A Reading Course in Homeric Greek
- NOTES
86 ἔνθ’ : “where” (spatial) — but ἔνθ’ in 88 is “then” (temporal), correlative to ὅτε δὴ in 85.
87 μάλα περ ῥυπόωντα καθῆραι : “to clean even very soiled clothing.” Understand εἵματα as
the subject of ῥυπόωντα. The inf. καθῆραι expresses result. See New Grammar below, §25.
91 μέλαν ὕδωρ : acc. of place to which (§18 in Book I).
98 τερσήμεναι : See New Grammar below, §25.- NEW GRAMMAR: Result and Purpose Infinitives
The infinitive may express purpose.ὁ ἔδωκε ἡμῖν οἶνον πίνειν.
He gave us wine to drink.τὸ γάλα ἐστιν οἱ πίνειν.
The milk is for him to drink.The infinitive may also express result. The result infinitive is usually introduced by the
conjunction ὥστε (“so as to”). Negative is μή.τὸ ὕδωρ οὕτως μέλαν ἐστιν ὥστε μὴ καθῆραι εἵματα.
The water is too dark to clean clothes.
(The water is so dark as to be to be unable to clean clothes.)However, as in line 87 above, the infinitive can express result without ὥστε.πολὺ δ’ ὕδωρ καλὸν ὑπεκπρόρεεν μάλα περ ῥυπόωντα καθῆραι.
Much clear water flowed up to clean even very soiled clothing.
(Water flowed up so plentiful and clear as to be able to clean
even very soiled clothing.)