Eur. Med. 1268

Here you can discuss all things Ancient Greek. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Greek, and more.
Post Reply
zsnowstorm
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:41 am

Eur. Med. 1268

Post by zsnowstorm »

I'm having problem with this sentence:

χαλεπὰ γὰρ βροτοῖς ὁμογενῆ μιάσματ᾽, ἕπεται δ᾽ ἅμ᾽ αὐτοφόνταις ξυνῳδὰ θεόθεν πίτνοντ᾽ ἐπὶ δόμοις ἄχη.

The second clause confuses me a bit. To begin with I don't know what ξυνῳδὰ means and I haven't found it in Perseus but it must be the subject and it should be a neutral noun in plural which goes with πίτνοντ᾽ so ξυνῳδὰ follow the murderers falling from the gods to (the murderers') houses and then I have no idea how ἄχη fit in here and what i means. I would appreciate if someone could help me out with the parts I don't get in this sentence.

spiphany
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 425
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:15 am
Location: Munich
Contact:

Re: Eur. Med. 1268

Post by spiphany »

Try συνῳδα ("harmonious, singing in accord"). ξυν- for συν- is a fairly common substitution, but it's confusing until you've seen it a few times.

ἄχη (neuter pl. from ἄχος, "anguish, distress"). Both ξυνῳδα and πίτνοντα modify it.

Kovacs has "woes harmonious [with their deeds]".
IPHIGENIE: Kann uns zum Vaterland die Fremde werden?
ARKAS: Und dir ist fremd das Vaterland geworden.
IPHIGENIE: Das ist's, warum mein blutend Herz nicht heilt.
(Goethe, Iphigenie auf Tauris)

zsnowstorm
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:41 am

Re: Eur. Med. 1268

Post by zsnowstorm »

Aha, I didn't know about the συν -> ξυν thing, that's what caused me the problems. I sort of get the feeling I should have encountered this before but must've forgotten about it then. Are there any rules for when this can happen?

Thanks a lot anyways I get it now. :D

Post Reply