APPENDIX B

(1) καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἥσσονος ἅμα ἐλπίδος ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν ἕνεκα μεγάλου μισθοῦ δόσεως ἐκείνοις ξυναγωνίζεσθαι, Thucyd. i. 143.

(2) εἴ τις ὑπομένοι καὶ μὴ φόβῳ ῥοθίου καὶ νεῶν δεινότητος κατάπλου ὑποχωροίη, iv. 10.

(3) Κερκυραῖοι δὲ μετὰ τῆς ξυμμαχίας τῆς αἰτήσεως καὶ ταῦτα πιστεύοντες ἐχυρὰ ὑμῖν παρέξεσθαι ἀπέστειλαν ἡμᾶς, i. 32.

(4) οἵπερ τῶν ὁλκάδων ἕνεκα τῆς ἐς Σικελίαν κομιδῆς ἀνθώρμουν πρὸς τὰς ἐν Ναυπάκτῳ ναῦς, vii. 34.

(5) ἄπιστα μὲν ἴσως, ὥσπερ καὶ ἄλλοι τινές, δόξω ὑμῖν περὶ τοῦ ἐπίπλου τῆς ἀληθείας λέγειν, vi. 33.

(6) τά τε τῆς ἀντιμιμήσεως αὐτῶν τῆς παρασκευῆς ἡμῶν τῷ μὲν ἡμετέρῳ τρόπῳ ξυνήθη τέ ἐστι κτλ., vii. 67.

(7) τοὺς γὰρ ἂν ψιλοὺς τοὺς σφῶν καὶ τὸν ὄχλον τῶν Συρακοσίων τοὺς ἱππέας πολλοὺς ὄντας, σφίσι δ’ οὐ παρόντων ἱππέων, βλάπτειν ἂν μεγάλα, vi. 64.

(8) καὶ τοῦ Κλέωνος καίπερ μανιώδης οὖσα ἡ ὑπόσχεσις ἀπέβη, iv. 39.

(9) καὶ τριήρης τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἁλίσκεται τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὑπὸ τῶν Συρακοσίων ἐφορμοῦσα τῷ λιμένι, vii. 3.[204]

Similarly in other authors: e.g. καὶ δὴ καὶ τότε τοῦ Θρασυμάχου τὴν ἀπόρρησιν οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο, PlatoRep.ii. 357A(where, however, the meaning may be “would not accept from Thrasymachus his withdrawal”); and ὣς φάτο, τῷ δ’ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑφ’ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο, Hom.Il.xxiv. 507; and

τούτωνἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸςφρόνημα δείσασ’, ἐν θεοῖσιτὴν δίκηνδώσειν.

Soph.Antig.458-60.[205]

If in some of these instances the order is not absolutely unambiguous, still less is it so in other and more miscellaneous extracts about to be given. The writer of artistic prose, as of poetry, has to satisfy claims which are often hard to reconcile: those of clearness, of emphasis, and of euphony.[206]The result may often be a more or less unconscious compromise in which one of the elements prospers at the expense of the others. Euphony, to take that element alone, is expected to please the ear in many different ways—by the avoidance of harsh letters (found singly or in combination), of short syllables in close succession, of monotony in word-terminations, of monotony in every shape and form. Obscurity may well ensue, especially in a literature which does not aid the eye by means of punctuation, capital letters (to denote proper names or the beginning of a sentence), italic type, or division into paragraphs and chapters. To set against these deficiencies, there was the help provided by the reciter or the skilledanagnostes; and it is often interesting to speculate how, by a slight pause or modulation of the voice, a practised reader would be able to remove a seeming ambiguity. In poetry, again, metre would often be an aid to clear delivery, though its exigencies might on the other hand have led to some ambiguities in the actual writing. No careful modern student of a highly-wrought speech, like theCrownof Demosthenes, can have failed to be arrested momentarily, here and there, by some slight ambiguity which, as far as he can judge, might have been removed by an equally slight change in the word-order; and he gains much in the appreciation of Demosthenes if he is thus led to consider what are the subtle laws of rhythm and melody to which an absolutely unimpeachable lucidity has (in however small a degree) given way. He will certainly be led to the conclusion that, in Greek, good order is by no means the simple thing it may seem when achieved, but rather is the highly complex result of the play of many forces. The following examples, drawn from various authors in poetry and in prose, may be found suggestive. They are of set purpose presented without any attempt at sequence or classification, except that a considerable number of extracts from thede Coronaare grouped together:—

(1) καί μοι τὸν υἱόν, εἰ μεμάθηκε τὸν λόγονἐκεῖνον, εἴφ’,ὃνἀρτίως εἰσήγαγες.

Aristoph.Nub.1148.

(2)ἀλλάμιναὖτις ἀναρπάξασα θύελλαπόντον ἐπ’ ἰχθυόεντα φέρεν βαρέαστενάχοντα.

Hom.Odyss.xxiii. 316.[207]

(3) ἠδ’ ὡς εἰς Ἀίδεω δόμονἤλυθενεὐρώεντα,ψυχῇ χρησόμενος Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,νηῒ πολυκλήιδι.

id.ib.xxiii. 322.[207]

(4) ὅτι Ἱππίας μὲν πρεσβύτατος ὢν ἦρχε τῶν Πεισιστράτου υἱέων.

