Greek · Grammars

J. N. Madvig, Syntax of the Greek Language: Chapter VIII, Adjectives and Adverbs

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.

English Grammar Advanced 19th century J. N. Madvig

Pages 70–77 of the book.

Chapter VIII.

The relations of Adjectives (and Adverbs), especially the degrees of Comparison.

(300) a) The adjectives which express order and sequence, as also those which denote inclination, contentment with an action, or a multitude and vehemence, together with some others (e. g. μόνος), stand in Greek as apposition to the subject, sometimes also to the object, where we use an adverb to denote the situation and relation of the subject (or object) during the action: Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι πρότεροι ἐπῄεσαν. Ἡρόδοτος πρῶτος τὰ Περσικὰ συνέγραψεν (but πρῶτον τὰ Περσικά, first the Persian war, then something else). Ὕστατος ἥκω. Ὁ δῆμος Μιλτιάδῃ συνεχώρησε πρώτῳ γραφῆναι παρακαλοῦντι τοὺς στρατιώτας (Æsch. 3, 186). Ὁ ἐπιβὰς πρῶτος τοῦ τείχους. Τρεψαμένων τῶν Ἀθηναίων τοὺς Χίους πρώτους, νικᾶται καὶ τὸ ἄλλο στράτευμα (Thuc. 8, 55. Here more usually πρῶτον τοὺς Χ.).--Ἑκόντες ἁμαρτάνετε. (Οἱ ἄκοντες ἁμαρτόντες, Dem. 24, 49.) Λύσανδρος τὰς πόλεις ἑκούσας παρελάμβανεν. Ἄσμενος (and ἀσμένως) ὑμᾶς εἶδον.--Ὁ ἄνεμος ἐκπνεῖ μέγας (Thuc. 6, 104). Κρήνη ἄφθονος ῥέουσα (Xen. An. 6, 2, 4).--Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ὑποσπόνδους τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀπέδοσαν τοῖς Συρακουσίοις. Μόνοις τοῖς καλῶς τεθραμμένοις σωφροσύνη ἐγγίγνεται (Isocr. Panath. 198). (Ἄπρακτος ἀποχωρῶ, &c. [= re infecta.])

REM. In particular, note the use of the adjectives in αῖος formed from the numerals, in apposition to the subject, to denote the day on which the thing took place: Διεφθείροντο οἱ πλεῖστοι ἐναταῖοι καὶ ἑβδομαῖοι (Thuc. 2, 49). Τεταρταῖοι ἐπὶ τοῖς ὁρίοις ἐγένοντο (Xen. Cyr. 5, 3, 8). (Σκοταῖος, Xen., ὄρθριος, Pl.) In the poets some other adjectives of place and time are also used instead of adverbs: Χρόνιος ἐφάνην (Soph.). Θυραῖος οἰχνῶ (Soph.). Ταχὺς ὁρμῶμαι (Soph.).

b) Often where we should put the adjective as attributive to an indefinite substantive (subject, object, or preposition with its case), the adjective stands as apposition to the substantive with the definite article prefixed, the substantive notion being put as something given, and previously known or presupposed, and the adjective being put as its predicate; the principal point being to describe the nature, condition, or circumstances of that thing (see § 12, with the examples): Τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ὀλίγους χρὴ ἑλέσθαι (Thuc. 6, 72, it behoves to choose few generals: the generals to be chosen should be few). Τοὺς ἀκουσομένους ἑτέρους τοιούτους ἔχουσιν (Pl. Phæd. 58; they have other such hearers). Διαχειμάζειν ἐν ἀφθόνοις τοῖς ἐπιτηδείοις (Xen. An. 7, 6, 31). (Cf. § 100 a).

(301) a) Adjectives with the article in the masculine, whether singular or plural, are used as substantives to denote a certain class of persons: Συμφέρει τοῖς πολίταις, τὸν ἀσθενῆ παρὰ τοῦ πλουσίου δίκην, ἢν ἀδικῆται, δύνασθαι λαβεῖν (Dem. 45, 67). In the neuter, the singular denotes a certain notion in general, something as a whole; the plural, on the other hand, denotes the several individuals of a certain kind: Τὸ ἀγαθόν, τὸ δίκαιον, τὸ μέσον (the mean), τὸ ὑπήκοον τῶν ξυμμάχων (the obedient portion of the allies),--τὰ ἀγαθά, τὰ καλά, τὰ πολιτικά (affairs of the state). The neuter of adjectives in ικός denotes the collective body of persons of a certain kind: τὸ Ἑλληνικόν (the Grecian race, the Grecian portion of a certain population), τὸ βαρβαρικόν, τὸ ξυμμαχικόν, τὸ πελταστικόν. (Τὸ ναυτικόν, the naval force.) It is more rare, especially in prose, for a masculine adjective without the article to be used of indefinite persons of a certain kind: Ἀγαθῷ οὐδεὶς οὐδέποτε ἐγγίγνεται φθόνος (Pl. Tim. 29). (Usually ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός. On the other hand, in the neuter: Δεινὰ λέγεις. Ἐν δεινοτέροις νῦν ἐσμεν ἢ τότε. Even in the singular: Ἄτοπον λέγεις, Pl. Conv. 175, = ἄτοπόν τι. Οὐκ ἔχουσι τούτου βέλτιον λέγειν, Pl. Soph. 247, any thing better.)

