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Greek · Grammars

J. N. Madvig, Syntax of the Greek Language: Chapter V, Genitive

Syntax of The Greek Language, especially of the Attic dialect, for the use of schools, Dr. J. N. Madvig, professor in the university of Copenhagen. Translated from the German by the rev. Henry Browne, M. A and edited by the rev. Thomas Kerchever Arnold, M. A, late rector of Lyndon, and formerly fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. Together with an Appendix on the Greek Particles, by the Translator. 2nd edition. Rivingstons: London, Oxford, and Cambridge, 1873.

Pages 40–57 of the book.

Part I. On the connexion of words in sentences

Chapter V.

Genitive.

§ 46 (279)

The genitive in Greek denotes, in general, a connexion of dependence between the person or thing which is named in the genitive, and some other person or thing which is referred to it. The connexion is either immediate, between two substantives, one of which is defined by the other; or it appears in this, that something is referred to some other thing through an action or quality which goes to, is directed at, and exerted towards, or enters into, that other; or in this, that something is ranged under some other thing as the whole, of which it is the part. Further, the genitive denotes a parting from, and a going out from something, because this supposes a previously existing connexion. [1]


[1] This latter sense is not possessed by the Latin genitive, where the ablative is used in this way with prepositions, adjectives, and verbs. The use of the genitive to denote a connexion or hanging together, as the result of an action which aims at something and enters into it, is in Latin much more circumscribed, especially in verbs, so that in this regard also the Greek genitive is much more comprehensive than the Latin.

§ 47 (280)

In the genitive is put with a substantive the name of the person or thing which possesses what the substantive denotes; the person or thing to which it belongs, and by which therefore it can be denominated and designated (genitive of connexion and possession): Υἱὸς Δαρείου. Κῆποι ᾿Επικούρου. Οἰκέτης Δημοσθένους. Φύλαξ πόλεως. Σύγγραμμα Πλάτωνος. Ἔργον Πραξιτέλους. Ἢ τῶν πολεμίων τροπή. Τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Μισθὸς τεττάρων μηνῶν. ᾿Αριθμὸς πεντακισχιλίων ἐτῶν (Pl. Tim. 23; an amount of —). Κλήρωσις ἀρχῶν. Ai τῶν νεῶν τιμαί (honours which the young enjoy, or which they shew). Αἱ τῶν κακῶν συνουσίαι (bad men’s society, intercourse with bad men). ('O τῆς ἡσυχίας Blotoc, Eur. Bacch. 388, poetical.) Ἑκάστου [τούτων τῶν μαθημάτων] ὄργανόν τι ψυχῆς ἐκκαθαίρεται (Pl. Rep. 7, 527. In the case of each). Eivat τινος, γίγνεσθαί τινος. Ὃ λόγος Δημοσθένους ἐστίν (is D.'s, νομίζεται, is ascribed to D.). Εἰμὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τῶν τὰ βέλτιστα λεγόντων (Isocr. de Pac. 129. I belong to — ). Εἶναι τῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων (Pl. Pol. 807, to be the prey of —, at the mercy of —). Oi Πέρσαι τὴν ᾿Ασίαν ἑαυτῶν ποιοῦνται (Xen. Ages. 1, 33). (Oi Πελοποννήσιοι δύο καὶ εἴκοσι ναῦς τῶν ᾿Αθηναίων ἔλαβον, Thuc. 8, 95, two and twenty ships of the Athenians, Athenian ships.)

Rem. 1. The usual way of describing the son of such a man, is to put the father’s name in the genitive without υἱός: Λέαρχος Καλλιμάχου and Λ. ὁ Καλλιμάχου. (See the Article, § 18, a. R.) (Τὴν Σμικυθίωνος οὐχ ὁρᾷς Μελιστίχην; Arist. Eccl. 46, M. the wife of Sm.)

Rem. 2. The prepositions ἐν and ἐς (sometimes ἐξ) in the language of common life, and in imitations of it, often stand before a genitive with omission of the governing substantive οἰκία (also ἱερόν) : Περικλῆς Κλεινίαν καταθέμενος ἐν ᾿Αρίφρονος ἐπαίδευεν (Pl. Prot. 820, placed him in A.'s house). Μανθάνειν ἐν κιθαριστοῦ (Pl. Theet. 206, at a cithara player's). Πότερον τὸ παρὰ σοὶ ὕδωρ θερμότερον πιεῖν ἐστιν ἢ τὸ ἐν ᾿Ασκληπιοῦ ; (Xen. Mem. 3, 13, 3.) Ἔν “Αἰδου. Σωκράτης ἔφη ἰέναι ἐπὶ δεῖπνον εἰς ᾿Αγάθωνος (Pl. Symp. 174). Φοιτᾶν ἐς διδασκάλου (διδασκάλων), to attend such a master; πέμπειν εἰς διδασκάλων (Pl. Prot. 825). Ἑἰςῆλθον οἴκαδε ἐς ἐμαυτοῦ (Pl. Hipp. Maj. 304). Ἐς “Αἰδου. (Ἔκ διδασκάλων ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, Pl. Prot. 820, to leave school).

