indoors and are therefore unhealthy, unfit etc.
avunod^Tou^: explain by reference to the roots av-,
vno, Sera; the word here implies unkempt, scruffy.
27 dia^Oepei: this and
EK^a^ra (p. 62.41) are the only examples of future tenses in -era in this
section. Beware of overlooking these - many common verbs have stems in A, p, v,
p (and -i^ra), e.g. pevra, KTeivra, aTeAAra, ayyeAAra (oAAupi) etc.
30
£ioefyi:
eipi appears frequently in the next few lines: its meaning is clear from the
context, but isolate and plot its morphology also. The second and third persons
plural do not occur: note the stem shortening in the plural (cf. oiSa - revise
its forms by setting it side by side with evpi in a grid. See GE
pp. 433-4).
p. 62 line
57 If combinations of
consonants have been explained at the end of Section 5c, use Koyra as the cue
for revision - this will be needed for the weak aorist in Section 6a-b.
Learning how to find the
lexicon form is even more important with the future than with the imperfect,
especially where consonant changes in the stem occur of the rcpa^ra, noi^ara,
PaAra type. The list of regular verbs on pp. 212-13 should be especially useful
here. Use and if necessary add to them simple exercises, transforming from
present to future, future to present, and exercises in finding lexicon forms,
starting with the easier ones and progressing to the epsilon-contract (say).
This will pay ample dividends, especially as weak aorists are just around the
corner.
There is another
advantage in spending a little time on simple exercises here. Since tenses come
thick and fast, spreading the course a little so that one tense does not crowd
in on the next is helpful.
Be aware also that GE
for this chapter covers other important details apart from the tense
formations: the significance of the middle (GE
124) and indefinite and interrogative adverbs (GE
125).
