Question:Xen. Mem. 4.1.5

Greek Learning Greek
1

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!

2

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”.)

3

Thanks! you remind me correctly! That must be the accusative aspect!