Rem. 3. On the genitive under the government of the article, see § 14,c., (‘A εἶχον ἀλλήλων, Thuc. 5, 89, what they had of one another's, belonging to one another; ὁπόσα ἀλλήλων εἶχον, Thuc. 5, 80.)

§ 48 (281)

The genitive is put, as objective genitive, to transitive substantives, i.e. such as are derived from transitive verbs, or from verbs or adjectives which govern the genitive, and such as denote a capacity, an opportunity, an influence, for and upon something: Ἔρως (Ἀράσπᾳ ἐνέπεσε) τῆς γυναικός. Φόβος τῶν πολεμίων, fear of (i. e. the being afraid of) the enemies; ὁ τῶν πολεμίων φόβος, the enemy’s fear (of something), or (some one’s) fear of the enemy. Πόθος τοῦ ἀποθανόντος. Διὰ Παυσανίου μίσος (Thuc. 1, 96; out of hatred towards P.). Διδάσκαλος λόγων (= ὁ λόγους διδάσκων). Ἐπιθυμία χρημάτων. Ἐπιμέλεια τῶν πραγμάτων. Ἀμέλεια γονέων. Ἡγεμονία τῆς Ἑλλάδος. Γραφὴ φόνου (γράφεσθαι φόνου). Ἐμπειρία τῶν πολεμικῶν. Ἐγκράτεια ἡδονῆς καὶ λύπης. Εἰρήνη καὶ ἐλευθερία τῶν τοιούτων (Pl. Rep. 1, 329; freedom from —). Ἀγγείων ἀπορία (Thuc. 4, 4, from lack of vessels). Ἀφορμὴν (ἄδειαν) διδόναι τινὶ τοῦ λοιδορεῖσθαι. Ἀφορμὴ ἔργων (Xen. Mem. 2, 7, 11, as a means of setting about a work).

Rem. Sometimes an objective genitive is even used with substantives derived from verbs or adjectives which take a dative or a preposition (especially πρός, εἰς, towards): but if any obscurity might result from the use of the genitive, a preposition is used: Ἐμμονὴ τοῦ κακοῦ (Pl. Gorg. 479, from ἐμμένειν τῷ κακῷ). Πρόβλημα χειμώνων (Pl. Tim. 74, a protection against). Ἐπικούρημα τῆς χιόνος (Xen. An. 4, 5, 13, also πρός). Οὐ λόγων τοὺς ἀγῶνας προτίθεμεν ἀλλ’ ἔργων (Thuc. 3, 67). Δῆλον ἐγένετο, ὅτι οὐ τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων εὐνοίας ἕνεκα ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἔλθοι (Xen. An. 4, 7, 20). Δημοσθένους φιλίᾳ καὶ Ἀθηναίων εὐνοίᾳ (Thuc. 7, 57; out of friendship for D., and goodwill towards the A.). Ἡσυχία ἐχθρῶν (Pl. Rep. 8, 566, repose from —). Sometimes the genitive is used even more harshly, instead of περί or a preposition of place: Τὸ τῶν Μεγαρέων ψήφισμα (Thuc. 1, 140). Ἡ τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐρώτησις (Pl. Theaet. 147). Μετὰ τὴν τῆς Αἰτωλίας ξυμφοράν (Thuc. 3, 114, = τὴν ἐν τῇ Αἰτωλίᾳ). Ἀπόστασις τῶν Ἀθηναίων (Thuc. 8, 5, = ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀθ.).

