A Reading Course in Homeric Greek, Book 2

A Reading Course in Homeric Greek

198 ἦ : 3 sg. impf. of ἠμί “I speak.”

199 μοι : Ethical dative (§18 in Book I) in which the personal pronoun has the force of “for my

sake” or even simply “I beg you.”

200 ἦ μή ... φάσθ’ : ἦ μή + ind. introduce a question to which the expected answer is “no”

(“Surely you don’t...?”) φάσθ’ : 2 pl. pres. mid. of φημί, with the same meaning as the

active. Here, the verb means “you deem” with the acc. τινα and inf. ἔμμεναι in indirect

statement (§114 in Book 1).

201 οὐδὲ γένηται : οὐ rather than μή is used in Homer with the subjunctive as a rough

equivalent of the future indicative.

202 ἵκηται : subjunctive in a Pres. (or fut., cf. γένηται and note at 201) General conditional

relative construction (§247b in Book 1).

203 φίλοι : understand εἰμέν.

205 ἄμμι is Aeolic for ἡμῖν.

49. NEW GRAMMAR: The Demonstrative οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο this

ὅδε and οὗτος both mean “this.” Sometimes they are used without distinction. In general,

however, there are two differences:

1. ὅδε refers more often to the first person; οὗτος, more to the second person.
   ἥδε χείρ this hand (of mine)
   οὗτος ἀνήρ this man (you are interested in)


2. ὅδε refers more often to the future; οὗτος, more to the past.
   τόδε λέξω. I shall say this (something to follow).
   ταῦτα εἶπε. He said these things (things just reported).

Here is the declension:

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Nom. Sg. οὗτος αὕτη τοῦτο

Gen. τούτου, -οιο ταύτης τούτου, -οιο

Dat. τούτῳ ταύτῃ τούτῳ

Acc. τοῦτον ταύτην τοῦτο

Nom. Pl. οὗτοι αὗται ταῦτα

Gen. τούτων ταυτᾱ ́ων τούτων

Dat. τούτοισ(ι) ταύτῃσ(ι) τούτοισ(ι)

Acc. τούτους ταύτας ταῦτα