, * ·' Vi r \ - Γ V LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE COMPOSITION Z&itb dErercises V By A. SIDGWICK, M.A. FEI.LOW AND TUTOR OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD; LATE ASSISTANT MASTER AT RUGBY SCHOOL, AND FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE SECOND EDITION RIVINGTONS WATERLOO PLACE , LONDON MDCCCLXXXIX BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRAE F CHESTNUT H3XL, MASS, V Pa 4 ο I s 4~ PREFACE My object in writing these Lectures has been to give the student of Greek Prose Composition (when he has passed the earlier stages) a kind of assistance which he often needs, and which Rules, however carefully framed, will not give him. He may get a good deal from hints, and from reading, and from practice ; but there will still be many questions arising, when he comes to do a new piece, which neither hints, reading, nor practice will enable him at once to answer. It seemed to me possible, that if he were, by the aid of such Lectures as the following, to witness the actual process of composition,—to see a typical collection of passages handled in detail, so to speak, before his eyes,—it might to some extent meet this requirement. Having mastered the Accidence, and the ordinary Syntax, and reached a fair proficiency in the knowledge of idiomatic usage, he would be helped toward the further stages by seeing the various difficulties pointed out and solved; by watching the process of selection and rejection of words and expres¬ sions and turns of idiom; by witnessing the application— always the real difficulty—of the rules and principles ϊν PREFACE. which he has learnt; and instead of merely doing the piece himself, and then reading the version of it by another hand, he would have the reasons put out before him in black and white, at every point, why each sentence and clause was turned in such a way, and not in such another. In such a treatment there is sure to be a certain amount of repetition, which will perhaps be for some students superfluous ; but, in the first place, it is often inevitable, as cases are constantly occurring where old principles have to be applied in a slightly new way, which without the re-statement the student might miss; and in the next place, even where the point is the same as before, repeti¬ tion may be necessary for the thorough mastery of it. I venture to hope that for the average, whose interests I have had in view all along, the repetitions in these Lectures will not be found excessive. I have also naturally kept in mind the obvious distinc¬ tions between the three principal Attic prose styles,— Narrative, Rhetorical, and Philosophical. The passages in the first ten Lectures are accordingly historical; the next six are from speeches; and the remaining four are such as might be set to be done into the style of Plato. The notes on Structure and Idiom which are prefixed to the Lectures are intended mainly as a kind of catalogue raisonnd of the points chiefly treated in the course of the Lectures themselves. I hope they will serve the double purpose of an index PREFACE. v to the Lectures, enabling the student to find at once what points are discussed in the Lectures, and where the discus¬ sion is to be found, and also as a collection of similar instances, so that he may gain additional mastery over any point he is considering by the helpful method of comparison. Of the fifty Exercises which, in deference to the opinion of experienced friends, I have added to the end of the Lectures, 1 to 28 are Narrative, 29 to 39 are Oratorical, and the remainder are intended' to be turned into Platonic Greek. I ought to add that one of the Lectures (No. 3) deals with a passage from Messrs. Sargent and Dallin’s excellent work, Materials and Models , and that I have the kind permission of my friend Mr. J. Y. Sargent to use it here. I have only to add that I shall be very grateful to any one who uses the book if he will send me any correction or suggestion. Oxford, 1886 . CONTENTS Notes on Structure and Idiom— A. Main points of structure. B. Minor points of idiom : Noun usages—Adjective and Relative usages—Verb usages—Adverbs, etc., . . . Page 1-21 Lectures— I. Queen of Scots, ..... 25 II. Death of Antony, . . . . .31 III. Zapena, ..... .37 IV. Phyllidas, ...... 44 V. Calais, ...... 50 VI. Paulinus, ...... 56 VII. Cleveland, ...... 62 VIII. Charles, . . . . . 68 IX. Daneios, . . . . .73 X. Exeter, . . . . . .78 XI. Plancius—(Cicero), . . . . .83 XII. Cobden—(Bright), ..... 89 XIII. Present Discontents—(Burke), . .94 XIV. ‘Sentimental’ Politics—(Burke), . . 99 XV. O’Connell—(Macaulay), .... 104 vm CONTENTS. Lectures — continued. XVI. The Duke of Grafton—(Junius), . . Page 109 XVII. The Dog—(Helps), . . . .115 XVIII. The Captain and the Priest, . . .121 XIX. Friends’ Verses—(Boswell), . . .126 XX. Revelations—(Swift), . . . .131 Exercises- 1—50, 139-168 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. The points illustrated in these Lectures may be broadly divided into two classes, which it will be better to treat separately:— A. Main points of structure, which turn chiefly on the vividness, simplicity, and plain directness of the Greek (particularly in narrative style, though the same prin¬ ciples prevail widely in all Greek prose), compared with the various artificiality of the English idiom; B. Minor points of idiom, comprising such differences as will emerge when any two languages are compared, especially when the comparison is between an ancient and a modern language; and also various detailed usages, which make a great deal of difference to the idiomatic taste of the Greek rendering, but which it is difficult to refer to any larger principles. A. Main Points of Structure. § 1. The first and most fundamental point is the ten¬ dency in English to the abstract where in Greek the clause (in a variety of ways, see my Greek Prose Composition, §§ 106, 113) is more concrete. i. 2. published the occasion SnjyyeiXe δ<.ά τί ονκ επίθετο of his disobedience i. 5. civil war was approach- εστασίαζον, or h πόλεμον όσον ing ονπω κατέστη (ray Λ 2 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. iii. 2. delay might cause loss of the prize iii. 4. with destruction await¬ ing iv. 3. violence would be an affront iv. 4. services put in requisi¬ tion v. 2. yielded to his urgency ix. 3. never disappointed of their aims x. 4. a project had been on foot xii. 5. in my conscience xiii. 1. present convulsions ην μέλλοχτι, φοβερόν είναι μη, etc. μέλλοντα άπολέσθαι χαλεπως αν φέρειν ει βιάσαιντο χρησθαι προθυμουμένω επίθετο αεί ων εφίεντο τνχεΐν παρεσκεύαζον κατ’ έμαυτόν στα σιάζουσιν § 2. Further examples, where the personalising tendency of Greek is shown. i. 3. both stories are pro¬ bably true ii. 2. his moderation was displayed . , . iv. 3. the time for open war was not yet v. 5. the provisions were no longer binding vii. 1. the effect of all this providence was not such as was to be expected ix. 7. it must end in submis¬ sion to a harder yoke είκός αληθη λέγειν άμφοτέρους επιεικής ωετο φανεΐσθαι . . . ονπω έτοιμοι oVres es φανερόν πόλεμον καταστηναι ώστε μηκέτι υπόσπονδοι είναι ου κατ’ ελπίδα άπέβη , καίπερ ευλαβουμένοις υποχειρίους γενομένους δεινό¬ τερα πείσεσθαι NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM . 