1.20: The Future Indicative and Infinitive Active of ἔχω, ἐλαύνω, ἔρχομαι and the Dynamic Infinitive

Module 17

© 2021 Philip S. Peek, CC BY 4.0 https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0264.20

The Verb

In Greek and in English, verbs have the same definition and functions. Verbs are words that represent actions (throw) and states of being (be or exist). They differ in the same fundamental way that Greek nouns differ from their English counterparts: they use endings to create meaning in a way that English does not. The Greek verb (ῥῆμα) in its finite form has an ending that indicates what person and number the subject is. The Greek infinitive has an ending that indicates that it is unmarked for person and number.

The Future Indicative Active

The future tense refers to actions that will occur in the future. The future tense stems have a temporal value but no aspect, showing no distinction between the imperfective (incomplete) and perfective (completed) aspect (CGCG 33.4–6). To review what is meant by the aspect of verbs, reread Verb Tense-Aspect in Module 9.

Future Tense Stems

To obtain the future tense stem remove the ending from the second principal part. What remains is the future active and middle tense stem. To this stem, add the future tense endings.

Future Tense Endings

Add to the correct tense stem.

Primary Active (use for the present and future active tenses)
		S	Pl
	1st	-ω	-ομεν
	2nd	-εις	-ετε
	3rd	-ει	-ουσι (ν)
Infinitive Active (use for the present and future active tenses)
		-ειν

1. Almost all verb forms have recessive accent.
2. The letter nu in the third person plural, present indicative active is a nu-movable. It may be added to the ending when the following word begins with a vowel or at the end of clauses or verses. Otherwise it is left off.

   Primary Middle and Passive (use to form the active voice of deponent verbs)
   		S	Pl
   	1st	-ομαι	-ομεθα
   	2nd	-ει or -ῃ (-εσαι)	-εσθε
   	3rd	-εται	-ονται
   Infinitive Active (use to form the active voice of deponent verbs)
   		-εσθαι

1. Almost all verb forms have recessive accent. Remember that final -αι and -οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood learned in Part II of the 21st-Century series.
2. In the second person singular intervocalic sigma dropped out (-εσαι), resulting in the two endings -ει and -ῃ.
3. Deponent verbs are active in meaning and middle and passive in form.

The Conjugation of ἔχω

All ω-verbs combine their stems and endings just as ἔχω does. In the readings that follow, use your knowledge of ἔχω to recognize and translate the forms of other ω-verbs.

Future Indicative Active of ἔχω

To the future active and middle tense stems ἕξ- or σχήσ-, add the correct endings.

Verb Form	English Equivalent	Person and Number
ἕξω	I will have	1st person singular
ἕξεις	you will have	2nd person singular
ἕξει	he, she, it will have	3rd person singular
ἕξομεν	we will have	1st person plural
ἕξετε	you will have	2nd person plural
ἕξουσι (ν)	they will have	3rd person plural
Verb Form	English Equivalent	Person and Number
σχήσω	I will have	1st person singular
σχήσεις	you will have	2nd person singular
σχήσει	he, she, it will have	3rd person singular
σχήσομεν	we will have	1st person plural
σχήσετε	you will have	2nd person plural
σχήσουσι (ν)	they will have	3rd person plural

Future Infinitive Active of ἔχω

To the future active and middle tense stems ἕξ- or σχήσ-, add ειν.

ἕξειν or σχήσειν

to be about to have

unmarked

1. Only the tense stem distinguishes the future indicative active from the present indicative active. Contrast the present stem of ἔχω with the future stem of ἕξω and σχήσω.

The Conjugation ἐλαύνω, ἐλάω

ἐλάω is referred to as a contract ω-verb because its stem ends in alpha in the first person singular, future indicative active of the second principal part. When the stem of principal part I or II ends in alpha, the alpha may contract with the endings in accordance with the chart below. In the readings that follow, use your knowledge of ἐλάω to recognize and translate the forms of other alpha contract ω-verbs.

α + ε > ᾱ α + ει > ­ᾱͅ α + η > ᾱ α + ῃ > ­ᾱͅ

α + ο > ω α + οι > ῳ α + ου > ω α + ω > ω

Future Indicative Active of ἐλαύνω, ἐλάω

To the future active and middle tense stem ἐλα-, add the correct endings.

