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In number 2 of §16, we find the following:

καλαὶ θεαί εἰσι φίλαι ψυχῇ θεᾶς θαλάσσης δεινῆς.

My question is what to make of the bold genitive phrase. I can't tell which word δεινῆς is modifying — θεᾶς or θαλάσσης. Does anyone have a way of telling in such a situation? My guess would be that it modifies the closest one (θαλάσσης δεινῆς - the terrible sea). Would "of the terrible goddess of the sea" be rather δεινῆς θεᾶς θαλάσσης, or can we really make a prediction about these things?

I think that Attic or Koine would make this clearer: τῆς δεινῆς θεᾶς τῆς θαλάττης/θαλάσσης vs. τῆς θεᾶς τῆς δεινῆς θαλάττης/θαλάσσης. Using articles is so much more helpful.

Thanks a lot!

jaihare wrote:My guess would be that it modifies the closest one (θαλάσσης δεινῆς - the terrible sea).

For now that's the best rule to follow. As you read more Homer you'll start to notice a few repeated patterns of phrasal distraction. Learn enough of the hexameter to find the caesura!

annis wrote:For now that's the best rule to follow. As you read more Homer you'll start to notice a few repeated patterns of phrasal distraction. Learn enough of the hexameter to find the caesura!

I've gotta admit. This is the first time that I'm going to be doing any kind of real study in ancient poetry. I'm not even sure what a hexameter is, though it looks like "six" and "count." Don't know what caesura is either. :"> Gonna have to look this all up online somewhere. LOL

Jason

jaihare wrote:I'm not even sure what a hexameter is, though it looks like "six" and "count." Don't know what caesura is either.

Pharr will explain it when he starts in on the Iliad.

annis wrote:Pharr will explain it when he starts in on the Iliad.

I looked in Google and I found a paper you wrote on the subject that has MP3 recordings linked to it. I have to say, your ancient Greek sounds nothing like my ancient Greek. Does this matter?

I'm going to at least start looking at poetry fundamentals ("feet" and "caesurae" and such). I want to get a heads up before my mind crashes.

Jason

I scanned down and found the coverage of the question of poetic meter in Lesson XIV. I'll be keeping my eye on that as we study towards it. I'd really like to get this study underway already.