Reading Passages
Assignment
For each of the following Greek sentences: 1). Read it aloud; 2). Parse each verb and noun; and 3). Translate each sentence into English. To download this assignment as a pdf, click here: AGE Readings 5.
Classical Readings
1. The oldest surviving script of a play in the world is Persians by Aeschylus, originally performed in 472 BC. In 479 BC, the Greeks had scored a shocking naval victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. Aeschylus himself had fought in the battle. This play dramatizes the news of this defeat reaching the Persian capital.
The play begins with a chorus of old Persian men singing about the attack on Greece by the current Persian king, Xerxes. They have not yet heard the fate of the Persian forces. The Queen of Persia enters (unnamed by Aeschylus, but her name was Atossa). She is the mother of Xerxes (and wife of the previous king, Darius). The Queen reports an ominous dream. At one point in the dream:
Ξέρξης πέπλους ῥήγνυσιν ἀμφὶ σώματι.
Ξέρξης (nom sg) ὁ Xerxes
πέπλους (acc pl) ὁ robe
ῥήγνυμι rip, break
Aeschylus Persians 199
2. A couplet from Aeschylus’ lost play Ἡλιάδες (Daughters of the Sun) has this to say about Zeus:
Ζεύς ἐστιν αἰθήρ, Ζεὺς δὲ γῆ, Ζεὺς δ’οὐρανός,
Ζεύς τοι τὰ πάντα…
αἰθήρ –έρος ὁ air
γῆ (nom sg) ἡ earth
οὐρανός (nom sg) ὁ sky
πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό everything
τοι = a conversational particle that means “really, you know”
Aeschylus fr. 70
3. Words of encouragement from a lost play of Euripides:
δι’ ἐλπίδος ζῆ καὶ δι’ ἐλπίδος τρέφου.
ζῆ live! (a command)
τρέφου take your nourishment! (a command)
Euripides Phrixus fr. 826
4. In one of Plato’s dialogues, conversation turns to discussion of why children can be so different from their parents. At one point, one of the participants, Protagoras, cautions that they should not yet pass judgment on two young men in the room:
ἔτι γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς εἰσιν ἐλπίδες· νέοι γάρ.
ἔτι yet, still
νέοι (nom pl) ὁ young
Plato Protagoras 328d
5. The Athenian orators Aeschines and Demosthenes were long engaged in a bitter public feud while Philip II of Macedon was gradually taking control of Greece. Each accused the other of corruption. Here Aeschines has charged that Demosthenes lied about ambassadors being sent to Macedonia:
τὰ δὲ σώματά ἐστιν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ, ἀλλ’ Ἀθήνησι.
Ἀθήνησι (dat) ἡ Athens
Μακεδονίᾳ (dat sg) ἡ Macedonia
Aeschines 2.58
6. From a lawsuit about an investment loan. At one point the prosecutor asks:
διὰ τί ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀποδίδως τὰ χρήματα;
ἡμῖν (dat pl) us
χρῆμα –ατος τό thing (pl.) money
Demosthenes 56.32
7. Aristotle is discussing respiration among sea animals. Crustaceans, he says, must expel the water that they take in with their food, and:
τὰ μὲν οὖν μαλακόστρακα, οἷον οἵ τε καρκίνοι καὶ οἱ κάραβοι, παρὰ τὰ δασέα ἀφιᾶσι τὸ ὕδωρ διὰ τῶν ἐπιπτυγμάτων.
δασέα (nom/acc pl) τό hairy (part)
ἐπίπτυγμα –ατος τό fold, flap
κάραβοι (nom pl) ὁ crab
καρκίνοι (nom pl) ὁ crawfish
μαλακόστρακα (nom/acc pl) τό crustacean
οἷον for example
ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water
Aristotle 477a2-4
8. From a report on white bears in the region of Mysia. Whenever anyone comes near them,
ἀφιᾶσιν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος φλέγμα πάμπολύ τι, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὃ προσφυσᾷ πρὸς τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν κυνῶν, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων…
ἀνθρώπων (gen pl) ὁ human
ἔοικεν it seems
κυνῶν (gen pl) ὁ dog
πάμπολυ (nom/acc sg) τό whole lot
προσφυσᾷ (3rd sg) blows
πρόσωπα (nom/acc pl) τό face
φλέγμα –ατος τό phlegm, vomit
ὡσαύτως in the same way
Aristotle 845a21-23
Biblical Readings
1. The Lord cautions the Israelites not to rebel against the protector he has set for them:
τὸ γὰρ ὄνομά μού ἐστιν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ.
μου my
LXX Ex. 23:21
2. The Lord specifies how he speaks to Moses:
στόμα κατὰ στόμα λαλήσω αὐτῷ, ἐν εἴδει καὶ οὐ δι’ αἰνιγμάτων…
αἴνιγμα –ατος τό riddle
εἴδει (dat sg) τό form, figure
λαλήσω (1st sg) I will speak
LXX Num. 12:8
3. Moses recounts a message sent to Sihon, requesting travel across the River Jordan and:
εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν δίδωσιν ἡμῖν.