Thucyd. i. 20.

Here τῶν Πεισιστράτου υἱέων depends on πρεσβύτατος ὤν, not on ἦρχε.

(5) κράτιστα τοίνυν τῶν παρόντων ἐστὶ νῷνθεῶν ἰόντε προσπεσεῖν του πρὸς βρέτας.

Aristoph.Eq.30, 31.

Here the actor would pause slightly after νῷν, at the end of the metrical line.

(6) τοῦτ’ οὖν ἔβλαψα τί δράσας;

id.Ran.1064.

Careful delivery would make it quite plain that the meaning is: τί οὖν ἔβλαψα, δράσας τοῦτο;

(7) σαφῶς γὰρ ἄν, εἰ πείθοιμι ὑμᾶς καὶ τῷ δεῖσθαι βιαζοίμην ὀμωμοκότας,θεοὺς ἂν διδάσκοιμι μὴ ἡγεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς εἶναι.

PlatoApol.c. 24.

(8) καὶ ἐς τύχαςπρὸς πολλῷ δυνατωτέρουςἀγωνιζόμενοι καταστῆναι.

Thucyd. i. 69.

(9) οὐδ’ ἐκλογίσασθαι πώποτε πρὸς οἵουςὑμῖνἈθηναίους ὄντας καὶ ὅσον ὑμῶν καὶ ὡς πᾶν διαφέροντας ὁ ἀγὼν ἔσται.

id. i. 70.

ὑμῖν is probably to be connected with ὁ ἀγὼν ἔσται. Its present position has the effect of marking the contrast between ὑμῖν and Ἀθηναίους, and further of breaking the monotony of the accusative-endings οἵουςἈθηναίουςὄντας. It should, however, be remembered that in a highly inflected language like Greek a noun may stand in a vague general case relation (genitive, dative, or accusative) to the whole sentence in a way that is impossible in an uninflected language. This may be so here, and in some of the other passages quoted.

(10) ῥηθήσεται δὲ οὐ παραιτήσεως μᾶλλον ἕνεκα ἢ μαρτυρίου καὶ δηλώσεως πρὸς οἵανὑμῖνπόλιν μὴ εὖ βουλευομένοις ὁ ἀγὼν καταστήσεται.

id. i. 73.

Similarly ὑμῖν (‘you will find,’ etc.) is to be taken with ὁ ἀγὼν καταστήσεται. It is contrasted with πόλιν and paves the way for βουλευομένοις.

(11) ἔνθ’ ὅ γε τοὺςἐλεεινὰκατήσθεε τετριγῶτας·μήτηρ δ’ ἀμφεποτᾶτο ὀδυρομένηφίλα τέκνα.

Hom.Il.ii. 314-15.

Connect ἐλεεινὰ τετριγῶτας, and ἀμφεποτᾶτο φίλα τέκνα.

(12) ὡς οὖν δεινὰ πέλωραθεῶνεἰσῆλθ’ ἑκατόμβας.

id.ib.ii. 321.

Connect θεῶν ἑκατόμβας.

(13) καίτοι σ’ ἐγὼ ’τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσινεὖ.

Soph.Antig.904.

εὖ with ἐτίμησα. The line occurs in the suspected portion of theAntigone. But, so far as this particular point is concerned, cp. the order of μόνος in—

τὰ κοινὰ χαίρων οὐ δίκαια δρᾷμόνος.

Eurip.Ion358.

(14)τίνοςδ’ Ἀτρεῖδαι τοῦδ’ ἄγαν οὕτω χρόνῳτοσῷδ’ ἐπεστέφοντο πράγματος χάριν,ὅν γ’ εἶχον ἤδη χρόνιον ἐκβεβληκότες;

Soph.Philoct.598.

Here strict lucidity is sacrificed to emphasis. τίνος must be joined with πράγματος (not with τοῦδε).

(15) στέμματ’ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶνἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνοςχρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ.

Hom.Il.i. 14.

(16) περὶ τούτων δ’ ὄντος τουτουὶ τοῦ ἀγῶνος, ἀξιῶ καὶ δέομαι πάντων ὁμοίως ὑμῶν ἀκοῦσαί μου περὶ τῶν κατηγορημένων ἀπολογουμένουδικαίως, ὥσπερ οἱ νόμοι κελεύουσιν, οὓς ὁ τιθεὶς ἐξ ἀρχῆς Σόλων κτλ.

Demosth.de Cor.§ 6.

δικαίως qualifies ἀκοῦσαι: cp. the position of γενναίως inde Cor.§ 97 (quoted in Introduction p.24supra). The present order is not only emphatic, but also serves to connect δικαίως closely with ὥσπερ κτλ., and thus to a certain extent actually to avoid ambiguity.

(17) σκέψασθ’ ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι καὶ θεωρήσατε ὅσῳ καὶ ἀληθέστερον καὶ ἀνθρωπινώτερον ἐγὼ περὶ τῆς τύχηςτούτουδιαλεχθήσομαι.

Demosth.de Cor.§ 252.

(18) τὸ μὲν τοίνυν προελέσθαι τὰ κάλλιστα καὶτὸτῶν οἰηθέντων Ἑλλήνων, εἰ πρόοιντο ἡμᾶς, ἐν εὐδαιμονίᾳ διάξειν,αὐτῶνἄμεινον πράττειν τῆς ἀγαθῆς τύχης τῆς πόλεως εἶναι τίθημι.

id.ib.§ 254.