REM. 1. The poets and some prose writers (Thucydides) use a neuter adjective with the article instead of the corresponding abstract substantive: ἐκ τοῦ περιχαροῦς τῆς νίκης (Thuc. 7, 73, from the exceeding joy of victory), διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον κομπῶδες (Thuc. 5, 68, from the natural boastfulness of man).

REM. 2. From prepositions and adjectives are formed adverbial expressions, e. g. διὰ βραχέων, briefly, ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ, openly.

b) Certain adjectives are used quite as substantives (with or without the article, with a genitive or possessive pronoun) to denote persons or things; thus, ἐχθρός, φίλος (οἱ ἐμοὶ δυσμενεῖς, εὖνοι, Pl.), ἀγαθόν, κακόν, a good, an evil. With some, especially in the feminine, a particular substantive was originally understood, e. g. ἡ πατρίς, the father-land, country (πόλις, γῆ), δεξιά, ἀριστερά (χείρ), ἡ μουσική, ἡ γραμματική (τέχνη).

REM. 1. Especially, there is in some expressions an omission of the following substantives: γῆ (ἡ ὑμετέρα, ἡ οἰκουμένη, ἡ βασιλέως), ὁδός (τὴν ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνος ἰέναι, see § 17, and in adverbial expressions, § 31 d, Rem., μακρὰν ἀπεῖναι), ἡμέρα (ἡ ἐπιοῦσα, ἡ ὑστεραία, ἡ αὔριον, Ἐλαφηβολιῶνος ἕκτῃ ἱσταμένου), μοῖρα (ἡ εἱμαρμένη, ἐπ’ ἴσῃ καὶ ὁμοίᾳ), and others in particular constructions and phrases, e. g. ἡ ἐμὴ νικᾷ (γνώμη), τὴν ἐναντίαν τίθεσθαι (ψῆφον), χιλίας λαμβάνειν (δραχμάς), or in technical terms, e. g. ἡ ὀρθή, ἡ γενική (πτῶσις), ὁ μέλλων (χρόνος) in Grammar.

REM. 2. Names of nations are used adjectively of persons: οἱ Μακεδόνες ἱππεῖς. The words ἀνήρ and ἄνθρωπος have another substantive joined to them as if this were an adjective to them: ἀνὴρ μάντις, ἄνθρωπος δούλη, ἄνθρωποι πολῖται, especially ἄνδρες in addresses: ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί. (Poetically, τύχη τις σωτήρ, for σωτηρία, Soph. Œd. R. 80.)

(302) a) Adjectives in the neuter plural, are sometimes used in the manner indicated under Accusative, § 27, a, to characterize the substantive notion implied in the verb (where the action admits of a plural conception, i. e. a number of individual acts of the kind), so that the adjective is almost used as an adverb: Ἥλλοντο ὑψηλά (Xen. An. 4, 9, 5, made high leaps). Θαυμαστὰ ἐκπλήττονται φιλίᾳ τε καὶ οἰκειότητι καὶ ἔρωτι (Pl. Conv. 192, are put in wondrous (sorts of) motion). Τὸ παλαιὸν Ἑλληνικὸν (the ancient Greeks) ὁμοιότροπα τῷ νῦν βαρβαρικῷ ἐδιαιτᾶτο (Thuc. 1, 6). Πολλά (πολλὰ χρῆσθαί τινι) and πυκνά, frequently, are used quite as adverbs.

REM. The poets also use other adjectives in the neuter plural quite as adverbs, e. g. ἄλεκτρα γηράσκειν ἀνυμέναιά τε (Soph. El. 962). (Φονικὸς ὅμοια τοῖς μάλιστα τοῦ βαρβαρικοῦ, Thuc. 7, 29.)

b) Some adjectives are used adverbially in the neuter singular with certain intransitive verbs, to denote the sensible quality of the action: μέγα φθέγγεσθαι, βοᾶν, λέγειν, ἡδὺ (κακὸν) ὄζειν, ὀξὺ ὁρᾶν. (Also μέγα φρονεῖν.)

REM. Of certain adjectives with the article used as adverbs, see § 14, a. Rem. 3.

