A Reading Course in Homeric Greek, Book 2

A Reading Course in Homeric Greek

108. NOTES

196 πλείοσι = πλειόνεσσι.

200 ὠσὶν is the Attic form of οὔασι.

203 τῶν ... δεισάντων : either a gen. absolute (see New Grammar, §109) or dependent on ἐκ

χειρῶν.

204 κατὰ ῥόον : “down into the water.” ἔσχετο : “stopped.”

205 ἔπειγον : Understand ἑταῖροι as the subject.

207 ἄνδρα ἕκαστον : in apposition with ἑταίρους in the previous line.

209 ἔπι = ἔπεστι (“exists”); the iota is long.

210 εἴλει : Understand ἡμέας as object.

213 εἴπω : subj. in a conditional relative sentence (Fut. More Vivid: §247a in Book 1).

216 δώῃ : 3 sg. 2 aor. subj. of δίδωμι (§473 in Book 1).

217 σοὶ : dat. after ἐπιτέλλομαι.

220f. Understand νηῦς as the subject of λάθῃσι and ἐξορμήσασα. ἐξορμήσασα is a supplementary

ptc. (§96 New Grammar).

221 βάλῃσθα = βάλῃς.

ἀδαήμων, -ονος [adj.] inexperienced in, ignorant

of [+ gen.]

ἀνα-λῡ ́ω, etc. I loose

βομβέω, — , βόμβησα I hum; I splash

δοῦπος, -ου [m.] a roaring, a din

ἐκ-φεύγω, etc. I escape

ἐξ-ορμάω, etc. I rush forth

ἔφ-ημαι I sit at

καπνός, -οῦ [m.] smoke, vapor, mist

κώπη, -ης [f.] hilt (of a sword); handle (of an oar),

oar

μᾶλλον [adv.] more, rather

οἰήϊον, -ου [n.] rudder [pl. sometimes used for sg.]

παρασταδόν [adv.] standing by

παρ-ελαύνω, etc. I drive past, I row past

Περιμήδης, -ᾱο [m.] Perimedes [a companion of

Odysseus]

ποθί [adv.] ever, somehow

προήκης, -ες sharpened, tapering

ὑπ-εκ-φεύγω I flee out from under, I escape

φθογγή, -ῆς [f.] = φθόγγος, -ου voice

109. NEW GRAMMAR: Genitive Absolute

A noun and a participle agreeing with it in the genitive case can comprise a clause that stands by

itself, or is “absolute,” without a further grammatical connection to the rest of the sentence. This

type of participial clause is called the genitive absolute, and it can express a temporal, causal,

concessive or conditional relationship to the main clause. For example:

τῶν ἑταίρων δεισάντων Ὀδυσσεύς οἶος ἔβη.

The companions having become scared, Odysseus made his way alone.

(Because the companions had become scared.......)

(After the companions became scared.........)

208 -212 As they approach another cave-dwelling monster, Odysseus reminds his men

that it was by his virtue, planning and intelligence (ἐμῇ ἀρετῇ βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε)

that they escaped the βίη of the Cyclops. Another parallel: six men will be lost

to Scylla, just as six men were devoured in Polyphemus’ cave.