3 xi. 5. what is required in a candidate . . . αρχοντα αίρονμενους δει ζητεΐν xiii. 1. their account resolves τούτο τώ δντι λεγουσιν . . . itself into . . . xiv. 3. magnanimity is the πλείστ’ αν σωφρονοίη τις μεγα- truest wisdom λόφνχος ων [See the fourteenth lecture all through for this point.] XV. 1. there is an apparent φαίνονται ησυχίαν εχειν tranquillity 3. English is also often obscurer than Greek because of the allusiveness of style : expressions are used which are intelligible enough with the context, but in themselves vague or ambiguous. The Greek idiom requires a simpler and more direct style. i. 4. Murray’s offer was evi- δηλος ην επιβουλενων επεί dence against himself τοιαντα νπεσχετο [what offer Ϊ evidence of what ? The Greek will go nearer than the English to answering these questions.] i. 6. to extricate herself from the consequences \i.e. danger] v. 4. sent in her demand [for the town to be re¬ stored] vii. 5. orders came to him [evi¬ dently to help] xv. 2. feeling deep interest in his fate [= pity] xv. 4. attached to the union i. G. what will be their feel¬ ings ? [ = anger] του κίνδυνον περιγενησομενη ήξίον τταραλαβεΐν αγγέλων ηκδντων ως βοηθέΐν δει οίκτείροντες οία ττάσχει or τοιαντα πάσχοντα περί ττολλου ποιούμενος εκείνους μηποτε αυτονόμους γενεσθαι πως οϊεσθε άγανακτεΐν 4 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. § 4. A special form of this is the ambiguity caused by euphemisms in English. Greek also has its euphemisms, especially in Platonic Greek: but naturally there is no exact correspondence between the idioms, and the euphem¬ isms of each language should be noted separately. X. 1. all was not right δόλου tivos παρασκευαζόμενου or €7 τιβουλεύειν, μηχανάσθαί τι, etc. ix. 1. results of the engage- rrj ησσρ ment xvi. 3. administration no ουκ'ετι ασφαλές είναι, etc. longer tenable § 5. very often the English, without being really vague, substitutes for variety some circuitous expression for the actual thing meant: or implies what the Greek will explicitly state. iv. 2. [The whole section should be referred to.] iv. 1. her misadventure at the time of the Scotch marriage vi. 8. to go on winning viii. 2. he expected obedience and received a mes¬ sage x. 5. the truth was further established by a co¬ incidence xi. 6. [in buying slaves] we object to one how¬ ever honest τά περί τον γάμον ου κατωρθωσε τά ετι πορρωτέρω καταδραμεΐν του? δε ουχ ότι πιθεσθαι ώσπερ ήξίου, αλλά και άντ€ΐ7Γ€ΐυ τι τολμησαι τοιόνδε τι εγενετο ώστε και μάλλον πιστευειν . . . οΰδβ τον δικαιότατου άν πριαίμεθα NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 5 § 6. Another difference of idiom is due to the greater tendency in English narrative to picturesqueness of expres¬ sion. The Greek will again be direct and simple. iii. 5. were hoarse with indig¬ nation ib. rallied to the banner iv. 6. loaded with irons vi. 6. awakened by the general xv. 3. when the door of a jail has closed on him ib. that he lose his hold on their affections i. 1. as he was mounting his horse he was told xvi. 2. no reason but the frowns of his master εσχετλίαζον καί δείνα εποιονντο προσεχώρησαν εδησαν use παραμνθείσθαι or θαρσννω επειδαν απα£ εΐρχθρ ησσόν tl τιμήσειν τώ δε παρασκευαζόμενο) τον 'ίπ¬ πον ήγγειλε τις πλην ει δυσχεραίνιον 6 βασι¬ λεύς άπήλασεν § 7. A special case of this is the English habit of con¬ veying a fact by a picturesque epithet: in Greek the point must be told otherwise, never as part of the attribute. ii. 1. the fatal dagger iv. 4. the traitor Hyrlas vi. 7. the places consecrate to their cruel rites de¬ stroyed xv. 2. the fate of their perse¬ cuted tribune xv. 3. an agitator whom they adored Either omit it (the fact being plain from the context), or ώ διεφθάρη τω πρδτερον μηνύσαντι (apposi¬ tion) τα ιερά καθελόντες έπαυσαν μηκέτι τοιουτοις χρησθαι σφαγίοις [see the whole sentence, p. 105.] δντινα δημηγορουντα ετίμων 6 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. § 4. Another very special use of the same -usage is what we may call the ornate alias: where the person is referred to by a descriptive or allusive title, to avoid repetition. In Greek, use either the name, or arrange so that a pro¬ noun will do, or omit. ii. 1. the conqueror ib. his enemv «/ ii. 3. the strange visitor ii. 4. the imprisoned queen [say simply ‘ Octavius ’ once for all] may be omitted τον av8pa ή βασίλεια [This usage is not a mark generally of the best style : and all the instances in these exercises are confined to this one piece of Merivale]. § 9. The English picturesqueness sometimes takes the form of metaphors. The principle that should guide us in * translating is fully expounded in my Greek Prose Com¬ position, §§ 178-181; but we may say that nine times out of ten simple fact should the metaphor. i. 5. to foster strife ib. . . . impossible to acquit her iii. 4. seeing himself en¬ trapped ib the birds would be flown v. 6. the dispute was hang¬ ing x. 5. took time by the fore¬ lock xiv. 1. the profane herd be substituted in Greek for προθυμζϊσθαι δη\ος rjv αμήχανων, or είδώ? e v oty απορία, κατεχεται οΰδενα καταληφζσθαι ovSev πω ξννββη φθάσ- as [see the whole section, p. 100.] NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 7 XIV. 1. to turn a wheel in the ονδέ το φανλότατον μέρος machine [of empire] μεταγειρίσασθαι § 10. A subtle form of this is the personifications of inanimate things which are found in English. Without going so far as to say these are excluded in Greek, at any rate we may safely say they are much rarer: and it is best to avoid them. iii. 4. the ships, which alone αί νηες . . . fj μόνον έτι ελπίς offered means of σωθηναι escape [not παρεΐχον ] Many other instances in sections 1-5. § 11. Occasionally the metaphor, especially (and mainly) in rhetoric, is important: and then it should be usually expanded into a simile. xii. 2. the light and sunshine of my house had been extinguished xiii. 1. we set ourselves to bite the hand that feeds us xiii. 3. OUr dominions abroad εκ της έξωθεν αρχής ώσπερ εκ are the root which φαύλης ρίζης ές τοσούτον feeds this rank luxu- τέθηλεν ή στάσις riance of sedition εκ της οικίας ώσπερ φως μ οι καί ήλιος άπέσβη ώσπερφανλοι κννες τους τρέφον¬ τας δάκνομεν § 12. English is, however, not only picturesque and metaphorical; it is also, as compared with Greek, artificial in many ways. First, in order of narrative: before we turn a piece into 8 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. Greek, it is always useful to think out the story as it happened, and then, in translating, keep as nearly as possible to the actual order. ii. 5. he detained her in con¬ versation with a con¬ federate at the door, while with one or two followers he climbed . . . iii. 1. these arguments, which had much logic in them, were strongly urged by Zapena, whose counsels were usually received with deference. But on this occasion . . . v. 4. the eight years, after which, by the terms of the peace Calais was to be restored, had just expired. She had sent in her demand . . . vi. 1. emulating others of whose deeds he heard from abroad, he marches . . . x. 5. the truth was still further established by a coincidence. At the same time as the messengers were reporting, a man was arrested . . . παρα Try θνρα tlvol προστάξας, tv a δια λεγόμενος αντην έπι- σχοι, αυτός ολίγων επομένων άνέβη τοιαντα φρονιμως καί μετά σπονδής παριρνει 6 Ζ. οΐ δε καίπερ νπακούειν αυτω είωθότες , τότε μέντοί . . . είρημένον δί οκτώ ετών Νισαίαν άποδονναι } ως ο χρόνος έτελεντησεν , ήξίον παραλα- βεΐν τους άλλοθι πνθόμενος οΐα έδρασαν ονδ’ αυτός αξιών λείπεσθαί , έστράτενσεν εν ώ ταυτα έδηλονν τοίόνδε τι έγένετο ώστε καί μάλλον πιστενειν. άλονς yap τις . . . NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 9 § 13. More commonly still the artificiality consists in obscuring the real agent. If we ask ourselves the simple questions ‘ What is really done ? ’ and ‘ Who really does it ? ’ there will often be no further clue required towards a simple and idiomatic translation. . . μη πράγματα παρζγωσαν e καινοί veooTepicravTes i. 6. she feared she would have an insurrection on hand ii. 5. he detained her while he climbed . . . vi. 5. uttering direful prayers, they astonished the Eomans . . . vi. 7. they were yoked with garrisons vi. 8. his hack lay open to the occasion of losing x. 1. he had traitors among his servants, who warned . . . x. 5. he was met and re¬ cognised by one of the conspirators προστάξας τινά Ίνα . . . Ιπισχοι, ai3ros άν'ζβη . . . δεινά Ιπηρωντο. εκπεπληγ- /xevoi δε οι Ρω/χαίοι . . . φρονρίοις αντονς κατείχον co \jf η * ο / / Ο 06 τα 07Γ i(TU€V eKLVOWeve τι (τφαληναί προδίδόντες rives των οίκετών ηγγελλον των ζννωμότων ns «πτυχών άνεγνω § 14. Or the real act may be obscured. ii. 4. [he was to take her ίνα rrj πομπή παρείη, kv fj ουδεν alive] that she might rj /χελλε μάλλον θανμά- form the most attrac- £εσ(9αι tive spectacle in his triumph § 15. Another very common and important form of artificiality in English is the concealed Oratio Ohliqua: ΙΟ NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. it is not, of course, really obscure, or it would not be used: it saves the tiresome insertion of ‘ he said,’ ‘ she thought,’ ‘ they felt,’ etc., and gives a vivid and dramatic colour to the narrative: but it must be turned into an explicit Obliqua in Greek, or else the sense is lost. The speech or feeling must be given plainly as a speech or feeling. ii. 4. a threat of violence might drive the queen to . . . iii. 2. delay might cause loss of the prize iv. 3. they could scarcely break open the house and seize „ . . v. 3. she was now again confronted with a similar difficulty § 16. Or, again, the artificiality may be due rather to the epigrammatic, ironical, humorous, colloquial, or other styles, adopted in order in some way to give point to the narrative. The rule in Greek is still to be plain and simple : the tone requires to he lowered: the more pointed expression to be interpreted. iv. 6. the stages of the farce πάντα Is την απάτην παρα- being arranged σκενασάμενοι % v. 2. she had gone far ώσ-τε λόγφ yovv τι νποσχεσθαι enough to commit herself V. 5. his orders were out πριν άνάγεσθαι τον πρεσβευτήν of elate before he had ά εκελενσε V αυτή μετ^νω started. ο δε άπειλαΐς μεν ονκ είχε χρησθαι , μη . . . ην μελλωσι, φοβερον είναι μη σφαλωσι ονκ ηθελον διαρρήξαντες την οικίαν ξνλλαβεΐν . . . ησθετο ανθις Is τα ντο κατά - στασα NOTES ON SIRUCTURE AND IDIOM. II xi. 7. failure had taught cau¬ tion: caution would insure victory xiii. 4. we have no other materials to work on xv. 1. you have a verdict xv. 2. till you begin to put the sentence into execution xvi. 3. It is in vain to evade the question διά την ησσαν ενλαβέστερον αν επιχείρησαν ώστε σαφέσ¬ τατα δη νίκησειν ονδεν εχομεν ω χρησόμεθα κατεκρινατε μέχρι ον καταγνόντες καί is φυλακήν άπάγειν πειράσθε μηδε ερωτώμενος is προφάσεις καταφυγής § 17. Where the English is merely verbose, in Greek it should be cut down. ix. 3. not despairing of find¬ ing a solution of their difficulties οϋπω is ανέλπιστου απορίαν κατασταντα αποστηναι κατά τυ είιοθυς άπηγετο καιρός τοσουτος ix, 5. to repudiate their rule x. 5. he was taken, accord¬ ing to the usual mode of conveyance xvi. 2. a moment so critical and important XIV. 5. by adverting to the τοιαντα ενθυμούμενοι dignity of this high calling [he has just been speaking of ‘ our situation,’ ‘ our place,’ ‘our station,’ ‘ the greatness of our trust ’] [For example of how, in answering objections — the dialogue of oratory—terseness in Greek adds to the effect, see xi. 3.] 12 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. § 18. Desire of Clearness in Greek also sometimes leads us even to add something which is omitted in the English. In vi. 3 [see the passage] it is smoother to add the word άφικόμενος at the beginning. If you were writing the story in Greek, you would instinctively insert it at this point. In vi. 5, and again xv. 2, where we have an indecisive state, a state of waiting, followed by a decisive act or result, the insertion of τέως helps to make it clearer. vi. 5. stood in amaze . . . έκπεπλη-γμένοι τέως μέν rjcrv- at length awak- χαζόν, τέλος δέ . . . ened * recos μ\ν οίκτζ,ίροντες €νλαβ- ήσονται. έπείδαν δέ χν. 2. the Irish will be quiet . . . feeling interest . . . hut when the door of the jail has closed . . . In vii. 5, ‘ nor did these pursue in any time ’ will be clearer if we say, { And at last when they did pursue they did not catch them.’ In viii. 2, ‘ the king said he was sorry for that occasion of coming to them ’ is clearer if we add the other half of the real antithesis : ‘ he was sorry to come, but he was forced ’ : which is what the word ‘ occasion,’ rather less clearly, conveys. In x. 3. ‘ Henry would not act against so high a noble . . . but privately he sent . . .’is made clearer if we add * publicly ’ (φανερως μέν) to the first clause. NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 13 § 19. A special case of this is the following. When the circumstances which lead up to an act (or a conclusion) have been detailed at length, it is common in Greek, and it adds to the clearness, to insert a summarising expres¬ sion. The examples will show what the usage is. In Greek it would be better iv. 2, 3, 4. [After expounding all the difficulties of the ephors, the Eng¬ lish goes on, § 4.] ‘ The services of Hyrlas were there¬ fore put in requisi¬ tion ’ . . . vi. 6. [The Romans were amazed: then the general encouraged them: told them not to fear barbarians : the English goes on] c they fell on and beat them xi. 1. they earned their triumphs because they had conducted themselves well in the offices to which they had been ap¬ pointed. to say— ταντα ovv ίνθνμον- fievoi δί€νοονντο, k.t.X. In Greek, τ ore δη άναθαρσή- σ·αντ€9, k.t.X. ev tolls άρχαΐς as Ιπετρεποντο ev 7rpa£avT€S οντω δη h τόμ- πενσαν. § 20. The Greek being a naturally vivacious language, we find a constant tendency, not only in speech and dialogue but also in ordinary narrative, to the use of δή 7 άρα, δήθεν, which may be called dramatic particles. It requires some little experience to know the right places where to insert these; and the student will begin by not Η NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. using them enough, and perhaps go on to use them too much; but he may be helped by noting the following cases (out of many) where they are naturally used. (a) Pretence, allegation, etc. ii. 1. (he affected to weep) δδνρεσθαι δη προσποιείτο iv. 7. (in this seeming ex- δ δε dos έσχατα δήθεν αμήχανων tremity) (b) the suggested motive. ii. 4. (did not threaten lest μη εαντην δη βιάσαιτο she should commit suicide) (c) a hurst of feeling. iii. 5. (they had not left their ον τοντον δη ενεκα φάσκοντες brethren ... for ... άπολιπεΐν this . . .) (d) a parenthetic explanation. VI. 2. (for they, it seems, had φνγ a8as yap δη εδεξαντο entertained tives) (e) a suspicion. ix. 1. (perceiving the king γνονς άθνμονντα τον βασιλέα, fugi- και νποπτενων μη κρνφη αρα παρασκευάζεται . . . was depressed . . . and suspecting he was quietly prepar- ing . . .) (f) a natural consequence. ix. 1. (suspecting this, he ταντα νποπτενων , ενεθνμεΐτο δη reflected) (g) misplaced mirth and disappointment. (he ridiculed the mes- κaτayελωv δη ώλ^ώρει . . . sengers, and accord- διώκων ονκετι δη κατελαβεν ingly, when he did pursue, failed to catch the troops) NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 