§ 49 (282)

a) (282) In the genitive (g. definitivus) is sometimes added that in which the generic notion expressed by the governing word is in a special manner contained and denominated (but usually only the genitive of an infinitive): Ἡ τοῦ χαίρειν διάθεσις (Pl. Phil. 11, the affection, or mood, of rejoicing), ἡ τοῦ πείθειν τέχνη (Pl. Phil. 58). Ἀμαθία αὕτη ἡ ἐπονείδιστος ἡ τοῦ οἴεσθαι εἰδέναι, ἃ οὐκ οἶδεν (Pl. Apol. 29, that of conceiting oneself to know —). [1]


[1]: Τὸ ὄνομα ὁ Μακάρτατος, the name M. (Dem. 43, 77). Τὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐμοῦ ὄνομα Σωσίαν τῷ υἱῷ ἐθέμην (Dem. 43, 74). (In apposition, not in the genitive. Very rarely τῷ ὄρει τῆς Ἰστώνης, Thuc. 4, 46, instead of τῷ ὄρει τῇ Ἰστώνῃ, see in § 13, R. Ἰλίου πτολίεθρον, poetic.)


b) (283) The genitive with words signifying a measure, number, or quantity, denotes the kind, the thing measured or numbered (g. generis): Πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων οὐ σμικρόν, βοῶν ἀγέλη, οἴνου δέκα ἀμφορεῖς, μέδιμνος σίτου, ἅμαξαι σίτου (Xen. Cyr. 2, 4, 18, wagon-loads of corn), τριάκοντα μυριάδες στρατιᾶς (Xen. An. 1, 4, 5), τριακόσια τάλαντα φόρου (Thuc. 2, 13, in taxes). Ἦν τι στασιασμοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει (Thuc. 4, 130). (Rarely with a neuter adjective as substantive: Ἀμήχανον εὐδαιμονίας, Pl. Apol. 41; something inconceivably great in the way of blessedness; inconceivable happiness. Ἀθηναῖοι ἐπὶ μέγα ἐχώρησαν δυνάμεως, Thuc. 1, 118. Ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀνθρώπων, Thuc. 1, 1.) (Ἅλις τούτων.)

REM. 1. Especially we may remark the expression ἐν παντὶ κακοῦ (ἀθυμίας, etc.) εἶναι (ἐς πᾶν κακοῦ ἀφικνεῖσθαι).

REM. 2. In like manner, a genitive is appended to adverbs (especially πῶς, ὡς, and ὅπως, ὡσαύτως, εὖ, καλῶς, κακῶς, ἱκανῶς) with the verb ἔχω, in the sense am qualified, disposed, provided, in regard of, find myself in point of, have a certain measure of —: Πῶς ἔχεις δόξης τοῦ τοιοῦδε πέρι; (Pl. Rep. 5, 456.) Πελοποννήσιοι ἔπλεον, ὡς εἶχε τάχους ἕκαστος (Thuc. 2, 90). Ἆρ’ οὖν οὗτος ἱκανῶς ἐπιστήμης ἔξει; (Pl. Phil. 62.) Συμμέτρως λεπτότητος ἔχειν καὶ πάχους (Pl. Tim. 85). (Ὡς ποδῶν εἶχον, as fast as my legs would carry me, τάχιστα, Hdt. 6, 116.) (Ἡ Κέρκυρα τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ Σικελίας καλῶς παράπλου κεῖται, Thuc. 1, 36; lies exceedingly well for the voyage to S.) In Hdt. and the poets also, Πῶς ἀγῶνος ἥκομεν; εὖ ἥκειν χρημάτων, etc. (always without article.)

§ 50 (284)

a) (284) The genitive stands with words which denote a part of something, in order to assign the whole (g. partitivus). In this manner the genitive is governed by substantives and words used substantively (pronouns, numerals, adjectives, and participles with the article, the article with an adverb or with a preposition and its case), by superlatives and by verbs involving the signification of the superlative: Μέρος τι (τὰ δύο μέρη) τῆς στρατιᾶς. Τῶν γερόντων τις. Ἐν ἐνίαις τῶν πόλεων. Τῶν πολιτῶν οἱ μὲν ἀπώλοντο, οἱ δὲ ἔφυγον. Δέκα (πολλοί) τῶν στρατιωτῶν. Ὁ τέταρτος τῶν παίδων. Οἱ δεινότατοι τῶν ῥητόρων. Τὰ καλὰ τῶν ζώων, οἱ σπουδαῖοι τῶν γονέων (Isocr. Dem. 11). Οἱ χρηστοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων (Arist. Pl. 490). Ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς χώρας (Thuc. 4, 3, over a great part of the land). Ἀθηναίων ὁ βουλόμενος. Ὅ,τι περ ὄφελος ἦν τοῦ στρατεύματος (Xen. Hell. 5, 3, 6). Τὸ καταντικρὺ αὐτῶν τοῦ σπηλαίου (Pl. Rep. 7, 515, the part of the cavern facing them). Οἱ πολλοὶ χαίρουσι καὶ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων καὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων τοῖς καὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν βλάπτουσιν (Isocr. Pac. 109). Σύμβουλος ἀγαθὸς χρησιμώτατον ἁπάντων τῶν κτημάτων ἐστίν (Isocr. Nicocl. 53). Μόνος πάντων φρονεῖς. Ὀρθότατα ἀνθρώπων λέγεις (Pl. Theaet. 195). Ἡ ναῦς ἄριστα ἔπλει παντὸς τοῦ στρατοπέδου (Lys. 21, 6). Οἱ παλαιότατοι τῶν Ἀθηναίων πρόγονοι τῶν καθ’ ἑαυτοὺς ἀνθρώπων ἠρίστευσαν (Xen. Mem. 3, 5, 10). — Τῷ ὁρῶμεν ἡμῶν αὐτῶν τὰ ὁρώμενα; (Pl. Rep. 6, 507; with what part of ourselves —?) Ἐν τοιούτῳ τῆς οἰκίας, ὅπου πλειστάκις ὁ δεσπότης ὄψεται (Xen. Hipp. 4, 1; in such a part of the house). Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐν τούτῳ παρασκευῆς ἦσαν (Thuc. 2, 17). — Εἰς τοῦτό, τινες ἀνοίας ἐληλύθασιν (Isocr. Pac. 31). Εἰς τοσοῦτο ἀμαθίας ἥκω (Pl. Apol. 25).