Verb Form	English Equivalent	Person and Number
ἐλῶ (ἐλάω)	I will march	1st person singular
ἐλᾷς (ἐλάεις)	you will march	2nd person singular
ἐλᾷ (ἐλάει)	he, she, it will march	3rd person singular
ἐλῶμεν (ἐλάομεν)	we will march	1st person plural
ἐλᾶτε (ἐλάετε)	you will march	2nd person plural
ἐλῶσι (ν) (ἐλάουσι (ν)	they will march	3rd person plural

Future Infinitive Active of ἐλαύνω, ἐλάω

To the future active and middle tense stem ἐλα-, add ειν.

ἐλᾶν (ἐλάειν < ἐλάεεν)

to be about to march

unmarked

The Conjugation of ἔρχομαι

Deponent ω-verbs are similar to ω-verbs except that they have middle and passive forms but active meanings. All deponent ω-verbs form their present and future indicative actives just as ἔρχομαι does. In the readings that follow, use your knowledge of ἔρχομαι to recognize and translate the forms of other deponent ω-verbs.

Future Indicative of ἔρχομαι

To the future tense stem ἐλεύσ-, add the correct endings.

Verb Form	English Equivalent	Person and Number
ἐλεύσομαι	I will go	1st person singular
ἐλεύσει, ἐλεύσῃ	you will go	2nd person singular
ἐλεύσεται	he, she, it will go	3rd person singular
ἐλευσόμεθα	we will go	1st person plural
ἐλεύσεσθε	you will go	2nd person plural
ἐλεύσονται	they will go	3rd person plural

Future Infinitive of ἔρχομαι

To the future tense stem ἐλεύσ-, add -εσθαι.

ἐλεύσεσθαι

to be about to go

unmarked

The Infinitive

Remember that in English and in Greek the infinitive is unmarked for person and for number. Ιt is classified as a verbal noun and is best understood by thinking of its function as completing or enhancing the meaning of adjectives, clauses, nouns, and verbs. This is why the infinitive is referred to as complement. Sometimes classified as a mood, the infinitive is potential in meaning, ἐν δυνάμει, because its action may or may not be realized. There are two types of infinitives, the declarative and the dynamic. Both the declarative and the dynamic infinitives refer to actions that exist potentially or ἐν δυνάμει.

The Dynamic Infinitive

The dynamic infinitive refers to actions that exist potentially, ἐν δυνάμει. It is negated by the abverb μή not and not οὐ not. For more on the dynamic infinitive, see CGCG 51. Consider its use as a complement in these examples.

1. As a complement to modal verbs:

δεῖ it is necessary	δεῖ ποιέειν	It is necessary to create.
δύναμαι be able	δύναμαι αἱρέεσθαι	I am able to choose.
ἔξεστι it is possible	ἔξεστι πειράειν	It is possible to try.
ἔχω be able	ἔχω μιμνήσκειν	I am able to remember.
κινδυνεύω risk	κινδυεύω θανεῖν	I run the risk of dying.
προσήκει it is fitting	προσήκει μανθάνειν	It is fitting to learn.
χρή it is necessary	χρὴ αἰσθάνεσθαι	It is necessary to perceive.

2. As a complement to verbs of wishing and desiring:

αἱρέομαι choose	αἱρέομαι ὀρχέεσθαι	I choose to dance.
βουλεύω resolve	βουλεύω βαδίζειν	I resolve to go.
βούλομαι want, prefer	βούλομαι ἐσθίειν	I want to eat.
διανοέομαι decide, intend	διανοέομαι διδόναι	I intend to give.
δοκέει it seems best	δοκέει πλέειν	It seems best to sail.
ἐθέλω be willing, wish	ἐθέλω λείπειν	I wish to leave.
σπουδάζω strive, be eager	σπουδάζω φέρειν	I strive to endure.

3. As a complement to knowledge verbs:

διδάσκω teach, teach how	διδάσκω ἑλληνίζειν	I teach how to speak Greek.
ἐπίσταμαι know, know how	ἐπίσταμαι ἀείδειν	I know how to sing.
μανθάνω learn, learn how	μανθάνω πείθειν	I learn how to persuade.

