Xen. Mem. 4.1.5---(the last sentence) ἠλίθιος δὲ καὶ εἴ τις οἴεται διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος, δόξειν τι ἀγαθὸς εἶναι ἤ, μηδὲν ἀγαθὸς εἶναι δοκῶν, εὐδοκιμήσειν.
My question is that whether could I translate the underlined part closely as "without knowing anything, to be reputed to be some good one, or without being reputed to be good at all, to have a good reputation"?
That sounds odd; the translation by E. C. Marchant, "without knowledge he will be reputed good at something, or will enjoy a good reputation without being reputed good at anything in particular", reads better, yet by the grammar could we put as "---good at something---without being reputed good at anything in particular"?
Thanks!
Question:Xen. Mem. 4.1.5
-
- Textkit Neophyte
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:06 am
-
- Textkit Zealot
- Posts: 1093
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:08 am
- Location: Toronto
Re: Question:Xen. Mem. 4.1.5
Yes -- the accusative τι and μηδέν here are used with ἀγαθός to tell you good at what -- in Smyth's grammar this is called the accusative of respect. (And then "being reputed to be good at nothing" ~~ "without being reputed to be good at anything in particular".)chibibaiyun wrote:That sounds odd; the translation by E. C. Marchant, "without knowledge he will be reputed good at something, or will enjoy a good reputation without being reputed good at anything in particular", reads better, yet by the grammar could we put as "---good at something---without being reputed good at anything in particular"?
-
- Textkit Neophyte
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:06 am
Re: Question:Xen. Mem. 4.1.5
Thanks! you remind me correctly! That must be the accusative aspect!