REM. 1. We must note the different positions of the words, when the partitive genitive is governed by a participle with the article which has with it other definitions (case, adverbs, etc.): Οἱ Ἀρκάδων ἡμέτεροι ὄντες ξύμμαχοι (Thuc. 5, 64, those of the Arc. who —). Αἱ ἄριστα τῶν νεῶν πλέουσαι (Thuc. 1, 48). Οἱ ξυμπροθυμηθέντες τῶν ῥητόρων τὸν ἔκπλουν (Thuc. 8, 1).

REM. 2. With numbers or words of number (μόνος, ὀλίγοι) now and then ἀπό, ἐξ are added, especially to denote that which is drawn off from, or remains: Ἅγνων ἀπὸ τετρακισχιλίων ὁπλιτῶν χιλίους καὶ πεντήκοντα τῇ νόσῳ ἀπώλεσεν (Thuc. 2, 58). Ἐκ τριῶν ἓν ἂν εἱλόμην (Soph. Tr. 734, I should have chosen one of three).

REM. 3. Instead of the neuter singular of an adjective denoting magnitude (πολύς, etc.), or a certain part (e.g. ἥμισυς, λοιπός) with a partitive genitive, in Greek the adjective often takes the gender of the genitive: Ὁ ἥμισυς, ὁ λοιπὸς τοῦ χρόνου. Εὐκτήμων ἐβίω ἔτη ἓξ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα, τούτου δὲ τοῦ χρόνου τὸν πλεῖστον ἐδόκει εὐδαίμων εἶναι (Isa. 6, 18). Κῦρος κατενόει πολλὴν τῆς χώρας τοῖς Ἀρμενίοις ἔρημον καὶ ἀργὸν οὖσαν διὰ τὸν πόλεμον (Xen. Cyr. 3, 2, 2). (Rarely with other adjectives: Τῆς γῆς ἡ ἀρίστη, Thuc. 1, 2.)

REM. 4. Sometimes a general subject (or object) is put first, and then instead of the partitive genitive, we have, by way of apposition, a partition with pronouns or words of number (e.g. οἱ μὲν — οἱ δέ, etc.) or a limitation (οἱ πολλοί, partly — partly, for the most part): Οἱ τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ μεμφόμενοι λέγουσι, ὅτι οἱ ξυνόντες αὐτῇ οἱ μὲν οὐδενὸς ἄξιοι, οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ πολλῶν κακῶν ἄξιοί εἰσιν (Pl. Rep. 6, 495). Οἶδα ἀδελφούς, οἱ τὰ ἴσα λαχόντες ὁ μὲν αὐτῶν τἀρκοῦντα ἔχει, ὁ δὲ τοῦ παντὸς ἐνδεῖται (Xen. Conv. 4, 35). Πελοποννήσιοι καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι, τὰ δύο μέρη, ἐνέβαλον ἐς τὴν Ἀττικήν (Thuc. 2, 47). Οἱ ἐναντίοι τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις δεξιὸν μὲν κέρας οἱ Μαντινεῖς εἶχον, παρὰ δ’ αὐτοῖς οἱ ξύμμαχοι Ἀρκάδων ἦσαν, ἔπειτα Ἀργείων οἱ χίλιοι λογάδες (Thuc. 5, 67). Cf. § 5, ἕκαστος and ἄλλος ἄλλο.