(303) To the comparative of an adjective or adverb, the second member of the comparison is joined by ἤ, than, in the same case as the first, when the same verb or the same governing term also belongs to the second member, and might be repeated with it: Μείζων εἶ καὶ πλείω ἔχεις ἢ ἐγώ. Τίνι ἂν μᾶλλον πιστεύσαιμι ἢ σοί; If this is not the case, then, properly speaking, a new sentence should be formed with εἰμί, or some other verb, to be taken from the first member; usually, however, the verb is dropt, so that the nominative stands alone: Ἀνδρὸς πολὺ δυνατωτέρου, ἢ ἐγώ, υἱὸν ὁ Ἀρμενίων βασιλεὺς πίνοντα παρ’ ἑαυτῷ συνέλαβεν (Xen. Cyr. 5, 2, 28). Τοῖς νεωτέροις καὶ μᾶλλον ἀκμάζουσιν, ἢ ἐγώ, παραινῶ ταῦτα ποιεῖν (Isocr. Pac. 145). Τῶν ἄλλων οἰκετῶν οὐκ ἤθελεν Ἄφοβος παραλαμβάνειν οὐδένα τῶν ταῦτ’ εἰδότων μᾶλλον ἢ Μιλύας (Dem. 29, 56, viz. οἶδεν). But when it would be necessary to understand εἰμί, the Greeks not unfrequently retain, by an attraction, the preceding case: Πλουσιωτέρῳ ἄν, εἰ ἐσωφρόνεις, ἢ ἐμοί, τὸν ἵππον ἐδίδους (Xen. Cyr. 8, 3, 32, = ἢ ἐγώ εἰμι). Ἤδη τινὲς καὶ ἐκ δεινοτέρων ἢ τοιῶνδε ἐσώθησαν (Thuc. 7, 77).

REM. 1. Occasionally a comparative is followed by the preposition πρό, before, or παρά (ἀντί).

REM. 2. For μᾶλλον ἤ (rather than), the Greeks are fond of saying, μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ, when the principal proposition is negative, or interrogative in the negative sense, or expressive of censure (so that what is said in the last member, is considered as the thing, which holds, or must be done, &c., to the exclusion of the other): Οὐ περὶ τῶν ἐμῶν ἰδίων μᾶλλον τιμωρήσεσθε Πολυκλέα ἢ οὐχ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν (Dem. 50, 66). Τί οὖν δεῖ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον ἀναμένειν, ἕως ἂν ὑπὸ πλήθους κακῶν ἀπείπωμεν, μᾶλλον ἢ οὐχ ὡς τάχιστα τὴν εἰρήνην ποιήσασθαι; (Xen. Hell. 6, 3, 15.) Ὠμὸν τὸ βούλευμα πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους (Thuc. 3, 36).

(304) When the first member of the comparison is a nominative or an accusative, ἤ may be omitted, and the second member put in the genitive (see § 64). This is also done, not unfrequently, where the first member is a dative: Μείζων ἐμοῦ εἶ. Οἰκίαν τῆς ἡμετέρας πολὺ μείζω κέκτησαι. Λυσιτελεῖν οἴεται πᾶς ἀνὴρ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἰδίᾳ τὴν ἀδικίαν τῆς δικαιοσύνης (Pl. Rep. 2, 360). Ὑμῖν αἴσχιον τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶ τὸ δοκεῖν ἐξηπατηκέναι τοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσαντας (Dem. 20, 135, = ἢ τοῖς ἄλλοις). Τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν, τοῖς ἥττοσιν ἐκείνου, ξυμφέρον (Pl. Rep. 1, 338, = ἢ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν). Ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἑτέρων καθ’ ἡσυχίαν βουλεύειν (Thuc. 1, 85, = ἢ ἑτέροις) [1].

[1]: Even μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἡμῶν (Pl. Prot. 314), instead of ἢ ἡμῶν, by § 89.

REM. 1. Strictly considered, the comparative should take after it the genitive only where a substantive (or substantively conceived word) is directly compared with the first member as the subject of the comparative, or of an adjective or verb to which an adverb in the comparative is attached; thus, οἰκία μείζων τῆς ὑμετέρας = ἢ ἡ ὑμετέρα, οἰκίαν μείζω ἢ τὴν ὑμετέραν or ἢ ἡ ὑμετέρα ἐστίν, σὺ μᾶλλον ἐμοῦ = ἢ ἐγώ: but by a less exact way of putting the comparison, and from a desire of brevity, the Greeks also put with the comparative the genitive of a substantive which is compared with another in reference to the degree of a third object [comparatio compendiaria]: (ἐγὼ μείζω οἰκίαν ἔχω σοῦ = ἢ σύ): Ἔδοξε τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἄλλος μεῖζον ἑαυτοῦ λαβεῖν, Xen. Cyr. 2, 2, 4, = ἢ αὐτὸς λάβοι. Χώραν ἔχετε οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡμῶν ἔντιμον (Xen. Cyr. 3, 3, 41, = ἢ ἡμεῖς). Οἱ Πελοποννήσιοι πλείοσι ναυσὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων παρῆσαν (Thuc. 8, 52, = ἢ οἱ Ἀθ.). (With even less exactness the genitive in some other places is put with the comparative, e. g. Ἀθλιώτερόν ἐστι μὴ ὑγιοῦς σώματος μὴ ὑγιεῖ ψυχῇ συνοικεῖν, Pl. Gorg. 479, = ἢ μὴ ὑγιεῖ σώματι συνοικεῖν.)

