Lesson_012_Attic_Greek_Grammar

Question 1

The basic stem of εἰμί is εσ-, to which are added primary active endings to form the present indicative, primary middle endings to form the future indicative, and secondary active endings (with εσ- augmented to ησ-) to form the imperfect indicative. Thematic vowels (ε/ο) are used in the future forms (except ἔσται) but not in the present and imperfect forms. The σ of the stem usually drops out before μ, ν, or another σ (ἐσμέν is an exception), and ε is lengthened to ει to compensate for the loss of the sigma (a phenomenon called compensatory lengthening); e.g., εἰμί (from ἐσ-μι), εἶναι (from ἐσ-ναι) Notice that ἐστί and εἰσί both have a movable ν.

Answer 1

Attic Greek Grammar Rule #151

Question 2

In Attic Greek, As you can see from the paradigms, the present and imperfect tenses of εἰμί never have middle/passive endings; the future tense of εἰμί, on the other hand, never has active endings. When you translate the future forms, pretend that their middle endings are active; e.g., translate ἔσομαι as “I shall be,” not as “I shall be for myself.” εἰμί is just one of many Greek verbs that are deponent in an least one tense; i.e., in that particular tense they are always deponent in at least one tense; i.e., in that particular tense they are always active in meaning but middle or passive in appearance. The term “deponent” comes from the Latin verb for “put aside” and refers to the putting aside of active endings and replacing them with middle or passive. Like εἰμί, the verbs ἀκούω and φεύγω are deponent in the future tense; ἀκούσομαι = “I shall hear”; φεύξομαι = “I shall flee.” There is no way to say “I shall hear for myself” or “I shall flee for myself” because the middle endings in the future tense of these verbs must be translated as if they were active endings.

Answer 2

Attic Greek Grammar Rule #152

Question 3

In Attic Greek, The accent of εἰμί is persistent in its two infinitives (remaining on the penult in εἶναι, on the antepenult in ἔσεσθαι) and recessive in the future and imperfect indicative and the present imperative. In the present indicative the second-person singular εἶ has a circumflex because it is a contraction of ἐσσί (both sigmas dropped out). The other five forms in the present indicative are enclitics, words that “lean upon” the preceding word so closely that they often give up their accent to it and are left with no accent of their own. (Compare proclitics, which “lean forward” to the following word and have no accent of their own.) All the enclitic forms of “be” have two syllables each, but there are other enclitics such as γε (a particle meaning “at least”; see the vocabulary for this less) that have just one syllable. (Compare proclitics, which are all monosyllabic.) The accent of an enclitic will either vanish, be give to the ultima of the preceding word, or appear on the ultima of the enclitic. Insert the rest of 80.

Answer 3

Attic Greek Grammar Rule #153