(19)τοῦ μὲν οὖν γράψαιπράττοντα καὶ λέγοντα τὰ βέλτιστά με τῷ δήμῳ διατελεῖν καὶ πρόθυμον εἶναι ποιεῖν ὅ τι ἂν δύνωμαι ἀγαθόν, καὶ ἐπαινεῖν ἐπὶ τούτοις, ἐν τοῖς πεπολιτευμένοιςτὴν κρίσινεἶναι νομίζω.

id.ib.§ 56.

(20) οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἥψατ’ αὐτῶν | παρόντων ἡμῶν, κτλ.

id.ib.§ 30.

The vertical stroke, here and elsewhere, may serve to indicate the possibility of a slight pause in utterance, and Aristotle’s remarks on the obscurity of Heracleitus may be recalled: τὰ γὰρ Ἡρακλείτου διαστίξαι (‘to punctuate’) ἔργον διὰ τὸ ἄδηλον εἶναι ποτέρῳ πρόσκειται, τῷ ὕστερον ἢ τῷ πρότερον, οἷον ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ αὐτοῦ τοῦ συγγράμματος· φησὶ γὰρ “τοῦ λόγου τοῦδ’ ἐόντος ἀεὶ ἀξύνετοι ἄνθρωποι γίγνονται”· ἄδηλον γὰρ τὸ ἀεί, πρὸς ὁποτέρῳ ‹δεῖ› διαστίξαι.

Aristot.Rhet.iii. 5.

(21) λοιπὸν τοίνυν ἦν καὶ ἀναγκαῖον ἅμα | πᾶσιν οἷς ἐκεῖνος ἔπραττ’ ἀδικῶν ὑμᾶς ἐναντιοῦσθαι δικαίως.

Demosth.de Cor.§ 69.

(22) ταῦτα τοίνυν εἰδὼς Αἰσχίνης οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐμοῦ | πομπεύειν ἀντὶ τοῦ κατηγορεῖν εἵλετο.

id.ib.§ 124.

(23) συνέβαινε δ’ αὐτῷ | τῷ πολέμῳ κρατοῦντι, κτλ.

id.ib.§ 146.

(24) τότε τοίνυν κατ’ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ὁ Παιανεὺς ἐγὼ Βάτταλος Οἰνομάου τοῦ Κοθωκίδου σοῦ | πλείονος ἄξιος ὢν ἐφάνην τῇ πατρίδι.

id.ib.§ 180.

(25) εἰ γὰρ ὡς οὐ τὰ βέλτιστα ἐμοῦ πολιτευσαμένου | τουδὶ καταψηφιεῖσθε, ἡμαρτηκέναι δόξετε, οὐ τῇ τῆς τύχης ἀγνωμοσύνῃ τὰ συμβάντα παθεῖν.

id.ib.§ 207.

(26) οὐκ ἂν οἷα σὺ νῦν ἔλεγες, τοιαῦτα κατηγόρει, παραδείγματα πλάττων | καὶ ῥήματα καὶ σχήματα μιμούμενος κτλ.

id.ib.§ 232.

(27) σὺ τοίνυν ταῦτ’ ἀφεὶς ἐμὲ τὸν παρὰ τουτοισὶ πεπολιτευμένον αἰτιᾷ, καὶ ταῦτ’ | εἰδὼς ὅτι, καὶ εἰ μὴ τὸ ὅλον, μέρος γ’ ἐπιβάλλει τῆς βλασφημίας ἅπασι, καὶ μάλιστα σοί.

id.ib.§ 272.

Here may be added, from R. Y. Tyrrell’s edition of Eurip.Bacchaep. 36, an interesting note suggested by the distance which parts μόσχων from ἀγελαῖα βοσκήματα inBacch.678: “The Greek writers are not nearly so sensitive about the order of words as we are. Surely we have something at least as strange in the order of words in 684 where ἐλάτης certainly depends on φόβην not on νῶτα. See Comm. on 860 for more curious inversions of the natural order; and compare in Soph.Oed. R.1251 χὤπως μὲν ἐκ τῶνδ’ οὐκέτ’ οἶδ’ἀπόλλυται;O.C.1427 τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων | τὰτοῦδ’ἕπεσθαιτἀνδρός; Perhaps the best instance in Greek of a violenthyperbatonis Ar.Thesm.811 οὐδ’ ἂνκλέψασαγυνὴζεύγεικατὰ πεντήκοντα τάλαντα | ἐς πόλινἔλθοι τῶν δημοσίων‘nor would a ladyride in her chariotto the town afterpilfering the public exchequerto the tune of 50 talents.’” Probably the Greek authors, in such instances, were not blind to the liberties they were taking with the natural and lucid order of words; but they trusted to delivery’s artful aid. And about the order adopted in the passage quoted from theThesmophoriazusaethere seems to be a touch of intentional comedy.

