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

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

Post by 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?
Last edited by daivid on Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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pster
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Re: taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα

Post by 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

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Re: taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα

Post by 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"

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Re: taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα

Post by 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,

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Re: taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα

Post by daivid »

pster wrote: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.
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Re: taylor book 2 - τὰ μὲν ἄλλα

Post by 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.
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