b) A partitive genitive is also governed by an adverb of place or time, denoting a point in and of the whole: Ἐξάγγελλε τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἡμᾶς παρασκευάζεσθαι ἐμβαλεῖν που τῆς ἐκείνων χώρας (Xen. Cyr. 6, 1, 42). Οὐκ οἶσθα, ὅπου γῆς εἰ (Pl. Rep. 3, 403). Πανταχοῦ τῆς γῆς, οὐδαμοῦ γῆς. (Οὐ βλέπεις, ἵν’ εἰ κακοῦ. Soph. Ed. R. 413.) Ἄλλοι ἄλλῃ τῆς πόλεως ἀπώλλυντο (Thuc. 2, 4). Οἱ ἄλλοι, ὅσοι ἐνταῦθα ἦλθον ἡλικίας (Pl. Rep. 1, 329). Οἱ ἄνω τοῦ γένους (Pl. Legg. 9, 378, those higher up in the race, i. e. the ancestors), ἐγγύτατα γένους (Isa. 3, 64). Πόῤῥω σοφίας ἐλαύνειν (Pl. Euthyphr. 4, a long way into —). Πόῤῥω τῶν νυκτῶν, πρωῒ τῆς ἡμέρας, ὀψὲ τῆς ὥρας. Πηνίκα τῆς ἡμέρας; (Arist. Aves 1498; at what time of day?)

§ 51 (284, R. 1)

(284, R. 1) A partitive genitive not unfrequently stands in Greek without an expressly governing word, in the following cases:

a) When to an indefinite substantive (without article) there is added the mention of a special sort, by an adjective or participle: Ἔρχεται ὀρχηστρὶς τῶν τὰ θαύματα δυναμένων ποιεῖν (Xen. Symp. 2, 1, a dancing-girl, of those who —). Παταγύας, ἀνὴρ Πέρσης τῶν ἀμφὶ Κῦρον πιστῶν (Xen. An. 1, 8, 1. Similarly: Ἀνὴρ τῶν ῥητόρων, Arist. Eq. 423. Ἄνδρες τῶν φυλάκων, Thuc. 6, 43. Ἀνήρ almost merely = τίς).

b) When to the whole expressed in the genitive there is immediately annexed the special name of the individual (not a general class-notion): Τῆς Ἰταλίας Λοκροὶ μὲν Συρακουσίων ἦσαν, Ῥηγῖνοι δέ, κατὰ τὸ ξυγγενές, Λεοντίνων (Thuc. 3, 86, of Italy, in It., of the Italian cities). Οἱ Δωριῆς ἡμῶν (Thuc. 4, 61, = οἱ Δωριῆς ὄντες ἡμῶν). Λακεδαιμόνιοι τῶν περιοίκων (Thuc. 4, 53, Lac. of the class of the Periæci). Especially in this manner is used the genitive of a country (a place) with the name of a single point in it: Παραλαβόντες Βοιωτοὺς καὶ Φωκέας Ἀθηναῖοι ἐστράτευσαν τῆς Θεσσαλίας ἐπὶ Φάρσαλον (Thuc. 1, 111, to Ph. in Th.). Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ὡρμίσαντο τῆς Χεῤῥονήσου ἐν Ἐλεοῦντι (Xen. Hell. 2, 1, 10). (The genitive here has always the article, the governing word never, the place in itself less known being referred to the well-known country.)

c) With the verbs εἶναι, γίγνεσθαι, to be, become, one of — (i. e. to belong to —), and after all verbs denoting the being in one or another way received into a class, counting or being counted with a class. But with εἶναι, γίγνεσθαι, and sometimes with other verbs, εἷς may be prefixed to the genitive, e.g. Κριτίας τῶν τριάκοντα ἦν (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 31, one of the thirty tyrants). Τῶν Ἀλκμαιονιδῶν εἶναι (Dem. 21, 144). Ἐξῆν Εὐκράτει τῶν τριάκοντα γενέσθαι (Lys. 18, 5). Ἔστι τῶν αἰσχρῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν αἰσχίστων τοὺς ξυμμάχους φαίνεσθαι προδιδόντα (Dem. 2, 2. So ἔστι τῶν λυσιτελούντων, τῶν ἀδίκων, τῶν καλῶν, nearly = αἰσχρόν, ἄδικον, etc.). But also Ἔστιν ἓν τῶν αἰσχρῶν, Isocr. Arch. 97; ἔστι τῶν φαύλων τι, Pl. Rep. 10, 603; ἕν τι τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἐστιν, Dem. 20, 135. Τῶν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀνηλωκότων τὴν οὐσίαν εἷς ἐγὼ φανήσομαι γεγενημένος (Isocr. Call. 62). Ὁ Θράσυλος τῶν ἐν Σικελίᾳ κατελέγη τριηράρχων (Isa. 7, 5). Σόλων τῶν ἑπτὰ σοφιστῶν ἐκλήθη (Isocr. Antid. 235). Γράφε με τῶν ἱππεύειν ἐπιθυμούντων (Xen. Cyr. 4, 3, 21). Καὶ ἐμὲ θὲς τῶν πεπεισμένων (Pl. Rep. 4, 424). Οὐδαμοῦ πώποτε Μειδίας τῶν συγχαιρόντων ἐξητάσθη τῷ δήμῳ (Dem. 21, 202). Also: Αἰσχίνης τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν σῶν εἷς ἐξητάζετο (Dem. 19, 291). Μειδίας εὔχετο μὴ λαχεῖν τῶν ἐξιόντων (Dem. 21, 133, = στρατευσομένων).