It is worth notice, in connexion with Thucydides and word-order, that the Vatican manuscript B, which is at its best from vi. 92 to the end of viii., frequently exhibits an order of words which is peculiar to it and may point to a reviser’s deliberate effort after greater lucidity. In reference to the text presented by the newly discovered Commentary on Thucydides ii., Grenfell and Hunt (Oxyrhynchus Papyrivi. p. 113) say: “As usual, the text of the papyrus is of an eclectic character and does not consistently agree with either family [of theMSS.of Thucydides]; but it supports the ABEFM group seven times against only four agreements with the other [viz. CG]. Several new readings occur of which we append a list.”

With regard to the 27 passages quoted above from various authors it may be remarked in general that, while in some of them there are real obscurities, in others the ambiguity is purely grammatical. And it might almost be laid down as a principle of Greek language that grammatical rules may be freely neglected where the neglect of them does not make the meaning seriously ambiguous, and is desirable in order to secure emphasis, euphony, or some similar object.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF WORD-ORDER IN GREEK AND MODERN LANGUAGES

A few modern translations of some short Greek passages may be appended, in order to exemplify some of the leading differences, in regard to word-order, between ancient and modern languages. From these it will be seen how much English, French, and German differ among themselves; and, indeed, how great is the variety presented by good English versions of one and the same Greek passage. Dionysius himself (p.266supra) refers to the opening of Plato’sRepublic, and that opening passage may here be given at sufficient length to illustrate sentence-order and clause-order as well as word-order. Then will be added, from thede Corona(which Dionysius regards as the greatest of all speeches), the opening, the conclusion, and a famous piece of narrative.

MODERN TRANSLATIONS

I. Opening of Plato’sRepublic

(1) Κατέβην χθὲς εἰς Πειραιᾶ μετὰ Γλαύκωνος τοῦ Ἀρίστωνος προσευξόμενός τε τῇ θεῷ καὶ ἅμα τὴν ἑορτὴν βουλόμενος θεάσασθαι τίνα τρόπον ποιήσουσιν ἅτε νῦν πρῶτον ἄγοντες. καλὴ μὲν οὖν μοι καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων πομπὴ ἔδοξεν εἶναι, οὐ μέντοι ἧττον ἐφαίνετο πρέπειν ἣν οἱ Θρᾷκες ἔπεμπον. προσευξάμενοι δὲ καὶ θεωρήσαντες ἀπῇμεν πρὸς τὸ ἄστυ. κατιδὼν οὖν πόρρωθεν ἡμᾶς οἴκαδε ὡρμημένους Πολέμαρχος ὁ Κεφάλου ἐκέλευσε δραμόντα τὸν παῖδα περιμεῖναί ἑ κελεῦσαι. καί μου ὄπισθεν ὁ παῖς λαβόμενος τοῦ ἱματίου, Κελεύει ὑμᾶς, ἔφη, Πολέμαρχος περιμεῖναι. Καὶ ἐγὼ μετεστράφην τε καὶ ἠρόμην ὅπου αὐτὸς εἴη. Οὗτος, ἔφη, ὄπισθεν προσέρχεται· ἀλλὰ περιμένετε. Ἀλλὰ περιμενοῦμεν, ἦ δ’ ὃς ὁ Γλαύκων.

(2)J’étais descendu hier au Pirée avec Glaucon, fils d’Ariston, pour faire notre prière à la déesse et voir aussi comment se passerait la fête, car c’était la première fois qu’on la célébrait. La pompe, formée par nos compatriotes, me parut belle, et celle des Thraces ne l’était pas moins. Après avoir fait notreprière et vu la cérémonie, nous regagnâmes le chemin de la ville. Comme nous nous dirigions de ce côté, Polémarque, fils de Céphale, nous aperçut de loin, et dit à son esclave de courir après nous et de nous prier de l’attendre. Celui-ci m’arrêtant par derrière par mon manteau: Polémarque, dit-il, vous prie de l’attendre. Je me retourne et lui demande où est son maître: Le voilà qui me suit, attendez-le un moment. Eh bien, dit Glaucon, nous l’attendrons.

Victor Cousin.

(3)Ich ging gestern mit Glaukon, dem Sohne des Ariston, in den Peiraieus hinunter; theils um die Göttin anzubeten, dann aber wollte ich auch zugleich das Fest sehen, wie sie es feiern wollten, da sie es jetzt zum ersten Mal begehen. Schön nun dünkte mich auch unserer Einheimischen Aufzug zu sein; nicht minder vortrefflich jedoch nahm sich auch der aus, den die Thrakier geschickt hatten. Nachdem wir nun gebetet und die Feier mit angeschaut hatten, gingen wir fort nach der Stadt. Wie nun Polemarchos, der Sohn des Kephalos, uns von fern nach Hause zu steigen sah, hiess er seinen Knaben laufen und uns heissen, ihn erwarten. Der Knabe also fasste mich von hinten beim Mantel und sprach: Polemarchos heisst Euch, ihn erwarten. Ich wendete mich um und fragte, wo denn er selbst wäre. Hier, sprach er, kommt er hinter Euch, wartet nur. Nun ja, wir wollen warten, sagte Glaukon.

Friedrich Schleiermacher.

(4)I went down yesterday to the Piraeus with Glaucon the son of Ariston, to offer up prayer to the goddess, and also from a wish to see how the festival, then to be held for the first time, would be celebrated. I was very much pleased with the native Athenian procession; though that of the Thracians appeared to be no less brilliant. We had finished our prayers and satisfied our curiosity, and were returning to the city, when Polemarchus the son of Cephalus caught sight of us at a distance, as we were on our way towards home, and told his servant to run and bid us wait for him. The servant came behind me, took hold of my cloak, and said, ‘Polemarchus bids you wait.’ I turned round and asked him where his master was. ‘There he is,’ he replied, ‘coming on behind: pray wait for him.’ ‘We will wait,’ answered Glaucon.