15 § 21. Lastly, we may just mention what is perhaps the most obvious point of all, namely, the continuous character of Greek, compared with the comminuted or short uncon¬ nected sentences so common in modern English. This is specially the case with narrative: and in the more extreme cases not even beginners would fail to notice the difference and make their Greek more connected than the English. It is the less obvious instances that are worth illustrating: where the sentences in English, though not too abrupt to be turned as they stand, yet are better bound up in Greek into one longer sentence, in order to bring out the logical connection. i. 1 . She was not long ill re- ον δια πολλου πνθομζνη . . . ceiving intelligence .. . She sent to Murray .. . For various instances, see ii. 2, ii. 3, iv. 1, v. 2, viii. 2, ix. 4, xi. 1, xii. 5, xvii. 5. B. Minor Points of Idiom . The minor points of idiom it would obviously be impossible to deal with or to classify exhaustively, as they would cover the whole field of the almost infinite detailed differences between a modern and an ancient language. Moreover, in my Introduction to Greek Prose Composition , I have attempted to treat systematically the more important of such differences. But it may help reference to these lectures if the points that emerge in the course of them are here collected and arranged. In the arrangement it may save trouble to follow the order of the Grammar. ι6 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. (a) Noun usages. §§ 22-25. § 22. The nominative is not unfrequently repeated at the end of the sentence distributively. iii. 1. Commanders and sol- χρησθαι επεθνμονν rfj νίκη καί diers were hot for στρατηγοί και στρατίώται following up the vic¬ tory § 23. The nominative is idiomatically used after compari¬ sons even where the main substantive is in another case. xvii. 1. (The dogs) at last like τελευτώντας αν ώσπερ οι άνθρω- men would make a ποι καταχρωμενονς bad use of [their hands] § 24. English nouns and names often conveniently turned by pronouns or adverbial expressions. i. 6. her own subjects οι εκεί , or οι εκεΐσε , or οι οίκοθεν iii. 5. the archduke εκείνος § 25. When the nouns or names are such as are thoroughly unlike anything in Greek, we may sometimes find an expression that will give th q feeling of the passage. Thus ‘ infidels’ (iii. 2) may be turned βάρβαροι , and ‘ Catholics ’ (x. 5) οι πολέμιο i, οι πέραν , οι εκεί , etc. For ‘ guns ? and c pistols ’ (vii. 2) use βέλος, τοξεύω, etc. For precise expressions of time, in Greek it is convenient often to be vaguer : thus ‘ on Tuesday/ may be τη προτεραία, διά βραχέος, Tore, νεωστί, πάλαι, ηδη ποτέ, etc., according to circumstances. * at three o’clock,’ μετά μεσημβρίαν, περί δείλην, όψε, etc. ‘ill January,’ χειμωνος, πρίν εαρ γενεσθαι, etc. NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 17 \ (δ) Adjective and Relative usages. §§ 26-29. § 26. Strong adjectives are often idiomatically done by demonstratives in Greek: v. 2. a powerful party τοσούτοις άνδράσιν vi. 7. cruel rites tolovtols σφαγίοις Even repetition is conveniently avoided by τοιουτος ‘ an able man with an able son 5 ξννετ os άνηρ τοιουτον εχων VLOV viii. 3. [he should maintain επιβουλεύουσι δε ουδεν υπάρ- * their privileges .·...] χειν τοιουτον but traitors had no privileges § 27. The Predicative position of adjectives may be used with effect: ii. 1. to weep for a man SO όδυρεσθαι ... ως οικείου τε closely allied άποθανόντος άνδρός xiv. 5. They have made the μόνην ευδόκιμον νίκην ταυτην , only honourable con- . . . quests by . . . § 28. A constant tendency in Greek (for the sake of clearness or emphasis) is to put the Relatives first: viii. 3. 110 man was more δσα μεν yipa εχουσιν, ουδεις careful of their pri- επιμελεστερον φυλάσσει vileges viii. 4. he was resolved to όπου άν εύρη, ζυλλαβεΐν βεβου- have them wherever· λενσθαι he should find them B ιδ NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. xv. 3. is it possible to be¬ lieve that an agi¬ tator whom they adored when he was . . . will lose his hold on their affec¬ tions . . . Ί xvii. 5. to take away from us whatever is most dangerous § 29. The Eelative ό'στι? if cessive sentence (‘ although ’) xi. 2. you ask what service he has seen, though he has been a soldier in Crete . . . dpa δυνατόν εΧπίζειν δντινα δημη~/ορονντα ετίμων δτε . . τούτον ήσσον τιμήσειν ·, ο,τι αν σφαΧερωτατον έγωμεν άφεΧειν used idiomatically in a con- εΐτα έρωτας, που εστρατενσατο,. οστ is £ν Κρήτη δπΧίτης ήν. Verb usages. §§ 30-35. § 30. The use of English pluperfect where Greeks have the aorist is the most constantly recurring point of idiom: ii. 3. he sent an officer to ες το οίκημα . . . επεμψεν, the place where οΐπερΆντώνιοντότεεκόμεσαν Antonius had been carried For other examples, see v. 1, v. 4, vi. 2, vi. 8, viii. 2. § 31. The use of μέλλω, and not the future participle, should be noticed, in cases like the following: iii. 4. [seeing himself entrap- μέλλοντα άποΧεσθαι. [not ped,] with de- άποΧονμενον\ struction awaiting him See explanation, p. 41. NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. 19 § 32. An important difference concerns the use of verbs of motion, as exemplified below : I went to him in his €S αντδν irpos την οικίαν house ήλθον i. 1. requesting himto meet άξωνσα k Ποτιδαιαν άπαν- her at Potidaea τησ at. § 33. Another very common idiom is the use of the Passive in English corresponding to the Active in Greek: he ordered the statue εκελενσε τον άνδρίαντα χρυσ-οΐν to be gilt V. 4. by the terms, Calais Ριρημζνον iv Tats σπονδαΐς την wastobe restored Nicraiav άποδονναι viii. 4. he expected they ήξίον πίμψαί should be sent The real principle is that Greek directness and simpli¬ city prefers to describe somebody doing rather than some¬ thing done : and where the agent is obvious, from common sense or the context, to omit him. See the full explana¬ tion on page 71. So where English is active, very often in Greek the official who does the thing is omitted: IV. 1 . he Ordered the porter σνμφράξαί eKeXevcre την θνραν to shut the door § 34- The treatment of Interrogations raises a point or two of idiom. (a) In direct speech, it is sometimes more lively to put a point in Greek interrogatively : 20 NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM. xiii. 3. [If our dominions [εί εκ τη s εξωθεν άρχί Js τεθηλεν abroad are the η στάσι$] i τότερον εκείνην root of this sedi- εξορνξονσιν . . ; tion] it is not intended to cut them oft' . . . (b) On the other hand, the Interrogation in a Reported Speech (Oratio Obliqua), so common in Latin and English, is not a Greek usage; but some verb must be introduced: The enemy (he said) had ηκόντων των πολεμίων , άπορεΐν come : how could they repel ottojs άμννοννται them 1 See explanation on p. 54. § 35. One regular usage of Oratio Obliqua is very im¬ portant and often overlooked. The rule is this :— In whatever way the Oratio Obliqua is introduced, after the first pause the construction reverts to the normal accusative and infinitive. The following various examples will clear up the point:— he asked why they blamed him: he had done no harm to anybody he advised them not to let any one go; nor to open the gates: no one knew of the plot a hint was given him that he would not survive it: His enemies intended to catch him they reported that the army was on the point of surren¬ dering : failure of the sup¬ plies made them desperate ηρετο διά τί αΐτιωνται' ονδεν yap ον Seva άδι κηιται έπειθε μηδένα άφιέναι μηδέ ras πνλας άνοΐξαα ονδένα yap επίστασθαι οΐα έπιβονλενον- (TLV νπεσημηνέ ns a>s ονκέτι περι- γενησεται' διανοεΐιτθαι yap tovs εχθρού s άποκτεΐναι ήγγειλαν δτι ύ στρατο5 μέλλει ένδονναι' άπολιπόντων yap των επιτηδείων εν άπορίφ είναι NOTES ON STRUCTURE AND IDIOM . 