4. As a complement to verbs of command, compulsion, and persuasion:

αἰτέω ask, require	αἰτέω σὲ νομίζειν	I ask you to believe.
ἀναγκάζω force, compel	ἀναγκάζω σὲ λύειν	I compel you to free.
δέομαι ask, require	δέομαι σοῦ γράφειν	I ask you to write.
κελεύω command, bid	κελεύω σὲ πέμπειν	I bid you to send.
πείθω persuade	πείθω σὲ διδόναι	I persuade you to give.
ποιέω cause	ποιέω σὲ ἔρχεσθαι	I cause you to go

5. As a complement to verbs of starting and stopping:

ἄρχομαι begin	ἄρχομαι εἰδέναι	I begin to know.
μέλλω be about	μέλλω πείσεσθαι	I am about to suffer.
παύω stop	παύω σὲ μάχεσθαι	I stop you from fighting.

6. Epexegetically as a complement to adjectives and nouns:

ἀγαθόν good	ἀγαθὸν οἴεσθαι	It is good to think.
ἄξιον worthy	ἄξιον λέγειν	It is worthy to say.
δεινόν fearsome, awesome	δεινόν ὁράειν	It is awesome to see.
καλόν good	καλὸν πράττειν	It is good to act.
καιρός opportunity	καιρὸς συμβαίνειν	There is an opportunity to come to terms.
νομός custom, law	νομὸς εὑρίσκειν	It is custom to discover.
σχολή leisure	σχολὴ ἀκούειν	There is time to listen.
ὥρα time	ὥρα ἄρχειν	It is time to begin.

7. As a complement of purpose often with verbs of giving, motion, receiving, and taking:

ἔρχομαι go, come	σῖτον ἐσθίειν ἐρχόμεθα	we go to eat food.
δίδωμι give	χώραν δίδωμι αὐτοῖς διαρπάσαι	I give them the country to plunder.

Practice Translating the Infinitive. Translate each of the below, which have been adapted from folk songs and a variety of ancient Greek writers. Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Nominative case endings are bolded; genitive endings are italicized; dative endings are highlighted; and accusative endings are underlined. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

Praxilla of Sikyon, Πράξιλλα Σικυών c. 451 BCE. Praxilla was a Greek lyric poet of high renown. Only a few fragments of her work have survived. Antipater of Thessalonike (c. 15 BCE) lists her as one of the nine immortal-tongued female poets. Aristophanes parodies her in two of his comedies. The famous sculptor Lysippos (c. 350 BCE) sculpted her in bronze.

Athenaios of Naukratis, Ἀθήναιος ὁ Nαυκρατίτης, c. 190 CE. Athenaios was a Greek rhetorician and grammarian. His fifteen-volume Scholars at Dinner, Δειπνοσοφισταί, on the art of dining, mostly survives. Among other things, the work provides information about Greek literature, quoting from the works of about 700 Greek authors and 2,500 different works. Topics discussed in the volumes include, art, food, music, philology, sex, and wine.

Julian, Flavius Claudius Julianus, c. 331 CE. Julian was Roman emperor from 361 to 363 CE. He was also a philosopher and author of many works written in Greek. About fifteen have survived. Julian rejected Christianity and promoted Neoplatonic Hellenism. For this the Christian Church named him Julian the Apostate. His work, The Caesars, quoted below, was a satire that describes Roman emperors vying for the title of best emperor.

Case	Ending	Function
Nominative	-α, -ις, -ο, -ον, -ος, -ω, -ων	subject of the verb
Genitive	-ου	dependence, possession; object of a preposition
Dative	-ᾳ, -ι, -ῳ	indirect object; object of a prefix, preposition
Accusative	-α, -αν, -ας, -ην, -ον, -ος, -ους	object of a verb

