A Reading Course in Homeric Greek, Book 2

Lesson III

11. NOTE S

25 γείνατο is 3 sg. trans. aor. of γίγνομαι: “gave birth (to)”

26 τοι = σοι, dat. of possession or person interested

27 σχεδόν has a temporal meaning here (“near in time” or “soon”). Likewise temporal is ἵνα

(“when”).

28 ἕννυσθαι is pres. mid. inf., with a reflexive meaning: “to put (clothes) on oneself.” Its

subject is αὐτὴν and object is καλὰ (both in 27). τὰ stands for καλὰ (εἵματα); it is object of

παρασχεῖν (“to provide”). τοῖσι is the antecedent to the relative οἵ. οἵ κέ σ’ ἄγωνται : The

relative pronoun with κε(ν) + subj. indicates purpose. Nausicaa will be expected to provide

her attendants with nice, clean clothing on her wedding day.

29 φάτις ἀνθρώπους ἀναβαίνει “reputation spreads abroad among people”

31 ἴομεν = metrical variant of ἴωμεν, 1 pl. pres. subj. act. of εἶμι (§8 above). πλυνέουσαι : fut.

ptc. to express purpose; see §199 in Book I. φαινομένηφι : the suffix –φι (§422c in Book 1)

is attached to the dat. ptc. agreeing with ἠόϊ, obj. of prep. ἅμα.

32 τοι : dat. sg. 2 pers. pron. = σοι, unlike τοι in 33 (“surely”).

33 ἐντύνεαι is subj. (= ἐντύνηαι). The middle has a reflexive sense: “in order that you may

make yourself ready.” Scan the final two syllables of ἐντύνεαι as one (synizesis). Likewise

with ἔσσεαι. ἔτι δὴν : In Homer, the final syllable before δὴν is always long because a

digamma originally followed the delta (δϝήν).

34 μνῶνται = μνάονται (§399 in Book 1).

35 αὐτῇ is a dat. of possession (§18c in Book 1). τοι = σοι.

36 ἀλλ’ ἄγ’ The impt. of ἄγω is used as an interjection: “Come!” and ἀλλ’ ἄγ’ often preceeds an

impt. or hortatory subj. ἠῶθι πρὸ : Locative of ἠώς with prep. πρό (“before dawn”).

37 ἥ κεν ἄγῃσι : ἄγῃσι is 3 sg subj. (= ἄγῃ). On the relative pronoun (ἥ) with κε(ν) + subj., see

note on line 28 above.

39 καὶ δὲ σοὶ ὧδ’ αὐτῇ πολὺ κάλλιον ἠὲ : “In this way (ὧδ) it is much more seemly for you

yourself also than....” Supply a linking verb such as ἐστίν.

40 πολλὸν ἄπο : “far away from” with πόληος.

ἀκηδής, -ές uncared for

ἀριστεύς, -ῆος [m.] a distinguished man

γένος, -εος [n.] race, stock, family

ἐντῡ ́νω I make ready

ζῶστρον [n.] girdle

μεθήμων, -ονος [adj.] remiss, careless

πέπλος, -ου [m.] robe

πλυνός, -οῦ [m.] washing trough

ῥῆγος, -εος [n.] cloth, coverlet

συνέρῑθος, -ου [m., f.] fellow-laborer

φάτις, -ιος [f.] report, reputation