21 Adverbs, etc. §§ 36-37. § 36. The pregnant use of prepositions and adverbs may be illustrated by the following: i. 6. she was ready to aid the Scotch vi. 4. thick on the shore they stood [threat¬ ening] vii. 2. those in the cottage did not shoot at them rois €K€L(re ήθελε ξνμπράσσαν [for rots tK€t] οί €Κ της γης συχνοί συνεστα- σαν 3 λ\ r\r \ 3 ι/ c 3 λ ουοεν peAos αφίεσαν οι εκ της κώμης. Again, in a totally different application of the principle: x. 5. he told the story to προς του? άρχοντας πάντα the authorities [ i.e. ϊμήννσαν. he went and told] § 37· The negative method of expression is particularly common in Comparisons in Greek : ii, 4. she would form the most attractive spec¬ tacle vi. 1. emulating others, whose deeds he had heard of vii. 4. this was the greatest damage they sus¬ tained xi. 2. he only spared from his military duties so much time as he thought best οι’δέν εμελλε μάλλον €Κ€ΐνης θανμάζ^σθαι. τους άλλονς πνθόμξ,νος οια eopacrav ον ο άξιων αντος λεΐ7τεσ0αι ονδ' άλλο κάκιον οΰδέν h ταθον ουδέποτε τό στ/οατόπεδον άπό λειπεν, ει μη οσον φετο δειν . . . LECTURES. I ,-QUEEN OF SCOTS. 1. The Queen of Scots was not long in receiving in¬ telligence of what the lords intended against her. She sent to Murray, requesting him to meet her at Perth. 2. As he was mounting his horse a hint was given him that if he persisted he would not return alive, and that Darnley and Rizzio had formed a plan to kill him. He withdrew to his mother’s castle and published the occasion of his disobedience. 3. Mary replied with a counter charge that Murray had proposed to take her prisoner and carry off Darnley to England. Both stories are probably true. 4. Murray’s offer to Randolph is evidence sufficient against himself. Lord Darnley’s conspiracy was no more than legitimate retaliation. 5. Civil war was fast approaching: and it is impossible to acquit Elizabeth of having done her best to foster it. 6. Afraid to take an open part lest she should have an insurrection on her hands at home, she was ready to employ to the uttermost the aid of .the Queen of Scots’ own subjects, and trusted to diplomacy or accident to extricate herself from the consequences. c 26 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [I. 1. The Queen of Scots was not long in receiving intelligence of what the lords intended against her. She sent to Murray, requesting him to meet her at Perth. These two sentences in Greek would naturally be one, since they contain the account (a) of the information on which Mary acted, ( b ) of the action: and the connection between the two is therefore close and obvious. There is nothing else to note in the structure. In the phrasing note a few small points. For the names, as usual, employ Greek names, or the convenient pronouns. For ‘lords’ [not δεσπότης, κύριος, κοίρανοι, or any other poetical terms the dictionaries may give, but] say ol o'Slyoi, or ol iv τελεί, or ol δυνατοί, or even perhaps ol έφοροι (suggestive roughly of respective powers of king and high officials). ‘ Intend against,’ επιβουλεύω ; we might say διανοείσθαι κατά ( g .) or επι (a.) : but ‘ plot ’ is commoner. Observe specially ‘to meet at Perth’ [half will translate literally, using εν]. The English idiom is to use one pre¬ position of motion, with the person; the Greek requires both person and place to depend on the verb, and therefore the place must also have prep, of motion ( e.g. English says, ‘I went to him in his house,’ Greek, e? αυτόν προς την οικίαν). So here, ες ΐίοτιδαίαν. The piece then begins : η δε ου διά πολλοΰ πυθομενη ά επεβούλευον εκείνοι άγγελον επεμ-φεν ώς τον αδελφόν άξιουσα ες ΐίοτιδαίαν άπαντησαι. 2. As he was mounting his horse a hint was given him that if he persisted he would not return alive, and that Darnley and Rizzio had formed a plan to kill him. He withdrew to his mother’s castle and published the occasion of his disobedience. Again these two sentences are best united into one: for the first gives the information, and the second the consequent I.] QUEEN OF SC07S. 27 action. Care must be taken about ‘ As he was mounting his horse/ If we do it literally, it will suggest to the matter-of-fact Greek that some one whispered in his ear as he was actually climbing. We might use μέλλω άναβαίνει v, but probably it is more natural to say, ‘ While he was pre¬ paring his horse/ Again, ‘ if he persisted ’ is obscure : we must say plainly, ‘if he went/ ‘To his mother’s castle’ [for which many will say, ε’? τον της μητρος πύργον] sounds rather grotesque in Greek, as πύργος is poetic, and we do not expect ‘ mothers ’ to have ‘ castles/ It is more natural to say, ‘ to his mother to a fortified place ’: and ‘ to ’ with the person will be παρά. ‘ Occasion of his disobedience ’ make concrete as usual: ‘ why he did not obey/ The whole sentence will then be: ό δε εν φ παρεσκευά- ζετο τον ΐππον, ύποση μαίνοντός τίνος ώς εάν εκεΐσε ϊη, ούκετί περιγενησεται (τον γάρ f Ιππίαν καί τον Ρ ίζαϊον μεΧλείν άποκτεϊναι), παρά την μητέρα άπεγωρει ες χωρίον τι εχυρον, καΧ ητάσι άιηγγειΚε άιά τί τη άάεΧφη ούκ επείθετο. Note nepLycvr]aercu, ‘ come out of it alive.’ The parenthesis, which gives the reason, is acc. with inf., the usual form into which oratio obliqua slides after the first clause. 3. Mary replied with a counter charge that Murray had pro¬ posed to take her prisoner and carry off Darnley to England. Both stories are probably true. ‘ Replied with a counter charge ’ must be made concrete : ‘ herself too charged him.’ ‘ Both stories are probably true ’ must be made personal [beginners will say άμφότεροί oi Χόγοι, or perhaps, still worse, μύθοι]. It will be sufficient to say, ‘ It is probable that each accused truly/ 28 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [I. 4. Murray’s offer to Randolph is evidence sufficient against himself. Lord Darnley’s conspiracy was no more than legitimate retaliation. These two clauses are both obscure and full of abstracts; they require great care to bring out the full sense. We must consider what is the exact fact meant and the exact argument conveyed in the allusive and terse sentences. It is somewhat as follows:— ‘ Murray was proved to be conspiring, since he had made such an offer ’ (we do not exactly know, without the context, what the offer was, but the convenient τοιαντα will suffice) ‘to Randolph; and Darnley in plotting was justly repaying what he had suffered or ‘ had the right to plot in his turn (άντεπιβονΧενσαι) against those who had conspired against him.’ As to the words : ‘ take prisoner * is συΧΧαβεΐν ; ‘offer’ is νποσγέσθαι ; ‘carry off’ might be απάηειν, or, as it was perhaps by sea, Βιακομίσαι. We then get: η Βέ real αυτή αιτίαν επέφερεν ώς επιβον- Χενσαντι έαντην μεν ξυΧΧαβεΐν τον Be 'Ιππίαν Άθηνάζε Βιακομίσαι' καί είκος Βη άΧηθη εγκαΧεΐν έκάτερον 6 μεν ryap Mapto? ΒηΧος ην τι επιβονΧενων επεϊ τοιαντα τω ΔεΧφινίω νπεσγετο' ο Βε 'Ιππίας ξννομόσας Βικαίως άπερ επασχεν άντημννετο (or the last clause) Βίκαιος Βη ην τοΐς <γε ζυνομόσασιν εφ ’ εαυτόν άντεπιβουΧευσαι. 5. Civil war was fast approaching: and it is impossible to acquit Elizabeth of having done her best to foster it. In 5 it is better to avoid abstracts \στάσις προσηει, or, worse, 7 τόΧεμος των ποΧιτών, not Greek], and to make the subject of the verb as usual the persons concerned: εκατέρωθεν οσον οΰπω εστασίαζον , or μόνον ουκ ες 7 τόΧεμον ηΒη κατέστησαν, or something of the kind, will be satisfactory. I.] QUEEN OF SCOTS. 