(304, R. 1) REM. 2. Pleonastically, the comparative takes first the genitive of a pronoun, and then, with ἤ, a more particular statement: Ποιήσετε τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐν ἁπάσαις ταῖς πόλεσι τοῦτο ποιεῖσθαι σύμβολον τῆς αὑτῶν σωτηρίας, ἐὰν ὑμῖν ὦσι φίλοι, οὗ μεῖζον οὐδὲν ἂν ὑμῖν γένοιτο ἀγαθὸν ἢ παρὰ πάντων ἑκόντων ἀνυπόπτου τυχεῖν εὐνοίας (Dem. 15, 4). Τίς ἂν αἰσχίων εἴη ταύτης δόξα ἢ δοκεῖν χρήματα περὶ πλείονος ποιεῖσθαι ἢ φίλους; (Pl. Crit. 44.)

REM. 3. By attaching to a comparative with αὐτός the genitive of a reflexive pronoun, or personal pronoun used reflexively, it is expressed, that the subject has for a certain time or for a certain case a higher degree than usual of the quality denoted by the adjective: Πάντα ἄνδρα καὶ θαῤῥαλεώτερον καὶ ἀνδρειότερον ἂν ποιήσειεν αὐτὸν αὑτοῦ οὐκ ὀλίγῳ ἡ τῆς ὁπλομαχίας ἐπιστήμη (Pl. Lach. 182). Θαῤῥαλεώτεροί εἰσιν αὐτοὶ ἑαυτῶν, ἐπειδὰν μάθωσιν, ἢ πρὶν μαθεῖν (Pl. Prot. 350, where ἤ annexes a more particular statement).

REM. 4. (a) To express that something surpasses hope, description, &c., the comparative is used with one of the genitives ἐλπίδος (μείζων ἐλπίδος), λόγου (κρείττων λόγου, better than can be told), καιροῦ (ποῤῥωτέρω τοῦ καιροῦ), γνώμης, τοῦ δέοντος, and the like. (Ἐρυθρότερος τοῦ ὄντος, than in reality.) (b) Too great for (in proportion to) is expressed by the comparative with ἢ κατά: Μείζους ἐπιθυμίαι ἢ κατὰ τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν οὐσίαν (Thuc. 6, 15). (Also μείζον παρά –, μεῖζον ἢ πρός –.) (c) Too great to –, μείζων ἢ (ὥστε) with the infinitive, see § 150, c (μέγας ὥστε, ibid. b).

Like comparatives are constructed ἄλλος (ἄλλα ἢ τὰ γιγνόμενα, and with the genitive, ἄλλα τῶν δικαίων, different from --), the adjectives in πλάσιος denoting (many)fold greater, &c. than, together with προτεραῖος, ὑστεραῖος. Πολλαπλάσια ἀπέδωκα τῶν ληφθέντων (ἢ ὅσα εἴληφα). Διπλάσια Ἀλκιβιάδῃ ἠξίουν αἱ πόλεις διδόναι ἢ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν στρατηγῶν (Lys. 19, 52). Τῇ προτεραίᾳ τῆς μάχης [1].

[1]: Περιττὰ τῶν ἀρκούντων, Xen. Cyr. 8, 2, 22.

REM. 1. Ἤ is also used after words denoting an opposition, and after διαφέρω: τοὐναντίον ἢ τὸ προσδοκώμενον (Pl. Legg. 12, 966). Τὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν γένος διαφερόντως ἔχει ἢ τὸ τῶν γυναικῶν (Pl. Rep. 5, 455). (Δίκαιόν ἐστι ποιεῖν τοὐναντίον ἢ ὃ σὺ λέγεις, Pl. Rep. 1, 339, and αὐτὸ τοὐναντίον ἐροῦμεν ἢ τὸν Σιμωνίδην ἔφαμεν λέγειν, Pl. Rep. 1, 334, without pronoun. Οἱ Πλαταιῆς προσέβαλλον τῷ τείχει τῶν Πελοποννησίων ἐκ τοὔμπαλιν ἢ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτῶν ὑπερέβαινον, Thuc. 3, 22, or ἢ ᾗ. Also τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ᾗ, τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ὅτε for ἢ ᾗ, or ἢ ὅτε.)

REM. 2. With ἄλλος note the expression οὐδεὶς ἄλλος πλὴν (αὐτός, none other but only himself), and the adverbial expression ἄλλ’ ἤ (further than, save only), after a negation or in a question equivalent to a negation: Ἐὰν σωφρονῆτε, τοῖς μαθηταῖς συμβουλεύσετε, μηδέποτε μηδενὶ ἀνθρώπων διαλέγεσθαι ἄλλ’ ἢ ὑμῖν τε καὶ αὑτοῖς (Pl. Euthyd. 304). Ἄνδρες οὐδαμῆ φυλάττοντες ἡμᾶς φανεροί εἰσιν ἄλλ’ ἢ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν ὁδόν (Xen. An. 4, 6, 11); also with ἄλλος preceding: Τίς ἂν εἰς ἄλλο τι ἀποβλέψας ἢ δειλὴν ἢ ἀνδρείαν πόλιν εἴποι ἄλλ’ ἢ εἰς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος, ὃ προπολεμεῖ τε καὶ στρατεύεται ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς; (Pl. Rep. 4, 429.) Often incorrectly written ἀλλ’ ἤ, as if from ἀλλά.)