d) With verbs which otherwise govern the accusative (especially in the sense give or take), when a certain indefinite portion (somewhat, some) of a whole is denoted as their object (as in English: to eat of this or that): Πολὺ μᾶλλον ὑμῖν προσήκει τῶν ὑμετέρων ἐμοὶ διδόναι ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν ἐμοὶ ἀμφισβητῆσαι (Lys. 21, 15). Ὁ Κυαξάρης λαβὼν τῶν ἐῤῥωμένων ἵππων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν προσελαύνει (Xen. Cyr. 1, 4, 20). Ὁ Κῦρος ἔταξε Γλοῦν καὶ Πίγρητα, λαβόντας τοῦ βαρβαρικοῦ στρατοῦ, συνεκβιβάζειν τὰς ἁμάξας (Xen. An. 1, 5, 7). Ὅσοι ἔφαγον τῶν κηρίων, πάντες ἄφρονες ἐγίγνοντο (Xen. An. 4, 8, 20, ate of the honeycombs). Οἱ Συρακούσιοι ἐς τὸ Ὀλυμπιεῖον παρέπεμψαν φυλακήν, δείσαντες, μὴ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι τῶν χρημάτων, ἃ ἦν αὐτόθι, κινήσωσιν (Thuc. 6, 70, take of the money). Ἀθηναῖοι ἀφίκοντο ἐς Πρασιὰς καὶ τῆς τε γῆς ἔτεμον (ἐδῄωσαν) καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πόλισμα εἶλον (Thuc. 2, 56, laid waste a part of the land. Ibid. ἔτεμον τὴν Τροιζηνίδα γῆν and ἔτεμον τῆς γῆς τὴν πολλήν). Βρασίδας διελὼν τοῦ παλαιοῦ τείχους μίαν ἐποίησε πόλιν ἐκ δυοῖν (Thuc. 5, 2, a. E; B. made a breach in —). Ἀνιέναι ὀργῆς, to abate of (lay aside) his anger, Arist. Ran. 700, and τῆς ἐφόδου, to relax in their attack, Thuc. 7, 43. [1]


[1]: Ἐπιμίγνυσθαι ἔφασαν οἱ Πέρσαι σφῶν τε πρὸς Καρδούχους καὶ ἐκείνων πρὸς αὑτούς (Xen. An. 3, 5, 16. The elliptic genitive as subject). Κατεσκάφη τῶν τειχῶν τῶν μακρῶν ἐπὶ δέκα στάδια ἑκατέρου (Lys. 13, 8; as if it were, of the long walls there was thrown down to the extent of ten stadia).


REM. In like manner (with the notion of part and piece), it is said, ἰέναι τοῦ πρόσω (Xen. An. 1, 3, 1, to go forward), ἐπιταχύνειν τῆς ὁδοῦ τοὺς σχολαίτερον προσιόντας (Thuc. 4, 47, to hasten them on their way), προκόπτειν τινὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς (Thuc. 4, 60, to further a person’s progress to dominion; to pave the way to his dominion). Κατέαγα (μέγα) τῆς κεφαλῆς (Pl. Arist.), I have got a (great) hole in my head (somewhere in my head), συνετρίβην τῆς κεφαλῆς (also συντρίβεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, Lys. 3, 18, by § 31).

§ 52 (286)

(286) Two genitives may stand in different senses with the same substantive: Οἱ ἄνθρωποι διὰ τὸ αὑτῶν δέος τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῶν κύκνων καταψεύδονται (Pl. Phæd. 85). Ἵππου δρόμος ἡμέρας (Dem. 19, 273, a day’s running of a horse). Διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀνέμου ἄπωσιν τῶν ναυαγίων ἐς τὸ πέλαγος (Thuc. 7, 34, by the wind’s drifting the wrecks out to sea). (One genitive is governed by another: μετὰ τῆς συμμαχίας τῆς αἰτήσεως, Thuc. 1, 32, together with their desire of, or application for, an alliance.)

