τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύοντο. τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύετο.
my answer I am sure is wrong...
The children were untying themselves their gifts. He was untying himself gifts for the children.
...Help Please.
Help Translating
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Re: Help Translating
I would take the sentences as having an implied subject (they in ἐλύοντο; he/she in ἐλύετο)GreatKraw wrote:τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύοντο. τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύετο.
my answer I am sure is wrong...
The children were untying themselves their gifts. He was untying himself gifts for the children.
...Help Please.
with direct object τὰ παιδία and dative of means δώροις. The usage of middle-passive ending
is due to some relational connection to the subject, perhaps his/her in ἐλύοντο and their in ἐλύετο.
Nate.
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Re: Help Translating
But isn't the subject τα παιδια? The verb is in the passive. I think this rather illustrates the point that a neuter plural subject often takes a singular verb. So both sentences mean the same, "the children were bought free with gifts".
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Re: Help Translating
Or rather, I think both interpretations, medium and passive, are possible depending on the context.
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Re: Help Translating
That's certainly a possibility. In which case, only the second sentence with sg. verb isPaul Derouda wrote:But isn't the subject τα παιδια? The verb is in the passive. I think this rather illustrates the point that a neuter plural subject often takes a singular verb. So both sentences mean the same, "the children were bought free with gifts".
grammatically correct.
Last edited by NateD26 on Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nate.
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Re: Help Translating
Could it be something on the lines ofGreatKraw wrote:τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύοντο. τὰ παιδία δώροις ἐλύετο.
"The slaves ransomed themselves by means of gifts. He ransomed the slaves by means of gifts."?
What is the context?
λονδον
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Re: Help Translating
Not necessarily. See Smyth §959.NateD26 wrote:That's certainly a possibility. In which case, only the second sentence with sg. verb isPaul Derouda wrote:But isn't the subject τα παιδια? The verb is in the passive. I think this rather illustrates the point that a neuter plural subject often takes a singular verb. So both sentences mean the same, "the children were bought free with gifts".
grammatically correct.
"A plural verb may be used when stress is laid on the fact that the neuter plural subject is composed of persons or of several parts"
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Re: Help Translating
I stand corrected, although I don't quite understand what is the emphasis with a plural verb.Paul Derouda wrote:Not necessarily. See Smyth §959.NateD26 wrote:That's certainly a possibility. In which case, only the second sentence with sg. verb isPaul Derouda wrote:But isn't the subject τα παιδια? The verb is in the passive. I think this rather illustrates the point that a neuter plural subject often takes a singular verb. So both sentences mean the same, "the children were bought free with gifts".
grammatically correct.
"A plural verb may be used when stress is laid on the fact that the neuter plural subject is composed of persons or of several parts"
Nate.