1. ἀγαθὸν ὑπὸ παντὶ λίθῳ σκορπίον φυλάσσειν (Praxilla).
2. οὐ βούλομαι κάλλιστον μὲν ἐγὼ λείπειν φάος ἡλίου (Praxilla).
3. ὁ θάνατός μοι κελεύει ἄστρα φαεινὰ λείπειν (Praxilla).
4. ἄρχομαι καὶ ὡραίους σικύους καὶ μῆλα καὶ ὄγχνας λείπειν (Praxilla).
5. ἔρχεται χελιδὼν καλὰς ὥρας ἄγειν (Folk Song).
6. νόμος ἀνοιγνύναι τὴν θύραν χελιδόνι (Folk Song).
7. Ἠριφανὶς ἐπίσταται τοὺς ἀνημερωτάτους συνδακρῦσαι τῷ πάθει (Athenaios, Scholars at Dinner, quoting Klearkhos speaking about Eriphanis).
8. θέλει γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὀρθὸς διὰ μέσου βαδίζειν (Athenaios, Scholars at Dinner, quoting Semos of Delos, speaking about the Ithyphalloi).
9. καιρὸς δὲ καλέει μηκέτι μέλλειν (Julian, The Caesars).
10. Ῥέα ἐν Φρυγίᾳ μὲν τοὺς Κορύβαντας ὀρχέεσθαι πείθει (Lucian, The Dance).

Adverbs and Verbs

*ἄγω, ἄξω do, drive, lead	λείπω, λείψω leave
ἀνοίγνυμι open	*μέλλω, μελλήσω be about to, be going to; be likely to + inf. (fut. inf. in Attic)
*ἄρχομαι, ἄρξομαι begin	μηκέτι no longer
βαδίζω, βαδιέω or βαδίσω go	ὀρχέομαι, ὀρχήσομαι dance
*βούλομαι, βουλήσομαι want, prefer; wish, be willing	*πείθω, πείσω persuade
*ἔρχομαι, ἐλεύσομαι come, go	σπουδάζω, σπουδάσομαι strive, be eager
*θέλω, θελήσω be willing, wish	συνδακρύω, -δακρύσω cry, cry with
*καλέω, καλέω call	φυλάττω, φυλάξω keep watch, keep guard
*κελεύω, κελεύσω bid, order, command

Adjectives, Nouns, Pronouns

Νοminative	Genitive	Dative	Accusative	English Equivalent
*ἀγαθόν	ἀγαθοῦ	ἀγαθῷ	ἀγαθόν	good, noble
ἀνημερώτατοι	-τάτων	-τάτοις	-τάτους	most savage
ἄστρα	ἄστρων	ἄστροις	ἄστρα	stars
ἥλιος	ἡλίου	ἡλίῳ	ἥλιον	sun
Ἠριφανίς	Ἠριφανίδος	Ἠριφανίδι	Ἠριφανίδα	Eriphanis
θάνατος	θανάτου	θανάτῳ	θάνατον	death
*θεός	θεοῦ	θεῷ	θεόν	god, goddess, deity
θύρα	θύρας	θύρᾳ	θύραν	door, gate
*καιρός	καιροῦ	καιρῷ	καιρόν	right moment, critical time, opportunity
κάλλιστον	καλλίστου	καλλίστῳ	κάλλιστον	most beautiful
*καλαί	καλῶν	καλαῖς	καλάς	beautiful, good
*καλόν	καλοῦ	καλῷ	καλόν	beautiful, good
Κορύ-βαντες	-βάντων	-βάντοις	-βάντους	Korybants
λίθος	λίθου	λίθῳ	λίθον	stone
μέσου see τὸ μέσον the middle
μῆλα	μήλων	μήλοις	μῆλα	apples
*νόμος	νόμου	νόμῳ	νόμον	law, custom
ὄγχναι	ὄγχνῶν	ὄγχναις	ὄγχνας	pears
*ὀρθός	ὀρθοῦ	ὀρθῷ	ὀρθόν	upright, correct; erect
*πάθος	πάθεος (πάθους)	πάθει	πάθος	suffering; experience; passion; emotion
*πᾶς	παντός	παντί	πάντα	all, each, every, whole
Ῥέα	Ῥέας	Ῥέᾳ	Ῥέαν	Rhea
σίκυοι	σικύων	σικύοις	σικύους	cucumbers
σκορπίος	σκορπίου	σκορπίῳ	σκορπίον	scorpion
τὸ μέσον	τοῦ μέσου	τῷ μέσῳ	τὸ μέσον	middle, midst
φαεινά	φαεινῶν	φαεινοῖς	φαεινά	shining, brilliant
φάος (φῶς)	φάεος (φωτός)	φάει (φωτί)	φάος (φῶς)	light, daylight
Φρυγία	Φρυγίας	Φρυγίᾳ	Φρυγίαν	Phrygia
χελιδών	χελιδόνος	χελιδόνι	χελιδόνα	swallow
ὥρα	ὥρας	ὥρᾳ	ὥραν	season, period, time
ὡραῖοι	ὡραίων	ὡραίοις	ὡραίους	seasonable; proper, appropriate; ripe, ready