§ 53

Instead of a substantive for the governing word, a possessive genitive (§ 47) may be governed by a neuter pronoun, or by the word ἕν in the sense of something in or on the part of some person, so that the pronoun is often explained by a sentence with ὅτι annexed, or a dependent interrogative proposition: Τοῦτό μοι ἔδοξε τῶν κατηγόρων ἀναισχυντότατον εἶναι (Pl. Apol. 17). Μάλιστα τῶν κατηγόρων ἓν ἐθαύμασα τῶν πολλῶν, ὧν ἐψεύσαντο, τοῦτο, ἐν ᾧ ἔλεγον, ὡς χρῆν ὑμᾶς εὐλαβεῖσθαι, μὴ ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ ἐξαπατηθῆτε (Pl. Apol. 17, at one thing among many in them). Ἄλλα τέ σου πολλὰ ἄγαμαι καὶ ὅτι νῦν ἅμα χαριζόμενος Καλλίᾳ καὶ παιδεύεις αὐτόν (Xen. Conv. 8, 12). Τὸ βραδύ, ὃ μέμφονται μάλιστα ἡμῶν, μὴ αἰσχύνεσθε (Thuc. 1, 84). Ἃ διώκει Αἰσχίνης τοῦ ψηφίσματος, ταῦτ’ ἐστίν (Dem. 18, 56). With verbs denoting to perceive and remark, when such a sentence is added, the pronoun is often omitted; so that the genitive is proximately governed by the following sentence: Ἐγὼ οὔποτε ἐπαυόμην βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ μακαρίζων, διαθεώμενος αὐτῶν, ὅσην μὲν χώραν καὶ οἵαν ἔχοιεν, ὡς δ’ ἄφθονα τὰ ἐπιτήδεια (Xen. An. 3, 1, 19). Ἀγνοοῦμεν ἀλλήλων ὅ,τι λέγομεν (Pl. Gorg. 517, each other’s speech and meaning). Ἐγὼ μάλιστα ἐθαύμασα Σωκράτους πρῶτον μὲν τοῦτο, ὡς εὐμενῶς τῶν νεανίσκων τὸν λόγον ἀπεδέξατο, ἔπειτα ἡμῶν ὡς ὀξέως ᾔσθετο, ὃ πεπόνθειμεν ὑπὸ τῶν λόγων (Pl. Phæd. 89). Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν Σωκράτης αὐτῶν (τῶν τὰ μετέωρα ἐρευνώντων) ἐσκόπει, πότερά ποτε νομίσαντες ἱκανῶς ἤδη τἀνθρώπεια εἰδέναι ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων φροντίζειν, ἢ τἀνθρώπεια παρέντες τὰ δαιμόνια σκοποῦσιν (Xen. Mem. 1, 1, 12, the first thing that he considered in them was, whether —).

REM. From this usage of the language, or from some such way of taking the relation, it results that the poets use the genitive with the verbs say and hear in the sense of, about: (Τῆς μητρὸς ἥκω τῆς ἐμῆς φράσων ἐν οἷς νῦν ἔστιν, Soph. Trach. 1122, in what condition she is, the state of my mother:) and also, that in passing to a new matter, a genitive is put at the head of a sentence unconnected with the following construction, in the sense, as touching —: Τί δὲ ἵππων οἴει ἢ τῶν ἄλλων ζώων; ἢ ἄλλῃ πῃ ἔχειν; (Pl. Rep. 5, 459.) Τί δὲ γῆς τετμήσεως τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς καὶ οἰκιῶν ἐμπρήσεως, ποῖόν τί σοι δράσουσιν οἱ στρατιῶται πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους (ibid. 470).