γῆν (acc sg) ἡ earth, land
ἡμῖν (dat pl) us
ἡμῶν our
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
κύριος (nom sg) ὁ lord
LXX Deut. 2:29
In sentences 4-7, notice that the relative pronoun has been “attracted” to the case of its antecedent, rather than representing the case it should be in its relative clause. When this happens, it is almost always when the antecedent is in the genitive or dative case, and the case that it is replacing is the accusative.
4. Moses relays the Lord’s blessings for the Israelites:
ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι…
γῆς (gen sg) ἡ earth, land
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
κύριος (nom sg) ὁ lord
σοι (dat sg) you
σου your
LXX Deut. 4:40
5. Moses advises where they might hear of someone worshipping other gods:
ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου, ὧν κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι…
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
κύριος (nom sg) ὁ lord
μιᾷ (dat sg) ἡ one
πόλεων (gen pl) ἡ city
σοι (dat sg) you
σου your
LXX Deut. 13:13
6. In discussing the sabbatical year, Moses again invokes the blessings that the Lord promises:
ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι…
γῇ (dat sg) ἡ earth, land
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
κύριος (nom sg) ὁ lord
σοι (dat sg) you
σου your
LXX Deut. 15:4
7. Moses relays the Lord’s rule that the Israelites appoint judges:
ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου, αἷς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι,
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
κύριος (nom sg) ὁ lord
πάσαις (dat pl) ἡ all
πόλεσιν (dat pl) ἡ city
σοι (dat sg) you
σου your
LXX Deut. 16:18
8. The prophet Isaiah quotes the Lord in order to encourage King Hezekiah:
ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι ἐν αὐτῷ πνεῦμα…
ἐγώ (nom sg) I
ἰδού look!
LXX 4 Kings 19:7
9. The Lord (Κύριος) agrees to hand over Job to the Slanderer (Διάβολος):
Ἰδοὺ πάντα, …, δίδωμι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου.
Ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν.
ἰδού look!
πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό all, everything
σοι (dat sg) you
σου your
χείρ, χειρός ἡ hand
LXX Job 1:12, 2:6
10. Mattathias encourages his sons with an example of virtue being rewarded:
Δανιηλ ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτοῦ ἐρρύσθη ἐκ στόματος λεόντων.
ἁπλότης –ητος ἡ singularity, generosity
ἐρρύσθη (3rd sg) was protected
λέων –οντος ὁ lion
LXX 1 Macc. 2:60
11. From a Psalm:
σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος…
λέων –οντος ὁ lion
με (acc sg) me
σῶσον save (a command)
LXX Ps. 21:22
12. From the opening of a Psalm:
κλίνατε τὸ οὖς ὑμῶν εἰς τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου·
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου…
ἀνοίξω (1st sg) I will open
κλίνατε lean (a command)
μου my
οὖς, ὠτός τό ear
παραβολαῖς (dat pl) ἡ parable
ῥῆμα –ατος τό speech
ὑμῶν your, y’all’s
LXX Ps. 77:1-2
13. The end of a Psalm:
οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος·
αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.
αἰών –ῶνος ὁ eternity
ἡμᾶς (acc pl) us
ἡμῶν our
θεός (nom sg) ὁ god
οὗτος (mas. nom. sg.) this
ποιμανεῖ (3rd sg) shepherds
LXX Ps. 47:14
14. From a prophecy:
καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ἐκ στόματος αὐτῶν…
ἐξαρῶ (1st sg) I will take out
LXX Zech. 9:7
15. John speaks of those becoming children of God:
οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ’ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.
ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός ὁ man
ἐγεννήθησαν (3rd pl) were born
θέλημα –ατος τό will
θεοῦ (gen sg) ὁ god
σάρξ, σαρκός ἡ flesh
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1:13
16. From Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus on being born again:
τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος πνεῦμά ἐστιν.
γεγεννημένον (nom/acc sg) τό what is born
σάρξ, σαρκός ἡ flesh
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1:13
17. Jesus the good shepherd:
ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμήν ὁ καλός…καὶ τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων.
ἐγώ (nom sg) I
καλός (nom sg) ὁ good, beautiful
μου my
ποιμήν -μένος ὁ shepherd
προβάτων (gen pl) τό sheep
ψυχήν (acc sg) ἡ life, soul, breath
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 10:14-15
18. Clement of Alexandria describes Jesus as the ultimate tutor and invokes the image of the good shepherd:
ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων.
ἀγαθός (nom sg) ὁ good
ἑαυτοῦ his own
ποιμήν -μένος ὁ shepherd
προβάτων (gen pl) τό sheep
ψυχήν (acc sg) ἡ life, soul, breath
Clement of Alexandria Pedagogue 1.11.97
19. Paul closes a section of his letter to the Romans with words on the omnipotence of God:
ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα· αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν.
αἰών –ῶνος ὁ eternity
δόξα (nom sg) ἡ glory
πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό everything
Πρὸς Ῥωμαίους 11:36
Note:
In sentences that lack a verb, it is almost always a good idea to supply a form of the verb εἰμί.
20. Paul discusses unity:
εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν.
εἷς (nom sg) ὁ one
θεός (nom sg) ὁ God
πάν, πάντος τό everything
πατήρ, πατρός ὁ father
πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:6