1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Translating. Translate the sentences below adapted from Euripides’ Bakkhai (Βάκχαι). Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Nominative case endings are bolded; genitive endings are italicized; dative endings are highlighted; and accusative endings are underlined. Note that the third declension increases the number of possible endings for the nominative singular. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

Case	Ending	Function
Nominative	-αι, -ες, -η, -οι, -ος	subject of the verb
Genitive	-ος, -ου, -ους, -ων	dependence, possession; object of a preposition, adjective
Dative	-αις, -ι, -οις, -σιν, -ῳ	means or instrument; object of an adverb or adjective; place where
Accusative	-α, -αν, -ας, -ε, -η, -ην, -ν, -ο, -ον, -ος, -υ	object of a verb, preposition, prefix, adjective

Διόνυσος: ἀδελφαὶ μητρὸς φάσκουσιν ὅτι Διόνυσος οὐκ ἐκφύει Διός ἀλλὰ ἐκ θνητοῦ καὶ ὅτι ἡ Σεμέλη ἐς Ζῆν’ ἀναφέρει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν λέχους. αὐτὴν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ ἐκκαυχάονται ὅτι κτείνει Ζεὺς ἀστραπηφόρῳ πυρὶ ὅτι γάμους ψεύδει. τοιγὰρ αὐτὰς ἐκ δόμων οἰστράω ἐγὼ μανίαις. ὄρος δ’ οἰκέουσι παράκοποι φρενῶν. σκευήν τ’ ἔχειν αὐτὰς ἀναγκάζω ὀργίων ἐμῶν. τὸ θῆλυ σπέρμα Καδμείων, ὅσαι γυναῖκές εἰσι, ἐκμαίνω δωμάτων. ὁμοῦ δὲ Κάδμου παισὶν ἀναμείγνυνται καὶ χλωραῖς ὑπ’ ἐλάταις ἀνορόφοις ἧνται πέτραις. δεῖ γὰρ τὴν ἀτέλεστον τῶν πόλιν βακχευμάτων ἐκμανθάνειν, καὶ εἰ μὴ θέλει, ὅτι ἡ Σεμέλη ἐμὲ τίκτει Διί, ἐμφανῆ θνητοῖς δαίμονα.

Adverbs and Verbs

ἀναγκάζω, ἀναγκάσω compel, force ‘x’ in acc. + inf.	ἧμαι sit
ἀναμείγνυμι, -μείξω mix up, mix together	*θέλω, θελήσω wish, be willing
ἀναφέρω, -οίσω bring up or back; place upon; refer	κτείνω, κτενέω kill
*δεῖ it is necessary + ‘x’ in gen. or dat. or acc. + inf., δεῖ ἐλθεῖν it is necessary to come	οἰκέω, οἰκήσω inhabit, settle; manage, dwell, live
*εἰμί, ἔσομαι be, be possible	οἰστράω, οἰστρήσω sting, goad; go mad, rage
ἐκκαυχάομαι, -καυχήσομαι boast	ὁμοῦ at the same place, together + dat.
ἐκμαίνω drive mad	τίκτω, τέξω bear, give birth
ἐκμανθάνω, -μαθήσομαι learn, know, examine	τοιγάρ therefore, accordingly
ἐκφύω, -φύσω be born from; beget, produce; grow	φάσκω claim, allege, assert
*ἔχω, ἕξω or σχήσω have, hold; be able + inf.; καλῶς ἔχειν to be well	ψεύδω, ψεύσω cheat, beguile; falsify, lie about