§ 54 (290)

a) (290) The genitive with εἰμί sometimes denotes the person or thing to which something belongs and is appropriate, becoming, suitable, competent [is his part, duty, &c.]: Ἔστιν ἄρα δικαίου ἀνδρὸς βλάπτειν καὶ ὁντινοῦν ἄνθρωπον; (Pl. Rep. 1, 335.) Οἰκονόμου ἀγαθοῦ ἐστιν εὖ οἰκεῖν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ οἶκον (Xen. Œc. 1, 2). Οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἐκλέξασθαι, ποῖα ἀγαθὰ τῶν ἡδέων ἐστὶ καὶ ὁποῖα κακά (Pl. Gorg. 500). Ἀπόστασις τῶν βίαιόν τι πασχόντων ἐστίν (Thuc. 3, 39; takes place only in the case of those who suffer harsh treatment; is for those who —). (Νομίσατε εἶναι τοῦ καλῶς πολεμεῖν τὸ αἰσχύνεσθαι καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι πείθεσθαι, Thuc. 5, 9, that to the right conduct of war it is essential.) (Εἶναι πρός τινος, see under the prep. πρός.)

b) (285) A genitive of a substantive with an adjective (pronoun or numeral) is either referred by εἰμί to a subject, or even immediately connected with a substantive, to denote its demands and consequence (what it calls for, and brings with it), its magnitude, value, also age (descriptive genitive): Ὡς μὲν ἐγὼ οὐκ ἀδικῶ κατὰ τὴν Μελήτου γραφήν, οὐ πολλῆς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἀπολογίας (Pl. Apol. 28). Ταῦτα καὶ δαπάνης μεγάλης καὶ πόνων πολλῶν καὶ πραγματείας εἶναι δοκεῖ (Dem. 8, 48). Οὐσία τεττάρων καὶ δέκα ταλάντων (Dem. 27, 4). Χωρίον δέκα μνῶν (Isa. 2, 35). Ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμόν, ὄντα τὸ εὖρος τεττάρων πλέθρων (Xen. An. 1, 4, 11. Here also without adjective, as the substantive πλέθρον in itself expresses a definite magnitude: Ποταμὸς Κέρσος ὄνομα, εὖρος πλέθρου, Xen. An. 1, 4, 4). Τὸ τίμημα τῆς χώρας ἑξακισχιλίων ταλάντων ἐστίν (Dem. 14, 19, comes to). Τοῦ Μαρσύου ποταμοῦ τὸ εὖρός ἐστιν εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ποδῶν (Xen. An. 1, 2, 8). [1] Μανία ἦν ἐτῶν πλέον ἢ τετταράκοντα (Xen. Hell. 3, 1, 14).


[1]: But also: Ὁ φόρος ἦν τετρακόσια τάλαντα καὶ ἑξήκοντα (Thuc. 1, 96). Τοῦ τείχους ἦν τὸ εὖρος πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι πόδες (Xen. An. 3, 4, 7).


REM. 1. But the descriptive genitive in Greek is not used of properties and make or nature in general, except in one or two idioms with εἰμί. (Τούτου τοῦ τρόπου εἰμί, Arist. Pl. 246. Τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης εἶναι, Thuc. 5, 46, τῶν αὐτῶν λόγων, Pl. Gorg. 482, to keep to the same tale.)

REM. 2. Beside πρόσοδος δυοῖν μναῖν (Xen. Vectig. 3, 10), we find also δύο μναῖ προσόδου by § 49, b. Likewise apposition is used: τριάκοντα μνᾶς πρόσοδον ἔχειν or τὴν πρόσοδον (Dem. 27, 9), by § 19, R. 2.

c) The genitive with εἰμί and γίγνεσθαι denotes the extraction and birth-place, also the material: Βούσιρις πατρὸς μὲν ἦν Ποσειδῶνος, μητρὸς δὲ Λιβύης (Isocr. Bus. 10). Πατρὸς λέγεται Κῦρος γενέσθαι Καμβύσου, μητρὸς δὲ ὁμολογεῖται Μανδάνης γενέσθαι (Xen. Cyr. 1, 2, 1). [2]


[2]: Often γίγνεσθαι ἔκ τινος. (Ἀπό τινος γίγν., to be descended from some one.) Poetically φῦναι, βλαστεῖν τινος.


Ἱπποκράτης ὅδε ἐστὶν Ἀπολλοδώρου υἱός, οἰκίας μεγάλης τε καὶ εὐδαίμονος (Pl. Prot. 316). Τίμαιος ὅδε εὐνομωτάτης ἐστὶ πόλεως τῆς ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ Λοκρίδος, οὐσίᾳ καὶ γένει οὐδενὸς ὕστερος τῶν ἐκεῖ (Pl. Tim. 20). Ἡ κρηπὶς (the foundation) ἦν λίθου ξεστοῦ κογχυλιάτου (Xen. An. 3, 4, 10). (Also without εἶναι and with ποιεῖν: Θεμέλιοι παντοίων λίθων, Thuc. 1, 93. Φοίνικος αἱ θύραι πεποιημέναι ἦσαν, Xen. Cyr. 7, 5, 22.) [1]


[1]: In Herodot. πεποιημένος ἔκ τινος and ἀπό τινος.

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