(305) When a magnitude expressed in numbers is increased by πλέον (πλεῖον, πλεῖν), or diminished by ἔλαττον (μεῖον), these words, with or without ἤ, are attached to the denomination of the magnitude, without influencing its case. Πλέον ἢ τριάκοντα πλέθρα γῆς κτήσασθαι (Lys. 19, 29). Οὐσία πλέον ἢ πέντε ταλάντων (Lys. 19, 42). Ἐν πλέον ἢ διακοσίοις ἔτεσιν (Thuc.).--Ἡ λεία ἐπράθη ταλάντων οὐκ ἔλαττον πέντε καὶ εἴκοσιν (Thuc. 6, 95). Οἱ ἱππεῖς ἀποκτείνουσι τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὐ μεῖον πεντακοσίους (Xen. An. 6, 2, 24). Πέμψω ὄρνις ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πλεῖν ἑξακοσίους τὸν ἀριθμόν (Arist. Aves, 1251). When the case is nominative or accusative, πλέον and ἔλαττον themselves may stand in the nominative or accusative, and govern the name of the magnitude in the genitive: Εἰσενήνεκται ὑπὲρ Ἀριστοφάνους καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐκ ἔλαττον μνῶν τετταράκοντα (Lys. 19, 43). Πολύστρατος οὐ πλέον ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον (Lys. 20, 14).

REM. Also frequently πλείους (μείους, ἐλάσσους) ἢ χίλιοι and πλείους χιλίων, e. g. Οὐ μεθεκτέον τῶν πραγμάτων πλείοσιν ἢ πεντακισχιλίοις (Thuc. 8, 65). Πλευστέα τριήρεσι μὲν οὐκ ἔλασσον ἢ ἑκατόν, ὁπλίταις δὲ τοῖς ξύμπασι πεντακισχιλίων οὐκ ἐλάσσοσιν (Thuc. 6, 25). Ξενοκλῆς συνοικεῖ τῇ γυναικὶ πλείω ἢ ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἤδη (Isæ. 3, 31). (Ὀλίγῳ ἐλάσσους πεντήκοντα, Thuc. 4, 44; πεντήκοντα as genitive [2].)

[2]: Νεώτερος τριάκοντα ἐτῶν (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 35), = γεγονὼς ἔτη ἔλαττον (ἢ) τριάκοντα.

(307) a) A comparison of two properties of the same subject is expressed by two comparatives: Φιλομήλου οἱ πολλοὶ βελτίονα ἡγοῦνται εἶναι ἢ πλουσιώτερον (Lys. 19, 15). (Ἀγαθὸς μᾶλλον ἢ πλούσιος, rather good --.)

(308) b) The comparative sometimes denotes, without any definite comparison, a somewhat (tolerably) high degree, e. g. αὐθαδέστερόν τι ἀποκρίνεσθαι (Thuc. 8, 84). Ἐνθυμοῦμαι, μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ λέγειν (Pl. Gorg. 462). Of some particular adjectives (good, bad, beautiful) the comparative is sometimes applied in the neuter to an action or procedure merely to denote a reference to the opposite procedure: Ἐθυόμην (sacrificed in order to consult the god), εἰ βέλτιον εἴη ὑμῖν τε ἐμοὶ ἐπιτρέψαι ταύτην τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ ἐμοὶ ὑποστῆναι (Xen. An. 5, 9, 31). Μαλακώτεροι ἢ ὡς κάλλιον αὐτοῖς (Pl. Rep. 3, 410); especially in negation (οὐ κρεῖττον, βέλτιον, κάλλιον, χεῖρον, κάκιον): Πάλιν ἀναμιμνήσκου· οὐ γὰρ χεῖρον πολλάκις ἀκούειν (Pl. Phæd. 105, it does no harm, one is none the worse for --). Πρὸς τὸ φυλάττειν οὐ κάκιόν ἐστι φοβερὰν εἶναι τὴν ψυχήν (Xen. Œcon. 7, 25). (Νεώτερος and καινότερος with the accessory meaning of an alteration of what previously existed.)

(308, R. 2) c) By an irregularity, the comparative takes after it a superfluous μᾶλλον, e. g. αἰσχυντηρότερος μᾶλλον τοῦ δέοντος (Pl. Gorg. 487). Αἱρετώτερόν ἐστι μαχομένους ἀποθανεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ φεύγοντας σώζεσθαι (Xen. Cyr. 3, 3, 51). Conversely, in verbs denoting a wish or choice, μᾶλλον is now and then omitted before ἤ (Ἀγησίλαος ᾑρεῖτο σὺν τῷ γενναίῳ μειονεκτεῖν ἢ σὺν τῷ ἀδίκῳ πλέον ἔχειν, Xen. Ag. 4, 5). (Οὐδὲν ἤ instead of οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἤ.)

(309) The comparative is used to denote the highest degree, in speaking of two persons (also of two sets of persons): Ὁ πρεσβύτερος τῶν παίδων παρὼν ἐτύγχανεν (Xen. An. 1, 1, 1). Πότεροι μᾶλλον χαίρουσι καὶ λυποῦνται, οἱ φρόνιμοι ἢ οἱ ἄφρονες; (Pl. Gorg. 498.)

