LESSON VI
The Degrees of Comparisonin Adjectives
The general form is τερος for the comparative and τατος for the superlative, the genders following the type of the substantives of the first and second declensions, as δίκαιος,just, δικαιότερος, δικαιότατος; also, to avoid the concurrence of four short syllables unfavourable to the dactylic rhythm of the early poetry, the ότερος in certain cases becomes ώτερος, and the ότατος, ώτατος, as—
Adjectives in ας, αινα, αν, and in ης, ες, add the τερος and τατος to the neuter, as—
a termination which is assumed also by adjectives in ων, as εὐδαίμων,happy, εὐδαιμονέστερος,-τατος.
Some adjectives are compared by ιων,-ον, and ιστος,-η,-ον, as—
This form belongs also to some common irregular comparisons as—
which follow in declension the law of the substantives of the same type, as μείζων, μείζονος; πλείων,-ονος, plural πλείονες, contracted πλείους.
Comparatives are either accompanied with a genitive or followed by ἤ—as
ὁ υἱὸς μείζων ἐστὶ τοῦ πατρός,the son is taller than the father
—or ἢ ὁ πατήρ.
οὗτος ὁ νεανίσκος πολὺ μικρότερός ἐστι τῆς ἀδελφῆς· νᾶνός ἐστι,this young man is much less than his sister; he is a dwarf.λέγει ἡ ἁγία γραφὴ ὅτι ὁ Σαοὺλ πολὺ μέγιστος ἦν πάντων τῶν συμπολιτῶν,the holy scripture says that Saul was by far the tallest of all his fellow citizens.οὐ σοφώτατος δέ,but not the wisest.ἄμεινον τοῦ μεγέθους ἡ σοφία,wisdom is better than stature.πόσα ἄτακτα ῥήματά ἐστιν ἐν τῇ Ἑλληνικῇ γλώσσῃ;how many irregular verbs are there in the Greek tongue?οὐκ οἶδα,I do not know.περὶ τούτου γε χρὴ ἐρωτᾳν τὸν μάντιν, τὸν Οὐείτχιον,on this point you must consult the oracle, Veitch.φοβερὸν τὸ πλῆθος,a terrible multitude.πλείω ἢ οἱ κόρακες ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ,more than the crows in the field.ἀληθέστατα λέγεις,you say what is very true.λέγω τὸ ἔμοιγε πονηρότατον καὶ χαλεπώτατον,I say what for me at least is a very painful and a very difficult business.μὴ ἀθύμει· πολλὰ ἔχει κακὰ ὁ βίος, παγκάκιστον δὲ τὸν ἀπελπισμόν,don’t despair; there are many bad things in life, but the worst is despair.τῶν δὲ ἀγαθῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τί βέλτιστον;and of the good things in life which is best?ἡ πίστις,faith.ὡς λέγει ὁ προφήτης Ἀμβακούμ· ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται,as the prophet Habakkuk says, the just man shall live by faith.οὗ οὐκ ἔχει λόγον ἀληθέστερον ἡ ἁγία γραφή,a word than which nothing more true is found in holy scripture.πατὴρ τῆς ἀνδρείας ἡ πίστις, ἀνδρεία δὲ τῶν ἀνδρικῶν ἔργων πατήρ,faith is the father of courage, and courage is the father of manly deeds.κάλλιστα λέγεις,admirable.καλὸς ὁ λόγος, κάλλιον δὲ τὸ ἔργον,a beautiful saying, but more beautiful is the deed.ἄνευ ἔργου πάντων κενώτατον πραγμάτων ὁ λόγος,without the deed speech is the most empty of all things.ἐλαφρότερον τῶν ἀχύρων,more light than chaff.καὶ οὐδὲν ἥττον στεῖρον,and not less barren.ἔρρωσο,farewell.
οὗτος ὁ νεανίσκος πολὺ μικρότερός ἐστι τῆς ἀδελφῆς· νᾶνός ἐστι,this young man is much less than his sister; he is a dwarf.
λέγει ἡ ἁγία γραφὴ ὅτι ὁ Σαοὺλ πολὺ μέγιστος ἦν πάντων τῶν συμπολιτῶν,the holy scripture says that Saul was by far the tallest of all his fellow citizens.
οὐ σοφώτατος δέ,but not the wisest.
ἄμεινον τοῦ μεγέθους ἡ σοφία,wisdom is better than stature.
πόσα ἄτακτα ῥήματά ἐστιν ἐν τῇ Ἑλληνικῇ γλώσσῃ;how many irregular verbs are there in the Greek tongue?
οὐκ οἶδα,I do not know.
περὶ τούτου γε χρὴ ἐρωτᾳν τὸν μάντιν, τὸν Οὐείτχιον,on this point you must consult the oracle, Veitch.
φοβερὸν τὸ πλῆθος,a terrible multitude.
πλείω ἢ οἱ κόρακες ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ,more than the crows in the field.
ἀληθέστατα λέγεις,you say what is very true.
λέγω τὸ ἔμοιγε πονηρότατον καὶ χαλεπώτατον,I say what for me at least is a very painful and a very difficult business.
μὴ ἀθύμει· πολλὰ ἔχει κακὰ ὁ βίος, παγκάκιστον δὲ τὸν ἀπελπισμόν,don’t despair; there are many bad things in life, but the worst is despair.
τῶν δὲ ἀγαθῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τί βέλτιστον;and of the good things in life which is best?
ἡ πίστις,faith.
ὡς λέγει ὁ προφήτης Ἀμβακούμ· ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται,as the prophet Habakkuk says, the just man shall live by faith.
οὗ οὐκ ἔχει λόγον ἀληθέστερον ἡ ἁγία γραφή,a word than which nothing more true is found in holy scripture.
πατὴρ τῆς ἀνδρείας ἡ πίστις, ἀνδρεία δὲ τῶν ἀνδρικῶν ἔργων πατήρ,faith is the father of courage, and courage is the father of manly deeds.
κάλλιστα λέγεις,admirable.
καλὸς ὁ λόγος, κάλλιον δὲ τὸ ἔργον,a beautiful saying, but more beautiful is the deed.
ἄνευ ἔργου πάντων κενώτατον πραγμάτων ὁ λόγος,without the deed speech is the most empty of all things.
ἐλαφρότερον τῶν ἀχύρων,more light than chaff.
καὶ οὐδὲν ἥττον στεῖρον,and not less barren.
ἔρρωσο,farewell.
English Affinities
New. Polygon. Hagiography. Tactics. Crow. Biology. Prophet. Energetic. Plethora.