DaviesandVaughan.

(5)I went down yesterday to the Piraeus with Glaucon the son of Ariston, that I might offer up my prayers to the goddess; and also because I wanted to see in what manner they would celebrate the festival, which was a new thing. I was delighted with the procession of the inhabitants; but that of the Thracians was equally, if not more, beautiful. When we had finished our prayers and viewed the spectacle, we turned in the direction of the city; and at that instant Polemarchus the son of Cephalus chanced to catch sight of us from a distance as we were starting on our way home, and told his servant to run and bid us wait for him. The servant took hold of me by the cloak behind, and said: Polemarchus desires you to wait. I turned round, and asked him where his master was. There he is, said the youth, coming after you, if you will only wait. Certainly we will, said Glaucon.

B. Jowett.

(6)I went down to the Peiraeus yesterday with Glaucon, the son of Ariston. As this was the first celebration of the festival, I wished to make my prayersto the goddess and see the ceremony. I liked the procession of the residents, but I thought that the Thracian ordered theirs quite as successfully. We had offered our prayers and finished our sight-seeing, and were leaving for the city, when from some way off, Polemarchus, the son of Cephalus, saw that we were starting homewards, and sent his slave to run after us and bid us wait. The lad caught my cloak from behind and said: ‘Polemarchus bids you wait.’ I turned round and asked him where his master was. ‘He is coming behind,’ he said; ‘but will you please wait?’ ‘Surely we will,’ said Glaucon.

A. D. Lindsay.

II. Opening of Demosthenes’ Speech on the Crown

(1) Πρῶτον μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοῖς θεοῖς εὔχομαι πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις, ὅσην εὔνοιαν ἔχων ἐγὼ διατελῶ τῇ τε πόλει καὶ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, τοσαύτην ὑπάρξαι μοι παρ’ ὑμῶν εἰς τουτονὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα, ἔπειθ’ ὅπερ ἐστὶ μάλισθ’ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐσεβείας τε καὶ δόξης, τοῦτο παραστῆσαι τοὺς θεοὺς ὑμῖν, μὴ τὸν ἀντίδικον σύμβουλον ποιήσασθαι περὶ τοῦ πῶς ἀκούειν ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ δεῖ (σχέτλιον γὰρ ἂν εἴη τοῦτό γε), ἀλλὰ τοὺς νόμους καὶ τὸν ὅρκον, ἐν ᾧ πρὸς ἅπασι τοῖς ἄλλοις δικαίοις καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται, τὸ ὁμοίως ἀμφοῖν ἀκροάσασθαι. τοῦτο δ’ ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον τὸ μὴ προκατεγνωκέναι μηδέν, οὐδὲ τὸ τὴν εὔνοιαν ἴσην ἀποδοῦναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ καὶ τῇ τάξει καὶ τῇ ἀπολογίᾳ, ὡς βεβούληται καὶ προῄρηται τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων ἕκαστος, οὕτως ἐᾶσαι χρήσασθαι.

(2)Athéniens, j’adresse d’abord une prière à tous les dieux, à toutes les déesses. Si j’ai toujours voulu le bien de la république et de vous tous, fassent ces dieux qu’aujourd’hui, dans cette lutte, je trouve en vous la même bienveillance! Puissent-ils vous persuader aussi, comme le veulent votre intérêt, votre religion, votre gloire, que, sur la manière de m’entendre, ce n’est pas mon adversaire qu’il est juste de consulter,—ma condition en deviendrait trop dure,—ce sont les lois et votre serment! Votre serment, où sont écrites ces paroles, pleines d’équité, comme tout le reste: écouter également les deux parties. Cela ne veut pas dire seulement: nous n’apporterons aucune prévention, et nous donnerons à tous deux une faveur égale. Cela veut dire aussi: nous ne contraindrons personne, ni dans la disposition de ses moyens ni dans l’ordre de sa défense; quel que soit le plan adopté par celui qui vient plaider sa cause, nous lui permettrons de le suivre en toute liberté.

Rodolphe Dareste.

(3)Für das Erste, Ihr Männer Athens, flehe ich alle Götter und Göttinnen an, dass so viel Wohlwollen, als ich jederzeit der Stadt und Euch allen bewiesen, mir in gleichem Maasse von Euch für den gegenwärtigen Handel zu Theil werde; dann, dass die Götter Euch das in den Sinn geben, was Euch und Euerm Gewissen und Ansehn am meisten ziemt: nicht von dem Gegner Rath zu nehmen, wie Ihr mich anhören sollt—denn arg wäre das—sondern von den Gesetzen und dem Eide, in welchem, ausser allen andern Rechten, auch diess verordnet ist: beiden Parteien auf gleiche Weise Gehör zu geben. Diess heisst aber nicht bloss, keine Meinung vorher zu fassen; auch nicht, beiden gleiches Wohlwollen zu schenken; sondern ebenfalls, Jedem der Streitendendiejenige Anordnung und Vertheidigungsart zu gestatten, die er gut gefunden und gewählt hat.

