Alexandros, Unit 1

Greek Learning Greek
1

Hi,

I’m new to this forum and have just started learning Attic Greek (using mainly Athenaze and Alexandros for supplementary reading). I have a couple of questions about Unit 1.

Part β of Alexandros, Unit 1 (3rd edition) has the following (staring at line 10):

… καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἀλέξανδρός.

I don’t understand why an acute accent is used on the last syllable of Ἀλέξανδρoς as there is a full stop after it. Shouldn’t it be:

… καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἀλέξανδρoς.

In the same Unit, Exercise Γ’β’, which needs to be completed with a pronoun/demonstrative, has

_______ ἐστιν Ἑλένη.

Clearly, the demonstrative to be used is αὕτη, but then I think a grave is needed on the last syllable of ἐστιν,

αὕτη ἐστὶν Ἑλένη.

Is this correct?

Many thanks.

Cristiano

2

In addition, in the same Unit, there appears to be some lack of consistency when an enclitic is preceded by a word with a circumflex on the ultima (unless, of course, I am missing something fundamental). Athenaze says that the enclitic should not be stressed, as in ἀγρῶν τινων (unless the clitic is followed by another enclitic), but Alexandros has:

Ἡμεῖς οὖν ἐσμὲν Ἑλένη καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος. (Part β, at line 11)

Ἆρ’ ἐστὶν οὗτος Ἀλέξανδρος; (Exercise E’A)

where ἐσμεν and ἐστιν are stressed,

but at the same time, we also have

ποῦ εἰσιν αἱ Ἀθῆναι; (Exercise A’ε’),

where εἰσιν is not stressed,

and

_______ ἐσμεν Ἀλέξανδρoς καὶ Ἑλένη. (Exercise Γ’ε’)

which has no stress on ἐσμεν and should be completed with ἡμεῖς.

Could someone please help?

Many thanks.

Cristiano

Accented enclitic after a perispomenon
3

You’re right, though dogmas about accentuation of εστίν etc. vary a bit. And I wouldn’t speak of “stress” at all; “accent” is safer.

4

Many thanks. Interestingly, in connection with εστίν, I’ve also noticed that while the English Athenaze uses οὐκ εἰμί, the Italian Athenaze (e.g. in Chapter 2, Reading β) uses οὔκ εἰμι.