taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα (accusative of respect)

[daivid]

On page 163 of taylor's Greek to GCSE book 2 appears the following line
ην δε τω Κροισω (ως και προτερον εληχθη) αλλος υιος, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἐπιεικής, αφωνος δε.

From the context, the gist must be something like
"There was of Croesus (as was earlier mentioned) another son, while the other was capable, he was dumb."

but I can't make sense of "τὰ μὲν ἄλλα".

Basically, why isn't τὰ ἄλλα in the nominative - or maybe it is?

Any pointers?

[pster]

I don't know the word επιεικτης and can't find it in LSJ Perseus. I don't remember ever seeing ιει like that. But it looks like τὰ ἄλλα some kind of accusative compliment to the adjective: ...another son, on the one hand capable of the other things, (but) on the other hand dumb.

But that word is pretty annoying. Can you check it and add the accents?

Could also be adverbial, but that seems more for decrees than people: capable for the rest but dumb

[Grochojad]

There is one "τ" too many in "επιεικτης".

Ad rem-I'd understand "τὰ μὲν ἄλλα" as "of other things (he was capable), "αφωνος δε"-"but unable to speak"

[John W.]

I think τὰ μὲν ἄλλα επιεικης probably means 'capable in other respects'. The 'accusative of respect' use of τὰ μὲν ἄλλα is common in Thucydides, and I think it is probably the same here.

Best wishes,

John

[daivid]

I don't know the word επιεικτης and can't find it in LSJ Perseus.

You are right - it should be "ἐπιεικής". Sorry about that.

[daivid]

Thanks to all three of you. The context mislead me as it follows the story of how the other son of Croesus who gets killed in a hunting accident. Yous have explained it very clearly.

I do know about the accusative of respect, it just never occurred to me to look out for it in this case.

Goes to show that knowing the grammar in theory is no guarantee that you'll spot it in the wild until you've had a lot of reading practice.