A Reading Course in Homeric Greek, Book 2

A Reading Course in Homeric Greek

114

A Reading Course in Homeric Greek

VARIA

NU MOVABLE

n may be added before a vowel, at end at end of a sentence, occasionally before a consonant, to the

final -si of the 3rd pl. or dat. pl. and to the final -e of the 3rd. sg.; also in a few other words ending

in -si or -e.

ELISION

For easier pronunciation, a short final vowel (except u), and sometimes a final -ai or

-oi may drop out before an initial vowel or diphthong and in compounds (ép' érx∞w, pãr-hn).

Elision does not occur in the dat. pl. of the 3rd decl., or in per¤, prÒ, ̃ti, ti, or in words which

take n movable.

When elision brings p, t, or k before a rough breathing, they change to f, y, x

(éf-air°v).

DISTINCTION OF oÈ and mÆ

oÈ negates statements of concrete fact, mÆ statements of possibility, condition, general, wish,

suppositions.

ADVERBS

Formation

1. By adding -vw to neuter stem (kal-«w, tax°-vw)


2. Simple n. acc., sg. or pl. (pr«ton)


3. Special (nËn, tÒte etc.)


4. Prepositions used adverbially

Comparison

1. n. acc. sg. of the comp. adj. (yçsson)


2. n. acc. pl. of the supl. adj. (tãxista)

DEPONENT VERBS

Have mid. or pass. endings only, but w. active force (mãxomai)

The mid. of deponent and of many act. verbs often is intransitive (tr°pomai I turn).

• mi VERBS

Irregular only in pres. and 2 aor. systems, where they lack the thematic vowel and have some special

endings.

Subj. mid. retains the usual long thematic vowel, which absorbs the final a or e of the stem and

contracts with final o to v.

AUGMENT IN PAST INDICATIVE

1. Stems beginning w. consonant(s) prefix § (e.g., aor. lÊsa becomes ¶lusa). Initial r often
   doubles (¶rree).


2. Stems beginning w. a short vowel or a diphthong that is not the reduplication lengthen the
   initial vowel (e.g., o‡keon becomes ’keon). Initial e lengthens to h usually; but e lengthens to
   ei in the following verbs: ¶xv, §ãv, ßpomai, ßlkv, ßrpv, •rpÊzv, ßlon.


3. Stems beginning w. a long vowel (e.g., ≤sãmhn) or a vowel-reduplication (e.g., ¶gnvsmai)
   take no augment.

may be added before a vowel, at the end of a sentence, occasionally before a consonant, to the