(310) The superlative often denotes merely a very high degree [superlative of eminence]: Κάλλιστα λέγεις. Κῦρος φιλομαθέστατος ἦν. (Without the article, § 8, Rem. 3.) The exclusive sense is gathered from the context, or from a partitive genitive annexed.

REM. 1. A superlative belonging to the predicate, sometimes governs a partitive genitive, which refers to the subject of the proposition, or to some other word of which the predicate holds in the highest degree: Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι πάντων ἀνθρώπων πλείστῳ σίτῳ χρῶνται ἐπεισάκτῳ (Dem. 18, 87). Φιλοσοφία ἐστὶ παλαιοτάτη τε καὶ πλείστη τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐν Κρήτῃ καὶ ἐν Λακεδαίμονι (Pl. Prot. 342). Ἀθήναζε ἀφίξαι, οὗ τῆς Ἑλλάδος πλείστη ἐστὶν ἐξουσία τοῦ λέγειν (Pl. Gorg. 461). A genitive with the superlative of an adverb in the predicate, may refer, not only to the subject, but also to the object or another case: Σωκράτης προετρέπετο πάντων μάλιστα τοὺς συνόντας πρὸς ἐγκράτειαν (Xen. Mem. 4, 5, 1, above all else to self-command).

REM. 2. The superlative with the genitive of a reflexive pronoun, or personal pronoun used reflexively, denotes the highest degree to which the property attains in one and the same subject at a certain time: Εἴθε σοι, ὦ Περίκλεις, τότε συνεγενόμην, ὅτε δεινότατος σαυτοῦ ἦσθα (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 46).

For additional force, the superlative takes before it the words (denoting the excess or distance from others) πολλῷ, μακρῷ (παρὰ πολύ, poet. πολύ), e. g. μακρῷ εὐνούστατος (Arist. Pac. 673). (Ὅσῳ μέγιστον τὸ τῶν φυλάκων ἔργον, τοσούτῳ ἂν εἴη τέχνης τε καὶ ἐπιστήμης μεγίστης δεόμενον, Pl. Rep. 2, 374; in the same degree, as --.) The highest possible degree is denoted by additions such as ὡς (ὅπως) δυνατόν, ὡς, ὅπως (ᾖ) δύναμαι, as--as possible (e. g. ναῦς ὡς δύνανται πλείστας πληροῦσιν, Thuc. 7, 21, ὡς δύναμαι μάλιστα and ὡς μάλιστα δύναμαι), ὅσος, ὁπόσος with δύναμαι or οἷός τ’ εἰμί (e. g. ὁπόσον δύνανται πλεῖστον σῖτον λαμβάνουσιν, Xen. Œcon. 20, 28, δύναμιν ὅσην οἷός τε ἦν πλείστην συμπαρασκευασάμενος, Isocr. Phil. 101),--or also by simply putting before the superlative ὡς or ὅτι (ὅ,τι), with adverbs also ὅπως (ᾖ), e. g. ὡς βέλτιστος, ὡς ἄριστα, ὅτι μάλιστα, ὅτι πλεῖστον χρόνον, ὅπως ἄριστα (ᾗ ῥᾷστα). [Cf. Lat. quam (quantum, ut) maxime; alone, or combined with possum, etc.]

REM. 1. Expressions such as οἱ μάλιστα ἀνοητότατοι (Pl. Tim. 92) (πλεῖστον ἔχθιστος, Soph. Phil. 631), are rare. Especially we may note the superlative with οἷος: χωρίον οἷον χαλεπώτατον (Xen. An. 4, 8, 2), literally, a place such as the most difficult is (with ἐστίν omitted); but by attraction οἷος and the superlative are treated as one word: ὄντος πάγου οἵου δεινοτάτου (Pl. Conv. 220).

REM. 2. A special way of adding force to the superlative, in some writers, is the prefixing of ἐν τοῖς (without regard to the gender of the superlative), e. g. ἐν τοῖς πρῶτοι (Thuc. 1, 6, first of all), ἐν τοῖς πλεῖσται νῆες (Thuc. 3, 17), ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα (Pl. Crit. 52, most of all), which perhaps originated in an ellipsis, the original expression being ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα, with the participle of the verb understood (ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογῶ, = ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογοῦσιν ὁμολογῶ), whence ἐν τοῖς came to be used as an adverb.

REM. 3. Sometimes the superlative may be said to take the place of the comparative, by taking (as also does μόνος) to the partitive genitive the word ἄλλων (or ἄλλων by itself, as the partitive genitive), which, in strictness, is suitable only to the comparative, e. g. Μάλιστα τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων. Ἢ μόνοι ἢ κάλλιστα τῶν ἄλλων (Pl. Rep. 1, 353). Μόνοι τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων (Æsch. 2, 37, alone among, or of all, the Greeks) [1].

[1]: Μεγίστη στρατεία τῶν πρὸ αὑτῆς (Thuc. 1, 10), = μεγίστη πασῶν μέχρι ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου καὶ μείζων τῶν πρὸ αὐτῆς.

