Dear Members,
Is the following a valid phrase grammatically/syntactically - kalos kagathos t'anax? Would ancient Greek usually arrange the words differently to express the same notion?
As always, any means of reply would be most appreciated.
Sincerely,
Peripatein.
Validity of expression.
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Re: Validity of expression.
Hi
To me it looks fine. The phrase looks like a fragment from epic, perhaps translated as "a lord both good and noble". I think Homer used the kai . . . te construction the same way later Greek used the kai . . . kai, or the te . . . te constructions.
Regards,
To me it looks fine. The phrase looks like a fragment from epic, perhaps translated as "a lord both good and noble". I think Homer used the kai . . . te construction the same way later Greek used the kai . . . kai, or the te . . . te constructions.
Regards,
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Re: Validity of expression.
What are you trying to say and what is the context? I have two problems with this phrase. First, καλὸς κἀγαθός is a classical phrase, but the noun ἄναξ is archaic. I wouldn't expect these to occur together in the same phrase very often, except perhaps in drama. Second, kalos kagathos still has a καί hiding in there. Even if the phrase is practically a single word, the use of καί and τε this way together is like saying "noble and and good." The only time I found τε in the area of the phrase was with καλός τε καὶ ἀγαθός.peripatein wrote:Is the following a valid phrase grammatically/syntactically - kalos kagathos t'anax? Would ancient Greek usually arrange the words differently to express the same notion?
William S. Annis — http://www.aoidoi.org/ — http://www.scholiastae.org/
τίς πατέρ' αἰνήσει εἰ μὴ κακοδαίμονες υἱοί;
τίς πατέρ' αἰνήσει εἰ μὴ κακοδαίμονες υἱοί;
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Re: Validity of expression.
As far as I know, the parataxis with copulative conjunctions is ...τε και..., and not και... ...τε. And of course it can never be ... και ...τε.
Even more analytically the options are:
καλός καί αγαθός - καλός καγαθός
καλός τε καί αγαθός - καλός τε καγαθός
καί καλός καί αγαθός (more emphatic)
καλός τε αγαθός τε
And never:
καλός τε αγαθός
και καλός αγαθός τε
καλός και αγαθός τε
Even more analytically the options are:
καλός καί αγαθός - καλός καγαθός
καλός τε καί αγαθός - καλός τε καγαθός
καί καλός καί αγαθός (more emphatic)
καλός τε αγαθός τε
And never:
καλός τε αγαθός
και καλός αγαθός τε
καλός και αγαθός τε
Dives qui sapiens est...