29 ‘ Foster’ will give rise to metaphorical mistranslations [τρέφω, etc.] ; we must say ‘ urge on ’ προτρέπω, or ‘ pro¬ mote’ 7 τράσσω, or perhaps simply, best of all, προθυμεϊσθαι, or πρόθυμος είναι. The greatest difficulty, however, is with the phrase ‘ it is impossible to acquit.’ It will not do to translate it literally [on δυνατόν άποΧυσαι, ούκ αν δύναιτο άποΧυσαι, etc.], because άποΧυω, ‘ to acquit,’ is a metaphor from law-courts, and so inappropriate. XV e might say ουδεϊς αν άμφια- βητοίη μη ου τούτο προθυμεϊσθαι την ’ΈϊΧισσαν : or per¬ haps it would be sufficient to write teal 7 τάσι δήΧον ώς τούτο προύθυμεΐτο, etc. 6. Afraid to take an open part lest she should have an insur¬ rection on her hands at home, she was ready to employ to the uttermost the aid of the Queen of Scots’ own subjects, and trusted to diplomacy or accident to extricate herself from the consequences. In 6, ‘ to take an open part ’ is simplest if φανερως τι πράξαι be used. * Have an insurrection on her hands.’ We had best change the subject from Elizabeth, who suffers , to the insurgents, who act: it is the constant tendency of Greek to revert to this, the most primitive and natural mode of expression. We can say μη πράγματα παρέχωσι οι οϊκοθεν νεωτερισαντες, where the sense of ‘ have on her hands ’ is given by the term πράγματα παρεχειν , ‘to give trouble.’ We might still more briefly say μη οι οϊκοθεν τι νεωτερίσωσιν : but per¬ haps a point is lost, and the other therefore better. ‘ The Queen of Scots’ own subjects ’ may be conveniently abridged into τοϊς εκεΐ, or, more idiomatically and expres¬ sively, το?9 εκεϊσε (implying messages and negotiations sent to them ): this will save άρ^όμενοι, or υπήκοοι , and other lumbering expressions. ‘ Diplomacy ’ will lead to various unnatural words of different degrees of harshness [τέχνη, 3o LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [I. πράξις, even 7 τροαίρεσις] : it means simply ‘ skill/ and the neatest word is ηνόομη, commonly opposed to τύχη. i Con¬ sequences * is instructively idiomatic: it means ‘ the had consequences/ ‘ the difficult or dangerous consequences/ and the important predicate is suggested only in English, but should be expressed in Greek. Perhaps κίνδυνος is the smoothest word. [Many will say τ a μέλλοντα, or τα άποβαίνοντα, vague and unnatural; some will say τα άποβησόμενα, doubly impossible.] The whole concluding passage (5 and 6) will then be: εκατέρωθεν δ’ ουν e? πόλεμόν δσον οΰπω κατέστησαν οι 7 τολΐται· και πάσι δηλον ώς τούτο ούχ ήκιστα 7 τρούθυμεΐτο η ’Έλ^σσα. φανερώς μεν yap τι πράξαι ούκ ετολμησεν, μη πpάyμaτa παρεχωσιν οι οϊκοθεν νεωτερίζοντες· λάθρα δε τοΐς εκεΐσε e? πάντα ήθελε ξυμπράσσειν, ώς του κινδύνου η ηνωμη η και τύχη περιηενησομενη. Note (1) δ’ ουν, dismissing the question of who was to blame, and reverting to facts; — (2) ουχ ήκιστα, common meiosis for ‘most,’ English ‘ done her best ’; — (3) λάθρα δε, pointing contrast to φανερως μεν, making the sense clearer than in the English; — (4) η κα\ τύχρ, a little more dramatic than the English, suggesting her recklessness. II — DEATH OF ANTONY. 1. A slave had brought the fatal dagger to Octavius, and exhibited the blood of his enemy still reeking upon it. The conqueror affected to weep for a man so closely allied to him, and one who had held so eminent a place in the commonwealth. 2. He pretended to be anxious to justify himself to those about him, and showed them the letters which had passed between them, in which his own moderation and the arrogance of his rival were conspicu¬ ously displayed. 3. In the meantime he sent a trusty officer, Proculeius, to the place whither Antonius had been carried in the agonies of death. The wounded man had already breathed his last; the doors of the massive sepulchre were closed, and the women refused to admit their strange visitor. 4. A threat of violence might drive the imprisoned queen to destroy herself, and the messenger was strictly charged to preserve her alive, partly for the sake of the hidden treasures which she alone, it was supposed, could reveal, and partly that she might form the most attractive spectacle in the destined triumph of Octavius. 5. Proculeius contrived to detain her in con¬ versation with a confederate at the door, while with one or two soldiers he climbed by a ladder to the upper story. si 32 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [II. 1. Beading the first two sentences— A slave had brought the fatal dagger to Octavius, and exhibited the blood of his enemy still reeking upon it. The con¬ queror affected to weep for a man so closely allied to him, and one who had held so eminent a place in the common¬ wealth —we notice that the subject is different from that of the piece generally. The whole passage is about Octavius, and the first two clauses describe the actions of the slave. But as these actions are the occasion of Octavius’ affecting to weep, etc., it is more in accordance with the Greek con¬ tinuous style to keep Octavius the subject, and put the slave in a subordinate sentence. We shall then say, ‘Octavius, when the slave, etc. . . . reeking upon it, affected to weep,’ etc. This will also conveniently get rid of 1 the conqueror,’ which has no special point here, and is merely used in Merivale’s somewhat stiff English as a synonym for Octavius. Secondly, note ‘ fatal ’ dagger. [Everybody will put θανάσιμος, δ\εθριος, or some such word.] These will not read naturally : why % The reason is instructive, and applies to many similar adjectives in English'when we are translat¬ ing into Greek: namely, the word ‘ fatal ’ is not part of the story; it is not a descriptive but an allusive epithet. If he had said the ‘ long ’ dagger, the ‘ sharp ’ dagger, the ‘ enemy’s ’ dagger, the adjective would have been wanted. ‘ Fatal ’ only implies that it was the dagger which had wounded Antony; and if we wish to express this, we must not do it by an allusive epithet, but directly, y εκείνος δίεφθάρη, or some such plain phrase. But the context tells us sufficiently that it was the dagger which had struck him, and ‘ fatal ’ should be omitted. Again, * his enemy ’ is periphrasis for ‘ Antony,’ which therefore we shall substitute. ‘ Beeking ’ is too imagina¬ tive a word for Greek: the plain fact was that the dagger was ‘ bloody,’ and that is enough. ‘ For a man so closely II.] DEATH OF ANTONY. 33 allied’ gives the reason for his affected grief, and can be conveniently done with ώ? and the participle: the alliance refers to the fact that Antony had married Caesar’s sister Octavia, and is sufficiently rendered by οικείος. With these hints the sentence can be easily turned as follows: 6 μεν ovv Όκτάφιος, επειδή δοΰΧός τις το iy 'χειρ ίδιον νεωστϊ ε^ρμαημενον τταρεσχεν, δδύρεσθαι δη προςεποιεΐτο ώς οικείου τε άττοθανόντος άνδρος και ευδόκιμου εν rf) ποΧει ηενομενου. Note δη, dramatic particle, eminently suitable to a clause describing pretence. Note also the position of oliceiov, giving strong prominence to the predicate. The re . . . και shows that €υδοκίμον is also predicate. 2. In the next sentence we must first observe the struc¬ ture— He pretended to be anxious to justify himself to those about him, and showed them the letters which had passed between them, in which his own moderation and the arrogance of his rival were conspicuously displayed. The first clause here being causal may be put in the parti¬ ciple, and then ‘ showed ’ will be the principal verb. In the last clause the abstracts ‘ moderation ’ and ‘ arrogance ’ will have as usual to be recast: and seeing that the clause virtu¬ ally contains the motive for his showing the letters, it had better be put oblique, somewhat in this way: ‘ Wherein he thought that he should appear reasonable and the other arrogant.’ As to the phrasing, ‘ pretended ’ may be given by ώ?. For ‘ justify ’ we might use δικαιουν [beginners will say δικάζειν, or some such horror], but the simplest word is άπo\oyείσθaι. For ‘letters which had passed between them’ relative or participial constructions will be clumsy [τά? yεyρaμμεvaς, τα? άττοδοθείσας, ετπστοΧας αί εττεμφθησαν, and other worse versions], and it will be sufficient to say, ‘ the letters of each,’ τά? εκατερου. 34 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [II. The whole passage will then be: iv Be τοΐς παρονσιν ως άιτόΧο^εΐσθαι βουΧόμενος τας εκατερου επιστοΧας επεΒειξεν, y αυτό? μεν επιεικής ώετο φανεΐσθαι, εκείνον Βε μεϊζόν τι φρονοΰντα. We might have said in the last line yBy yap αυτός μεν επιεικής φανούμενος, etc. 3. In the next two sentences— In the meantime he sent a trusty officer, Proculeius, to the place whither Antonius had been carried in the agonies of death. The wounded man had already breathed his last; the doors of the massive sepulchre were closed, and the women refused to admit their strange visitor —we observe first that the style, as usual in English rapid narrative, consists of short clauses, which in the Greek must be more linked together. ‘ The wounded man * in the place where it comes is merely a picturesque synonym for Antony; if it is to form part of the story it must be put in the natural place, i.e. in the previous clause. ‘ Agonies of death/ again, is conventional; the simpler Greek will merely say ‘ dying/ or ‘ in a grievous state.’ ‘Breathed his last’ is again a conventional euphemism; the Greeks say simply τεΧευταν. The whole sentence will be: iv Be τούτω ΤΙροκνΧεΐον πιστόν όντα ες το μεηα οίκημα επεμψεν, οΐπερ τον Αντώνιον τετρωμενον και χαΧεπώς εγοντα τότε εκόμισαν. επει δ’ ετεΧευτησεν, αι y υναΐκες ούτε άνοΐξαι ηθεΧον ετι τας θυρας, οΰτε εσΒεχεσθαι τον άνΒρα. Note (1) that the tomb is in the English called first ‘ the place/ and secondly, ‘ the massive sepulchre/ as is characteristic of this slightly artificial style. In the simpler Greek it is better to say once for all, ‘the large chamber’;—(2) the pluperfects ‘had been carried,’ ‘had breathed,’ are in Greek more naturally aorist, though rore is con¬ veniently added to the first to indicate vaguely that it happened before;—(3) the ‘ strange visitor ’ is sufficiently given by simply say¬ ing ‘ the man ’; or if it is thought preferable to express it as giving the reason for the exclusion, say τον ζίνον. II.] DEATH OF ΑΗΤΟΝ Y. 35 4. The next sentence is the hardest: A threat of violence might drive the imprisoned queen to destroy herself, and the messenger was strictly charged to preserve her alive, partly for the sake of the hidden treasures which she alone, it was supposed, could reveal, and partly that she might'form the most attractive spectacle in the destined triumph of Octavius. [Beginners will make all manner of mistakes here; first, by translating ‘a threat of violence’ literally, whereas in Greek a threat cannot drive, but a man with a threat. Secondly, for ‘ might drive ’ they will use av with the optative: but to a Greek reader this construction would mean the historian’s thought that it was likely to happen at the time he was writing.] The real fact is that it is a concealed oratio obliqua; it really expresses the misgiving of Octavius, or of Proculeius, and in Greek we must make this clear. The story may be best told thus: ‘ But he was unable to use threats, lest the queen should destroy herself; for he had been strictly charged,’ etc. Again, ‘ that she might form the most attractive spectacle,’ being thoroughly idiomatic English, cannot be done literally. [Beginners will say, e.g ., θβάμα το χαριβστατον.] The real main thought is not that she should ‘ form a spectacle,’ but that she should ‘ be present at the triumph.’ As to the phrasing, for ‘ destroy herself ’ the common expression is Καυτήν βιάζβσθαι. ‘ Preserve alive’ is ζωηρεϊν. ‘ Procession ’ is πομπή. The whole passage will then be : 6 Se άπειλαΐς μεν ούκ είχε ΧΡν σ ^ αί > PV Καυτήν δη βιάσαιτο η βασίΧεια. εϊρητο f yap ζωγρεΐν, τού re χρυσού ενεκα ώ? μόνην είδυϊαν r, κεκρυπται , και rf πομπή ΐνα παρείη, iv y ουδόν βμβλλε μαΧλον όκβίνης θανμάζβσθαι. Note (1) the dramatic δη where we give the motive ;—(2) the simplifying of the sentence about the treasure;—(3) the convenient idiom of expressing the superlative * most attractive spectacle ’ by the negative and concrete phrase, ‘ nothing was likely to be more admired.’ 3^ LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [II. 5. The piece ends— Proculeius contrived to detain her in conversation with a con¬ federate at the door, while with one or two soldiers he climbed by a ladder to the upper story. The English again is obviously artificial. If done literally [as beginners will do] it involves the absurdity of making Proculeius detain her at the door while he climbs the ladder. We must say, ‘he ordered a confederate to detain her/ etc. Again, as so often happens in English, what is really the principal verb (‘ he climbed') is put into the dependent sentence. With these hints the sentence is easy : ώστε παρα rf} θύρα τινα επίτάξας, ϊνα διαΧεγόμενος αυτήν in τίσχοί, αυτός ολίγων επόμενων δία κΧίμακος ες το υπερώον άνεβη. Note (1) ‘ a confederate ’ may be simply turned by ‘ some one — (2) the natural order of events is kept, ‘posting’—‘conversing’— ‘ detaining ’—‘ few followers ’—‘ ladder ’—‘ climbed.’ Ill —ZAPENA. 1. These arguments which had much logic in them were strongly urged by Zapena, whose counsels were usually received with deference. But on this occasion commanders and soldiers were hot for following up their victory. 2. They cared nothing for the numbers of the enemy: they cried, The more infidels the greater glory in destroying them. Delay might after all cause loss of the prize. 3. The archduke ought to pray that the sun might stand still for him that morning as for Joshua in the Yale of Ajalon. 4. The foe, seeing him¬ self entrapped, with destruction awaiting him, was now skulking towards his ships, which still offered him the means of escape. Should they give him time he would profit by their negligence, and next morning when they reached Nieuport, the birds would be flown. 5. Espe¬ cially the leaders of the mutineers w T ere hoarse with indignation at the proposed delay. They had not left their brethren, they shouted, nor rallied to the arch¬ duke’s banner, in order to sit down and dig the sand like ploughmen. 38 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [III. 1. The piece begins— These arguments which had much logic in them were strongly urged by Zapena, whose counsels were usually received with deference. But on this occasion commanders and soldiers were hot for following up their victory. The first point to notice is the artificial punctuation of the sentence. The thoughts are: Though the arguments were good, and strongly urged, and by a man generally listened to, they did not listen noiv: and accordingly the full stop at ‘ deference ’ must be disregarded. But as the sentence would be a little heavy if the three clauses all came together under the word ‘though/ it would be better to break them up, leaving the antithesis ‘he was usually listened to, but not now] for a second half of the sentence. The rest of the difficulties concern the phrasing. ‘ Had much logic ’ is not like Greek at all: it will suffice to say ‘sensible.’ Again, on the principle of grouping the ideas round the persons and their acts, it is more natural in Greek to say ‘ he argued sensibly/ than to say ‘ the arguments (or words) were sensible.’ For ‘ strongly urged ’ we might use the phrase 7 το\υς βγκβΐσθαι, or δίϊσγνρίζομαυ : but it will perhaps be more convenient to couple two adverbial phrases, and say ‘ sensibly and with earnestness ’: τοιαΰτα, δε φρονί- μως και μετά σπουδής παρρνει 6 Ζαποίνας. We shall then pass from what he did to what they did, and so change the subject at the natural place. ‘ But they, though usually they listened respectfully to him, now being victorious were not willing to desist/ or otherwise, ‘were anxious to follow up their success ’: and the nominative, as often hap¬ pens, may be repeated distributively at the end, ‘neither soldiers nor generals/ or ‘ both soldiers and generals/ accord¬ ing as our sentence is positive or negative. As to the phras¬ ing, for ‘ listened respectfully ’ we may say 7 τείθεσθαι or υπακούει : for ‘ follow up ’ we may use επεξελθεΐν or 'χρησθαί rfj νίκρ. III.] ZAPENA. 39 The second clause will then run: ου δε καίττερ ώς εττϊ τδ 7 το\υ ττευθόμενου αύτω, or καίττερ υττακούευν αύτω είωθότες, τότε μεντου κατορθωσαντες χ ρήσθαυ εττεθύμουν rfj νίκτ] real λοχαγοί καί στρατυώταυ. Next we have— 2 . They cared nothing for the numbers of the enemy : they cried, The more infidels the greater glory in destroying them. Delay might after all cause loss of the prize. The English here is to a beginner very misleading. The first sentence appears to be the words of the narrator; the second reports their cries; the third seems again the words of the narrator. As a fact, all three describe their feelings and the expression of them; the last clause being what so commonly occurs in English, a concealed oratio obliqua. Ac¬ cordingly in Greek the last two sentences will be oblique: the first one either leading up to it, or itself also oblique. That is, we may either say c (They said) they did not fear the numbers of the enemy: the more infidels the greater glory, etc. Delay might after all,’ etc.: or we may say ‘ They did not care/ etc. (oratio recta) : ‘ the more infidels/ etc. (oratio obliqua): 4 delays might/ etc. (oratio obliqua). As to the phrasing : ‘ numbers ’ must be to 7 τΚηθος, or τ οσούτους όντας, or, ‘ however many the enemy might be/ όττόσου εΐεν. [The beginner will put αριθμός , or, worse, αριθμοί Again, * infidels * he will render άττυστος ^un¬ faithful), or ασεβής (=impious): the latter at first sight a fair translation.] But the expression would look very unlike the usage of Greek prose. The reason is simple : the Greeks had no religious wars. The nearest corresponding feeling was the national prejudice against non-Hellenic enemies , whom they called βάρβαρου : I should therefore here use βάρβαρου. In the last clause we have three abstracts, delay , loss, prize: the sentence must, in accordance with our principles, be done 40 LECTURES ON GREEIC PROSE, [III. personally, and two at least will disappear. We shall then have, ‘ If they delayed, it was possible they might lose the advantage/ The whole sentence will then run: ου yap το ττΧηθος δεδιέναι των ητολεμίων, ώς οσω ΊτΧείονες είεν [or Vivid, βίσιν] οι βάρβαροι, τοσουτω μείζονι δόξη νικήσοντες· ήν δ’ ετι μεΧΧωσι, φοβερόν είναι μη σφαΧώσι του κέρδους [or μη άμάρτωσιν ών εφίενται]. In the second sentence, instead of τοσουτω μείζονι δόξη νικήσοντες, we might use the idiomatic accusative absolute with ώς, e.g., ώς οσω ΊτΧείονες εΐεν οI βάρβαροι τοσουτω μείζονα έσομένην την δόξαν νικησασιν, a turn which brings the true predicate (‘greater the glory’) into still clearer pro¬ minence. [The beginner will use bad words for prize, άθΧον, βραβεΐον, etc., and will make an abstract word subject of the last clause, την yap μεΧΧησιν το άθΧον αν άφεΧεΐν, which is very unlike classical Greek.] 3. The archduke ought to pray that the sun might stand still for him that morning as for Joshua in the Vale of Ajalon. No difficulty here in structure: ‘that the sun/ etc., is, of course, oblique petition , and acc. with infin.: some will be sure to put iva, ώς, or οπω? erroneously. ‘ Vale/ if looked out, will probably bring the poetic words νάπτη, or κΧίτυς , the prose word for ‘vale’ being 7 τεδίον, 1 if needed at all. I should translate: δεϊν τοίνυν τον στpaτηyόv εΰξασθαι (ώς ’Ιωσής ελέγετο ττερι ΑϊαΧον) έττιστηναι έαυτω τον ηΧιον εκείνη τη ήμερα [or instead of ετπστηναι, say ακίνητον yεvέσθaι\. Just note that in the English ‘as for Joshua/ etc., is made part of the prayer: it is more natural to make it a simple narrative parenthesis, as in the Greek. 1 nehiov is usually translated ‘plain’: but ‘vale’ here means the flat land at the foot of the hills, and that is exactly what the Greek 7 rebiov means. III.] ZA PENA. 4i 4 . The foe, seeing himself entrapped, with destruction awaiting him, was now skulking towards his ships, which still offered him the means of escape. Should they give him time he would profit by their negligence, and next morn¬ ing, when they reached Nieuport, the birds would be flown. In the connected style of Thucydides—indeed in any narrative Greek prose—this would probably be all one sentence, broken by a colon in the middle. As to the structure: use Oratio Obliqua, as it is still the feelings of the army that are being described. In the phrasing, note the following points: 4 entrapped ’ is too metaphorical for Greek, and we had better use some word like απορία, or αμήχανων, ου κατειλημμένος. ‘Seeing himself entrapped’ might be είδότα τον πολέμιον εν οία απορία κατεχεται. [The beginner will use two participles, one depending on another, always awkward: he will say τούς πολεμίους αισθανόμενους εμπλεκόμενους, or something heavy like that: or else he will import what he conceives to be Greek metaphor for trap, ες φρεατα, or ες παγίδα πεσόντας — pos¬ sible, but unnatural and unidiomatic : the other far better.] In the next, { with destruction awaiting him,’ of course the abstract must be changed : μέλλοντα άπολεσθαι, or perhaps neater ούδ ’ άν οίδμενον περιγενεσθαι not even expecting he could escape’—negative turns being often idiomatic), [Beginners will say διαφθοράν and such horrors: even more advanced students will use future participle, and say άπολου - μένους. Note specially that the present state of being about to do anything should always be done by μέλλω, never by future participle.] ‘ Skulking ’ ύπεξιεναι, the ύπο giving notion of secrecy. e The ships, which still offered,’ etc.: avoid the per¬ sonification, as ships in Greek prose do not usually ‘ offer’ even safety: and say ‘ by which they still hoped to escape ’ [the beginner will say τας ναΰς τας ετι προτιθείσας σωτηρίαν , or some such expression: clumsy structure, personified, 42 LECTURES ON GREEK PROSE. [III. abstract, and προτ. the wrong word]. ‘ Profit by negligence’ will be χρήσεσθαι τω καιρω (‘ use the opportunity ’) or something of the kind : the idea 4 negligence ’ is much better put into its natural and true place, namely in the protasis: ‘should they be negligent.’ ‘The birds would be flown’ is an English proverbial expression, to translate which literally would be absurd. [I have had τάς όρνιθας πτομενας αν εύρεΐν and similar versions!!] Even to put it as a simile (‘they would find them gone like birds ’) is making far too much of it: the plainer the better: say ovSeva en καταΧη-φεσθαι. The whole passage will then run: είΰότα