§ 95 (310)

§ 95 (310) 

(310) The superlative often denotes merely a very high degree [superlative of eminence]: Κάλλιστα λέγεις. Κῦρος φιλομαθέστατος ἦν. (Without the article, § 8, Rem. 3.) The exclusive sense is gathered from the context, or from a partitive genitive annexed.

REM. 1. A superlative belonging to the predicate, sometimes governs a partitive genitive, which refers to the subject of the proposition, or to some other word of which the predicate holds in the highest degree: Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι πάντων ἀνθρώπων πλείστῳ σίτῳ χρῶνται ἐπεισάκτῳ (Dem. 18, 87). Φιλοσοφία ἐστὶ παλαιοτάτη τε καὶ πλείστη τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐν Κρήτῃ καὶ ἐν Λακεδαίμονι (Pl. Prot. 342). Ἀθήναζε ἀφίξαι, οὗ τῆς Ἑλλάδος πλείστη ἐστὶν ἐξουσία τοῦ λέγειν (Pl. Gorg. 461). A genitive with the superlative of an adverb in the predicate, may refer, not only to the subject, but also to the object or another case: Σωκράτης προετρέπετο πάντων μάλιστα τοὺς συνόντας πρὸς ἐγκράτειαν (Xen. Mem. 4, 5, 1, above all else to self-command).

REM. 2. The superlative with the genitive of a reflexive pronoun, or personal pronoun used reflexively, denotes the highest degree to which the property attains in one and the same subject at a certain time: Εἴθε σοι, ὦ Περίκλεις, τότε συνεγενόμην, ὅτε δεινότατος σαυτοῦ ἦσθα (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 46).

(310) The superlative often denotes merely a very high degree [superlative of eminence]: Κάλλιστα λέγεις. Κῦρος φιλομαθέστατος ἦν. (Without the article, § 8, Rem. 3.) The exclusive sense is gathered from the context, or from a partitive genitive annexed.

REM. 1. A superlative belonging to the predicate, sometimes governs a partitive genitive, which refers to the subject of the proposition, or to some other word of which the predicate holds in the highest degree: Οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι πάντων ἀνθρώπων πλείστῳ σίτῳ χρῶνται ἐπεισάκτῳ (Dem. 18, 87). Φιλοσοφία ἐστὶ παλαιοτάτη τε καὶ πλείστη τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐν Κρήτῃ καὶ ἐν Λακεδαίμονι (Pl. Prot. 342). Ἀθήναζε ἀφίξαι, οὗ τῆς Ἑλλάδος πλείστη ἐστὶν ἐξουσία τοῦ λέγειν (Pl. Gorg. 461). A genitive with the superlative of an adverb in the predicate, may refer, not only to the subject, but also to the object or another case: Σωκράτης προετρέπετο πάντων μάλιστα τοὺς συνόντας πρὸς ἐγκράτειαν (Xen. Mem. 4, 5, 1, above all else to self-command).

REM. 2. The superlative with the genitive of a reflexive pronoun, or personal pronoun used reflexively, denotes the highest degree to which the property attains in one and the same subject at a certain time: Εἴθε σοι, ὦ Περίκλεις, τότε συνεγενόμην, ὅτε δεινότατος σαυτοῦ ἦσθα (Xen. Mem. 1, 2, 46).

§ 96

§ 96

For additional force, the superlative takes before it the words (denoting the excess or distance from others) πολλῷ, μακρῷ (παρὰ πολύ, poet. πολύ), e. g. μακρῷ εὐνούστατος (Arist. Pac. 673). (Ὅσῳ μέγιστον τὸ τῶν φυλάκων ἔργον, τοσούτῳ ἂν εἴη τέχνης τε καὶ ἐπιστήμης μεγίστης δεόμενον, Pl. Rep. 2, 374; in the same degree, as --.) The highest possible degree is denoted by additions such as ὡς (ὅπως) δυνατόν, ὡς, ὅπως (ᾖ) δύναμαι, as--as possible (e. g. ναῦς ὡς δύνανται πλείστας πληροῦσιν, Thuc. 7, 21, ὡς δύναμαι μάλιστα and ὡς μάλιστα δύναμαι), ὅσος, ὁπόσος with δύναμαι or οἷός τ’ εἰμί (e. g. ὁπόσον δύνανται πλεῖστον σῖτον λαμβάνουσιν, Xen. Œcon. 20, 28, δύναμιν ὅσην οἷός τε ἦν πλείστην συμπαρασκευασάμενος, Isocr. Phil. 101),--or also by simply putting before the superlative ὡς or ὅτι (ὅ,τι), with adverbs also ὅπως (ᾖ), e. g. ὡς βέλτιστος, ὡς ἄριστα, ὅτι μάλιστα, ὅτι πλεῖστον χρόνον, ὅπως ἄριστα (ᾗ ῥᾷστα). [Cf. Lat. quam (quantum, ut) maxime; alone, or combined with possum, etc.]