Friedrich Jacobs.

(4)I begin, men of Athens, by praying to every God and Goddess, that the same goodwill, which I have ever cherished towards the commonwealth and all of you, may be requited to me on the present trial. I pray likewise—and this specially concerns yourselves, your religion, and your honour—that the Gods may put it in your minds, not to take counsel of my opponent touching the manner in which I am to be heard—that would indeed be cruel!—but of the laws and of your oath; wherein (besides the other obligations) it is prescribed that you shall hear both sides alike. This means, not only that you must pass no pre-condemnation, not only that you must extend your goodwill equally to both, but also that you must allow the parties to adopt such order and course of defence as they severally choose and prefer.

C. R. Kennedy.

III. Conclusion of Demosthenes’ Speech on the Crown

(1) Μὴ δῆτ’, ὦ πάντες θεοί, μηδεὶς ταῦθ’ ὑμῶν ἐπινεύσειεν, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν καὶ τούτοις βελτίω τινὰ νοῦν καὶ φρένας ἐνθείητε, εἰ δ’ ἄρ’ ἔχουσιν ἀνιάτως, τούτους μὲν αὐτοὺς καθ’ ἑαυτοὺς ἐξώλεις καὶ προώλεις ἐν γῇ καὶ θαλάττῃ ποιήσατε, ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς λοιποῖς τὴν ταχίστην ἀπαλλαγὴν τῶν ἐπηρτημένων φόβων δότε καὶ σωτηρίαν ἀσφαλῆ.

(2)Dieux puissants! n’écoutez pas ces vœux impies! inspirez plutôt à ces hommes un autre esprit et des pensées meilleures! Ou, si leur méchanceté est incurable, frappez-les, exterminez-les sur terre et sur mer. Pour nous, délivrez-nous au plus tôt des dangers qui nous menacent, sauvez-nous, protégez-nous à jamais!

R. Dareste.

(3)Möchte doch, o all’ Ihr Götter! keiner von Euch dieses billigen, sondern Ihr vor allen Dingen auch diesen hier einen bessern Sinn und besseres Gemüth verleihen; wenn sie aber unheilbar sind, sie allein für sich dem Verderben überliefern, uns, den Übrigen, aber die schnellste Befreiung von den obschwebenden Besorgnissen und unerschütterte Wohlfahrt gewähren.

F. Jacobs.

(4)Never, Powers of Heaven, may any brow of the Immortals be bent in approval of that prayer! Rather, if it may be, breathe even into these men a better mind and heart; but if so it is that to these can come no healing, then grant that these, and these alone, may perish utterly and early on land and on the deep: and to us, the remnant, send the swiftest deliverance from the terrors gathered above our heads, send us the salvation that stands fast perpetually.

R. C. Jebb.

(5)Never, ye gods, vouchsafe assent to such a prayer! Rather, if it may be, inspire even these men with a better mind and heart; but, if they are indeed past healing, bring them, and them alone, to swift and utter ruin byland and sea; and to us who yet remain grant the speediest release from the terrors that hang over us; grant us a sure salvation!

S. H. Butcher.

IV. Narrative Passage from Demosthenes’ Speech on the Crown

(§§ 169, 170)

(1) Ἑσπέρα μὲν γὰρ ἦν, ἧκε δ’ ἀγγέλλων τις ὡς τοὺς πρυτάνεις ὡς Ἐλάτεια κατείληπται. καὶ μετὰ ταῦθ’ οἱ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐξαναστάντες μεταξὺ δειπνοῦντες τοὺς τ’ ἐκ τῶν σκηνῶν τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐξεῖργον καὶ τὰ γέρρ’ ἐνεπίμπρασαν, οἱ δὲ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς μετεπέμποντο καὶ τὸν σαλπιγκτὴν ἐκάλουν· καὶ θορύβου πλήρης ἦν ἡ πόλις. τῇ δ’ ὑστεραίᾳ, ἅμα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, οἱ μὲν πρυτάνεις τὴν βουλὴν ἐκάλουν εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον, ὑμεῖς δ’ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπορεύεσθε, καὶ πρὶν ἐκείνην χρηματίσαι καὶ προβουλεῦσαι πᾶς ὁ δῆμος ἄνω κάθητο. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἦλθεν ἡ βουλὴ καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν οἱ πρυτάνεις τὰ προσηγγελμέν’ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τὸν ἥκοντα παρήγαγον κἀκεῖνος εἶπεν, ἠρώτα μὲν ὁ κῆρυξ “τίς ἀγορεύειν βούλεται;” παρῄει δ’ οὐδείς. πολλάκις δὲ τοῦ κήρυκος ἐρωτῶντος οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἀνίστατ’ οὐδείς, ἁπάντων μὲν τῶν στρατηγῶν παρόντων, ἁπάντων δὲ τῶν ῥητόρων, καλούσης δὲ τῆς κοινῆς τῆς πατρίδος φωνῆς τὸν ἐροῦνθ’ ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας· ἣν γὰρ ὁ κῆρυξ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους φωνὴν ἀφίησι, ταύτην κοινὴν τῆς πατρίδος δίκαιον ἡγεῖσθαι.