Adjectives, Nouns, Pronouns

Νοminative	Genitive	Dative	Accusative	English Equivalent
ἀδελφαί	ἀδελφῶν	ἀδελφαῖς	ἀδελφάς	sisters
ἁμαρτία	ἁμαρτίας	ἁμαρτίᾳ	ἁμαρτίαν	mistake, sin
ἀνόροφοι	ἀνορόφων	ἀνορόφοις	ἀνορόφους	roofless
ἀστραπηφόρον	-φόρου	-φόρῳ	-φόρον	lightning-bearing
ἀτέλεστος	ἀτελέστου	ἀτελέστῳ	ἀτέλεστον	without end; uninitiated
*αὐταί	αὐτῶν	αὐταῖς	αὐτάς	they, them, theirs
*αὐτή	αὐτῆς	αὐτῇ	αὐτήν	she, her, hers
βακχεύματα	βακχευμάτων	βακχεύμασι	βακχεύματα	rites, mysteries
γάμοι	γάμων	γάμοις	γάμους	wedding, marriage
γυναῖκες	γυναικῶν	γυναιξί (ν)	γυναῖκας	women
δαίμων	δαίμονος	δαίμονι	δαίμονα	god, deity
Διόνυσος	Διονύσου	Διονύσῳ	Διόνυσον	Dionysos
δόμοι	δόμων	δόμοις	δόμους	house, houses
δώματα	δωμάτων	δώμασι (ν)	δώματα	houses
*ἐγώ	ἐμοῦ	ἐμοί	ἐμέ	I, me, mine
ἐλάτη	ἐλάτης	ἐλάτῃ	ἐλάτην	pine-tree
ἐμοί	ἐμῶν	ἐμοῖς	ἐμούς	my
ἐμφανής	ἐμφανέος (-οῦς)	ἐμφανεῖ	ἐμφανέα (-ῆ)	clear, manifest
*Ζεύς	Διός (Ζηνός)	Διί (Ζηνί)	Δία (Ζῆνα)	Zeus
θῆλυ	θήλεος	θήλει	θῆλυ	female
θνητός	θνητοῦ	θνητῷ	θνητόν	mortal
Καδμεῖοι	Καδμείων	Καδμείοις	Καδμείους	Kadmeian
Κάδμος	Κάδμου	Κάδμῳ	Κάδμον	Kadmos
λέχος	λέχεος (-ους)	λέχει	λέχος	bed, marriage-bed
μανίαι	μανιῶν	μανίαις	μανίᾱς	madness, frenzy
*μήτηρ	μητρός	μητρί	μητέρα	mother
ὄργια	ὀργίων	ὀργίοις	ὄργια	rites, mysteries
ὄρος	ὄρεος (-ους)	ὄρει	ὄρος	mountain
*ὅσαι	ὅσων	ὅσαις	ὅσᾱς	so many, as many
*παῖς	παιδός	παιδί	παῖδα	child
παράκοποι	παρακόπων	παρακόποις	παρακόπους	frenzied + gen.
πέτραι	πετρῶν	πέτραις	πέτρᾱς	rocks
*πόλις	πόλεως	πόλει	πόλιν	city
πῦρ	πυρός	πυρί	πῦρ	fire
Σεμέλη	Σεμέλης	Σεμέλῃ	Σεμέλην	Semele
σκευή	σκευῆς	σκευῇ	σκευήν	garb, dress
σπέρμα	σπέρματος	σπέρματι	σπέρμα	seed
φρένες	φρενῶν	φρεσί (ν)	φρένας	mind
χλωραί	χλωρῶν	χλωραῖς	χλωράς	greenish-yellow

1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Parsing Greek Sentences. Parse each word of the sentences found below. For nouns and pronouns, give the case and function. For verbs, give the person, number, tense, mood, and voice. For adverbs and conjunctions, identify them. For prepositional phrases, give the preposition and the preposition’s object. For adjectives, specify the noun they agree with in gender, number, and case.

Ῥέα ἐν Φρυγίᾳ μὲν τοὺς Κορύβαντας ὀρχέεσθαι πείθει.

αὐτὴν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ ἐκκαυχάονται ὅτι κτείνει Ζεὺς ἀστραπηφόρῳ πυρὶ ὅτι γάμους ψεύδει.

Check your answers with those in the Answer Key.

Papyrology

Papyrus, πάπυρος, is paper made from the papyrus plant. Ancient Egyptians used this plant to make reed boats, mats, rope, sandals, and baskets. They used papyrus paper to write down many things, including lists, records, and literary works. They also used it to wrap mummies. In hot and dry climates, papyrus survives, offering us a window into the past. Papyrologists study the writings these papyri record. Module 30 offers a recently discovered poem by Sappho, preserved on papyrus.