REM. 1. Expressions such as οἱ μάλιστα ἀνοητότατοι (Pl. Tim. 92) (πλεῖστον ἔχθιστος, Soph. Phil. 631), are rare. Especially we may note the superlative with οἷος: χωρίον οἷον χαλεπώτατον (Xen. An. 4, 8, 2), literally, a place such as the most difficult is (with ἐστίν omitted); but by attraction οἷος and the superlative are treated as one word: ὄντος πάγου οἵου δεινοτάτου (Pl. Conv. 220).

REM. 2. A special way of adding force to the superlative, in some writers, is the prefixing of ἐν τοῖς (without regard to the gender of the superlative), e. g. ἐν τοῖς πρῶτοι (Thuc. 1, 6, first of all), ἐν τοῖς πλεῖσται νῆες (Thuc. 3, 17), ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα (Pl. Crit. 52, most of all), which perhaps originated in an ellipsis, the original expression being ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα, with the participle of the verb understood (ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογῶ, = ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογοῦσιν ὁμολογῶ), whence ἐν τοῖς came to be used as an adverb.

REM. 3. Sometimes the superlative may be said to take the place of the comparative, by taking (as also does μόνος) to the partitive genitive the word ἄλλων (or ἄλλων by itself, as the partitive genitive), which, in strictness, is suitable only to the comparative, e. g. Μάλιστα τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων. Ἢ μόνοι ἢ κάλλιστα τῶν ἄλλων (Pl. Rep. 1, 353). Μόνοι τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων (Æsch. 2, 37, alone among, or of all, the Greeks) [1].

[1]: Μεγίστη στρατεία τῶν πρὸ αὑτῆς (Thuc. 1, 10), = μεγίστη πασῶν μέχρι ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου καὶ μείζων τῶν πρὸ αὐτῆς.

For additional force, the superlative takes before it the words (denoting the excess or distance from others) πολλῷ, μακρῷ (παρὰ πολύ, poet. πολύ), e. g. μακρῷ εὐνούστατος (Arist. Pac. 673). (Ὅσῳ μέγιστον τὸ τῶν φυλάκων ἔργον, τοσούτῳ ἂν εἴη τέχνης τε καὶ ἐπιστήμης μεγίστης δεόμενον, Pl. Rep. 2, 374; in the same degree, as --.) The highest possible degree is denoted by additions such as ὡς (ὅπως) δυνατόν, ὡς, ὅπως (ᾖ) δύναμαι, as--as possible (e. g. ναῦς ὡς δύνανται πλείστας πληροῦσιν, Thuc. 7, 21, ὡς δύναμαι μάλιστα and ὡς μάλιστα δύναμαι), ὅσος, ὁπόσος with δύναμαι or οἷός τ’ εἰμί (e. g. ὁπόσον δύνανται πλεῖστον σῖτον λαμβάνουσιν, Xen. Œcon. 20, 28, δύναμιν ὅσην οἷός τε ἦν πλείστην συμπαρασκευασάμενος, Isocr. Phil. 101),--or also by simply putting before the superlative ὡς or ὅτι (ὅ,τι), with adverbs also ὅπως (ᾖ), e. g. ὡς βέλτιστος, ὡς ἄριστα, ὅτι μάλιστα, ὅτι πλεῖστον χρόνον, ὅπως ἄριστα (ᾗ ῥᾷστα). [Cf. Lat. quam (quantum, ut) maxime; alone, or combined with possum, etc.]

REM. 1. Expressions such as οἱ μάλιστα ἀνοητότατοι (Pl. Tim. 92) (πλεῖστον ἔχθιστος, Soph. Phil. 631), are rare. Especially we may note the superlative with οἷος: χωρίον οἷον χαλεπώτατον (Xen. An. 4, 8, 2), literally, a place such as the most difficult is (with ἐστίν omitted); but by attraction οἷος and the superlative are treated as one word: ὄντος πάγου οἵου δεινοτάτου (Pl. Conv. 220).

REM. 2. A special way of adding force to the superlative, in some writers, is the prefixing of ἐν τοῖς (without regard to the gender of the superlative), e. g. ἐν τοῖς πρῶτοι (Thuc. 1, 6, first of all), ἐν τοῖς πλεῖσται νῆες (Thuc. 3, 17), ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα (Pl. Crit. 52, most of all), which perhaps originated in an ellipsis, the original expression being ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα, with the participle of the verb understood (ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογῶ, = ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ὁμολογοῦσιν ὁμολογῶ), whence ἐν τοῖς came to be used as an adverb.

REM. 3. Sometimes the superlative may be said to take the place of the comparative, by taking (as also does μόνος) to the partitive genitive the word ἄλλων (or ἄλλων by itself, as the partitive genitive), which, in strictness, is suitable only to the comparative, e. g. Μάλιστα τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων. Ἢ μόνοι ἢ κάλλιστα τῶν ἄλλων (Pl. Rep. 1, 353). Μόνοι τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων (Æsch. 2, 37, alone among, or of all, the Greeks) [1].

[1]: Μεγίστη στρατεία τῶν πρὸ αὑτῆς (Thuc. 1, 10), = μεγίστη πασῶν μέχρι ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου καὶ μείζων τῶν πρὸ αὐτῆς.