(2)C’était le soir. Arrive un homme qui annonce aux prytanes que l’Élatée est prise. Aussitôt les uns se lèvent de table, chassent les marchands de la place publique et brûlent leurs tentes; les autres mandent les stratéges, appellent le trompette; ce n’est que trouble dans toute la ville. Le lendemain, au point du jour, les prytanes convoquent le conseil. Vous, de votre côté, vous vous rendez à l’assemblée, et avant que le conseil eût rien agité, rien résolu, tout le peuple était rangé à ses places sur la colline. Bientôt après, les membres du conseil arrivent; les prytanes déclarent la nouvelle, et font paraître celui qui l’a apportée; cet homme parle lui-même. Le héraut demande: ‘Qui veut monter à la tribune?’ Personne ne se lève. Il recommence plusieurs fois. Personne encore. Et tous les stratéges, tous les orateurs étaient présents; et la patrie, de cette voix qui est la voix de tous, appelait un citoyen qui parlât pour la sauver; car la voix du héraut qui se fait entendre, quand les lois l’ordonnent, c’est la voix de la patrie.

R. Dareste.

(3)Es war Abend. Da kam Einer mit der Meldung zu den Prytanen, dass Elateia eingenommen sey. Hierauf standen diese sogleich von der Mahlzeit auf, trieben die Leute aus den Buden auf dem Markte fort, und steckten das Holzwerk davon in Brand; andere schickten nach den Strategen, und riefen den Trompeter herbei. Die Stadt war in grösster Bewegung. Am folgenden Morgen, bei Tages Anbruch, riefen die Prytanen den Senat auf das Stadthaus, Ihr aber begabt Euch in die Versammlung, und ehe der Senat noch sein Geschäft vollbracht und einen vorläufigen Beschluss gefasst hatte, sass das ganze Volk schon oben. Und als hierauf der Senat eintrat, und die Prytanen das, was ihnen gemeldet worden war, öffentlich bekannt machten, und denÜberbringer der Nachricht vorführten, und auch dieser gesprochen hatte, fragte der Herold: Wer will sprechen? Niemand aber meldete sich. Wiewohl nun der Herold seine Frage oft wiederholte, trat darum, doch Keiner auf, obgleich alle Strategen gegenwärtig waren, und alle Redner und das Vaterland mit gemeinsamer Stimme einen Sprecher für seine Rettung aufrief; denn die Stimme, die der Herold dem Gesetze gemäss ertönen lässt, kann mit allem Rechte für die Stimme des gesammten Vaterlandes gehalten werden.

F. Jacobs.

(4)It was evening when a courier came to the presidents of the assembly with the news that Elateia had been seized. The presidents instantly rose from table—they were supping at the moment: some of them hastened to clear the market-place of the shopmen, and to burn the wickerwork of the booths: others, to send for the generals and order the sounding of the call to the Assembly. The city was in a tumult. At dawn next day the presidents convoked the Senate, you hurried to the Ekklesia, and before the Senate could go through its forms or could report, the whole people were in assembly on the hill. Then, when the Senate had come in, when the presidents had reported the news that they had received, and had introduced the messenger, who told his tale, the herald repeatedly asked,Who wishes to speak?But no one came forward. Again and again he put the question—in vain. No one would rise, though all the generals, though all the public speakers were present, though our Country was crying aloud, with the voice that comes home to all, for a champion of the commonwealth—if in the solemn invitation given by the herald we may truly deem that we hear our Country’s summons.

R. C. Jebb.

GREEK PRONUNCIATION: SCHEME OF THE CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION

In October 1908 the Classical Association adopted a number of recommendations made by its Greek Pronunciation Committee, and has since published them for the use of teachers and others. They are put forward “not as constituting a complete scientific scheme, but as approximations which, for teaching purposes, may be regarded as practicable, and at the same time as a great advance on the present usage, both for clearness in teaching and for actual likeness to the ancient sounds.” The period (the early fourth centuryB.C.) to which they are intended mainly to apply is one whose literature Dionysius studied rather than that in which he lived (cp. pages 43-46 above). But his scattered hints are of great moment in the whole inquiry; and if they are read with care and with reference to their bearing, not only on disputed points, but on points which (largely through the evidence they furnish) are undisputed, it will be seen how much we owe to them when making any attempt to reconstruct the pronunciation of the classical period. The principal passages of Dionysius’ text which throw light upon the question of Greek pronunciation and accentuation will be found on pages126-130,136-150,218-224,230above. The following are the suggestions made by the Classical Association:—

Vowels

ᾱ and α, ῑ and ι, ε and ο, η and ω may be pronounced as the corresponding vowels in Latin, i.e.

ᾱ, asainfather,α, asainaha.ῑ, aseeinfeed.ι, asiin Fr.piquet, nearly as Eng.iinfit.ε, aseinfret.ο, asoinnot.η (longe), asein Lat.mēta, Eng.ainmate.ω (longo), asoin Lat.Rōma, Eng.home.

