How to translate this sentence structure?

Greek Learning Greek
1

Hi all:

I have a question about the translation for a sentence from ancient Greek to English.

As the follow sentence shows:

… , ἡ δὲ (some specific feminine noun) οὐ τοῖς … ἀλλὰ τοῖς …


Therefore, how many possibilities for the above sentence structure can be translated?

  1. Is it possible to be translated as “but … not … , but…” ?
  2. Is it possible to be translated as “not only… , but also …” ?

Which one of these above is correct?
Or both of the above two cases may correct depends on the context?
Or both of them are incorrect, so would you please give me the correct one?

If anyone can analysis this sentence structure a little more in-depth, it may help me a lot.

Thank you so much.

Best Wishes
Peter

2

This particular structure corresponds to your first option: “and/but … not … , but…”,

If it were οὐ μόνον…ἀλλὰ καὶ…, then it would correspond to your second option:
“not only… , but also …”.

(1) relates that only y happened, whereas (2) relates that both x and y happened.

3

Thank you, NateD26.