Module 17 Top 250 Vocabulary to be Memorized. Like learning the alphabet and endings, memorizing vocabulary is essential to acquiring language. The better you memorize the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary words, the greater mastery of the language you will have.

Nouns

ἀριθμός, ἀριθμοῦ ὁ number

βίος, βίου ὁ life

δίκη, δίκης ἡ custom, usage; judgment; order, right; penalty, sentence; lawsuit

Verbs

ἀδικέω, ἀδικήσω be unjust, do wrong

αἱρέω, αἱρήσω take, seize, grab, capture; (mid.) choose

γιγνώσκω, γνώσομαι know, recognize; decide + inf.

ἐλαύνω, ἐλάω drive, march

κελεύω, κελεύσω bid, order, command

Etymology Corner XVII by Dr. E. Del Chrol

Technical Terms 13, Parts of Speech

Nouns, Pronouns, and Cases, cont. In Greek the genitive is called γενική πτῶσις a case that indicates a belonging to the γένος kind, type, origin, source. The etymology of the genitive is a bit screwed up because the Latin grammarians didn’t fully understand Greek grammar. Nonetheless, if we think of genus in genus and species, meaning a kind or class or clan, it will get us most of the way there. Genitives tell us about possession or source or type, so, Jayden’s gloves, or a piece of pie, or a loaf of bread specify whose glove or what kind of piece or loaf it is.

What to Study and Do 17. Before moving on to the next module, make sure that you have learned the endings for the future indicative and infinitive active of ἔχω and ἔρχομαι and that you can conjugate these verb forms. Make sure that you can identify a verb by person, number, tense, mood, and voice. Finally, make sure that you understand the function of the dynamic infinitive.

Learning Tip 17: Memorize Word for Word. You can use the memory palace technique to memorize poems, short stories, novels, and even complete dictionaries. Want to memorize the Oxford English Dictionary or Liddell and Scott’s Greek Lexicon? Try using this learning tip for memorizing a poem by Robert Frost. You can use this same technique for memorizing works of any length. Conversely you can use repetition to fix this poem in your memory. Repetition is time-consuming and its results do not necessarily last long, unless you continue to repeat the poem for an extended period. As an alternative to repetition, try using the memory palace and SEE strategies. Both methods require repetition and review. The memory place and SEE strategies are longer-lasting and easier to recall. Note the highlighted words:

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

On the grille of our car, we place woods with an owl perched on a tree, crying who, who. On the hood we place a house located in a small village. At the electric car charging port we place a big round eye which sees me and has red knotted veins popping out. In the driver’s seat is a big paper trashbag with woods drawn on it and filling up with snow. The trash bag is wearing a giant watch around its waist. On the dash is a little horse, prancing about and wearing a lightbulb for a hat. The horse calls out in a hoarse voice, queer, queer, queer. In the passenger’s seat is an empty field of snow with a big red zero melting into the snow. In the middle of the zero is the roof of a collapsed farmhouse. Attached to the rooftop is a stop sign. Between the seats is a console, made out of sweet-smelling cherry wood and filled with frozen ice. On the floor of the backseat is a flashlight peering up at the dark roof from which an evenly balanced scale hangs. The trunk is filled with liberty bells, held together with harnesses, and shaking so much that their cracks are widening. At the back bumper is a car jack with a stake for a lever. The jack is misplaced and unable to lift the car. Up the tailpipe climbs a chimney sweep making a sweeping sound as he cleans the outside of the pipe. Out of the tailpipe are blowing an easy wind and downy feathers and flakes of cereal. On one bumper sticker are the words love trumps hate and on another dark lives matter and on a third Deep Purple. The license plate has the word promises with a picture of two entwined rings. On the rubber of one of the wheels is written in red the words lifetime warranty and unlimited miles. Pay attention to how long it takes you to commit the poem to memory. Also note how easy it is to recall the poem verbatim. Try recalling the poem the next day to see how much you have remembered. Try again in a week and then again in a month. Enjoy knowing that you can memorize anything and carry it with you for as long as you wish.