The pronunciation recommended for η and ω is dictated by practical considerations. But in any school where the pupils have been accustomed to distinguish the sounds of Frenchèandé, the Committee feels that the open sound (ofèinil mène), which is historically correct for η, may well be adopted. In the same way there is no doubt that the pronunciation of ω in the fifth centuryB.C.was the open sound ofoain Eng.broad, not that of the ordinary Englishō. But since the precise degree of openness varied at different epochs, the Committee, though preferring the open pronunciation, sees no sufficient reason for excluding the obviously convenient practice of sounding ω just as Latinō. For both Greek and Latin the diphthongal character of the English vowels inmateandhome, i.e. the slightĭsound inmateand the slightŭsound inhome,own, is incorrect. But the discrepancy is not one which any but fairly advanced students need be asked to notice, unless indeed they happen to be already familiar with the pure vowel sounds of modern Welsh or Italian.

υ as Frenchŭindupain.ῡ as Frenchūinrueor Germ.üingrün.

In recommending this sound for the Greek υ, the Committee is partly guided by the fact that its correct production is now widely and successfully taught in English schools in early stages of instruction in French and German. But in any school where the sound is strange to the pupils at the stage at which Greek is begun, if it is felt that the effort to acquire the sound would involve a serious hindrance to progress, the Committee can only suggest that, for the time, the υ should be pronounced as Latinu(short asooin Eng.took, long asooin Eng.loose), though this obscures the distinction between words like λύω and λούω.

Diphthongs

αι = α + ι nearly asaiinIsaiah(broadly pronounced), Fr.émail.

οι = ο + ι as Eng.oiinoil.

υι = υ + ι as Fr.uiinlui.

In ᾳ, ῃ, ῳ the first vowel was long, and the second only faintly heard.

ει. The precise sound of ει is difficult to determine, but in Attic Greek it was never confused with η till a late period, and to maintain the distinction clearly it is perhaps best for English students to pronounce it as Eng.eye, though in fact it must have been nearer to Fr.éeinpassée, Eng.eyingrey. The Greek Ἀλφειός is LatinAlphēus.

αυ =au, as Germ.auinHaus, nearly as Eng.owingown.

ευ =eu, nearly as Eng.ewinfew,uintune.

ου as Eng.ooinmoon, Fr.ouinroue.

Consonants

π, β, τ, δ, κ, and γ asp,b,t,d,k, andgrespectively in Latin; except that γ (before γ, κ, and χ) is used to denote the nasal sound heard in Eng.ankle,anger.

ρ, λ, μ, ν as Lat.r,l,m,n.

σ, ς always as Lat.s(Eng.sinmouse), except before β, γ and μ, where the sound was as in Eng.has been,has gone,has made: e.g. ἄσβεστος, φάσγανον, ἑσμός.

ξ as Eng.xinwax, and ψ as Eng.psinlapse.

ζ as Eng.dzinadze,dsintreadson.

Aspirates

The Committee has carefully considered the pronunciation of the aspirated consonants in Greek. It is certain that the primitive pronunciation of χ, θ, φ was ask.h,t.h,p.h, that is ask,t,pfollowed by a strong breath, and the Committee is not prepared to deny that this pronunciation lasted down into the classical period. Further, there is no doubt that the adoption of this pronunciation makes much in Greek accidence that is otherwise obscure perfectly comprehensible. If φαίνω be pronounced πhαίνω, it is readily understood why the reduplicated perfect is πεπhηνα; but if it be pronouncedfαινω, the perfect, pronounced πεfηνα, is anomalous. The relation of ἀφίστημι and the like to ἵστημι, of φροῦδος to ὁδός, of θρίξ to τρίχα becomes intelligible when it is seen that θ, φ, and χ contain a realh-sound. This advantage seems to be one of the reasons why it has been adopted in practice by a certain number of English teachers.

In the course of time the pronunciation of the aspirates changed by degrees to that of fricatives, which is now current in most districts of Greece, φ becomingf, θ pronounced asth, in Englishthin, and χ acquiring the sound of the Germanch.[208]

If the later sounds are accepted, no change in the common pronunciation of θ and φ in England will be required, but it will remain desirable to distinguish between the sounds of κ and χ, which are at present confused: ἄκος and ἄχος, καίνω and χαίνω being now pronounced alike. This may be done by giving χ the sound ofkh, or of Germanch, as in auch. The Committee would, on the whole, recommend the latter alternative as being more familiar in German, Scotch, and Irish place-names.[209]

The Committee, though loath to do anything to discourage the primitive pronunciation of the aspirates, has not been able to satisfy itself that it would be easy to introduce this pronunciation into schools to which it is strange; and it is of opinion that it is not advisable to recommend anything at present that might increase the labour of the teacher or the student of Greek. It therefore abstains from recommending any change in the common pronunciation of the aspirates except in the case of χ.

Accentuation

There is no doubt that in the Classical period of Greek the accented syllables were marked by ahigher pitchornotethan the unaccented, and not by morestress, not, that is, with a stronger current of breath and more muscular effort. Therefore, unless the student is capable of giving amusicalvalue to the Greek signs of accent, it is doubtful whether he shouldattempt to represent them in pronunciation; for in many cases we should make our pronunciation more, not less remote from that of the Greeks themselves if we gave to their accented syllables the samestressas we do to the accented syllables in English; for example, in paroxytone dactyls (κεχρημένος) when the penult is stressed, the quantity of the long antepenult is apt to be shortened and its metrical value destroyed.[210]But where there is no conflict between accent and quantity (ἀγαθός), something may be said for stressing moderately the accented syllable, and so distinguishing e.g. καλῶς and κάλως, Διός and δῖος, ταὐτά and ταῦτα.[211]

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