Reading Passages
Assignment
1. Read the passages aloud in Greek.
2. Vocabulary and commentary is provided for each passage. For words that do not appear in the vocabulary, please use your dictionary.
3. Translate the passages. As you translate the sentences, pay careful attention to words that go together, such as prepositional phrases and relative clauses. Breaking the sentences up into logical units is oftentimes a better first approach than attempting to translate all the words in succession.
To download this assignment as a pdf, click here: AGE Readings 6.
Classical Readings
1. Aristotle is analyzing the techniques and strategies that someone can use in court. Here he is discussing the topic of oaths. Oaths were a regular part of ancient legal proceedings, where participants swore a sacred oath to honor a contract. This passage repeatedly refers to one or both parties to the agreement administering (διδόναι) an oath or taking (λαμβάνειν) an oath. Aristotle begins by saying that there are four possibilities for a speaker in court with respect to an oath:
ἢ γὰρ δίδωσι καὶ λαμβάνει, ἢ οὐδέτερον, ἢ τὸ μὲν, τὸ δ ̓ οὔ, καὶ τούτων ἢ δίδωσιν μὲν, οὐ λαμβάνει δέ, ἢ λαμβάνει μὲν, δίδωσιν δὲ οὔ.
οὐδέτερον neither
τούτων (gen pl) these
Aristotle Rhetoric 1.27-32.1377a
Note:
ἢ τὸ μὲν, τὸ δ ̓ οὔ is adverbial, “or this one but not the other” (S 1111)
2. This passage comes from one of Plato’s dramatic dialogues. Socrates has been interrogating a prophet named Euthyphro about piety and the relationship between humans and gods. Socrates has gotten Euthyphro, reluctantly, to characterize this relationship as trade or a business transaction (ἐμπορία). Next Socrates asks:
τίς ἡ ὠφελία τοῖς θεοῖς τυγχάνει οὖσα ἀπὸ τῶν δώρων ὧν παρ’ ἡμῶν λαμβάνουσιν; ἃ μὲν γὰρ διδόασι παντὶ δῆλον (ἐστί)· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀγαθὸν ὅ τι ἂν μὴ ἐκεῖνοι δῶσιν. ἃ δὲ παρ’ ἡμῶν λαμβάνουσιν, τί ὠφελοῦνται; ἢ τοσοῦτον αὐτῶν πλεονεκτοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν ἐμπορίαν, ὥστε πάντα τὰ ἀγαθὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν λαμβάνομεν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ παρ’ ἡμῶν οὐδέν;
ἀγαθὸν (nom/acc sg) τό good
ἀγαθὰ (nom/acc pl) τό good
ἂν marks a hypothetical situation
δῆλον (nom/acc sg) τό clear
δώρων (gen pl) τό gifts
δῶσιν ~ διδόασιν
ἐμπορίαν (acc sg) ἡ business, trade, barter
ἡμῖν (dat pl) us
ἡμῶν (gen pl) us
θεοῖς (dat pl) ὁ gods
οὐδὲν (nom/acc sg) τό nothing
πάντα (nom/acc pl) τό everything
παντὶ (dat sg) ὁ everyone
πλεονεκτόω be superior (+ gen of that which is being compared)
τυγχάνω οὖσα happen to be
τοσοῦτον (adverb) so much
ὠφελία (nom sg) ἡ benefit
ὠφελοῦνται (3rd pl) benefit (from something)
Plato Euthyphro 14e9-15a4
Biblical Readings
1. From the early history of David: After the city of Ziklag has been sacked, David and his army are searching for those who attacked the city and kidnapped many of its residents. They are heading south and find someone who helps in their search and rescue mission:
(11.) καὶ εὑρίσκουσιν ἄνδρα Αἰγύπτιον ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ λαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς Δαυιδ ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ διδόασιν αὐτῷ ἄρτον, καὶ ἔφαγεν, καὶ ἐπότισαν αὐτὸν ὕδωρ· (12.) καὶ διδόασιν αὐτῷ κλάσμα παλάθης, καὶ ἔφαγεν, καὶ κατέστη τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ, ὅτι οὐ βεβρώκει ἄρτον καὶ οὐ πεπώκει ὕδωρ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας. (13.) καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ Τίνος σὺ εἶ καὶ πόθεν εἶ; καὶ εἶπεν τὸ παιδάριον τὸ Αἰγύπτιον Ἐγώ εἰμι δοῦλος ἀνδρὸς Αμαληκίτου…
ἀγρῷ (dat sg) ὁ field
ἄγω lead, bring
Αἰγύπτιον Egyptian
Αμαληκίτου (gen sg) ὁ Amalekite (a people named for Amalek)
ἀνήρ, ἀνδρὸς ὁ man
ἄρτον (acc sg) ὁ bread
βεβρώκει (3rd sg) had eaten
δοῦλος (nom sg) ὁ slave
ἐγώ (nom sg) I
εἶπεν (3rd sg) said
ἐπότισαν (3rd pl) give (something) to drink
ἔφαγεν (3rd sg) ate
ἡμέρας (acc pl) ἡ days
κατέστη (3rd sg) set up, restore
κλάσμα –ατος τό morsel
παλάθης (gen sg) ἡ dried fruit
παιδάριον (nom/acc sg) τό little child
πεπώκει (3rd sg) had drunk
πόθεν from where?
σὺ (nom sg) you
τρεῖς three
ὕδωρ, ὔδατος τό water
LXX 1 Kings 30:11-13
Note:
τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας: Accusative of Duration of Time
2. From the account of Jesus’ third appearance to his disciples after his death and resurrection: Jesus has appeared and guided his disciples to an enormous catch of fish. At this point, none dared to ask:
Σὺ τίς εἶ; εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κύριός ἐστιν. (13.) ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦς καὶ λαμβάνει τὸν ἄρτον καὶ δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὸ ὀψάριον ὁμοίως.
ἄρτον (acc sg) ὁ bread
εἰδότες “because they knew”
ἔρχεται (3rd sg) comes
κύριός (nom sg) ὁ lord
ὁμοίως in the same way
ὀψάριον (nom/acc sg) τό fish
σὺ (nom sg) you
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 21:12-13
3. Paul urges the bishops (ἐπίσκοποι) at Ephesus to heed “the words of Jesus” (τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ):
αὐτὸς εἶπεν, Μακάριόν ἐστιν μᾶλλον διδόναι ἢ λαμβάνειν.
εἶπεν (3rd sg) said
μᾶλλον … ἢ more…than
μακάριον (nom/acc sg) τό blessed
Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 20:35
