Ι’m on Mastronarde - unit 16.
On p. 132, the imperfect active indicative of “ηγεομαι” is conjugated, and the first person singular is given as “ηγον”. Now, applying my understanding of verb forms generation from the principal part “ηγεομαι”, I get the following: The stem is “ηγ”, as given at the top of the conjugation, and since the first letter is already a long vowel, no change is made for the temporal augment: the imperfect ending is “ν” (replacing “μαι”), the theme vowel is “ο”. Now, if the theme vowel contracts with the last letter of the stem, we should get “ηγουν”, and if it doesn’t contract, we should get “ηγεον”, but the book gives “ηγον”. What happened to the epsilon???
Thanks to all.
Asterisk1234
This must be a typoo for imperfect is ηγουμην ηγου ηγουτο etc
On p. 132, the imperfect active indicative of “ηγεομαι” is conjugated, and the first person singular is given as “ηγον”.
You are mixing up active and middle/passive forms and two different verbs.
ἦγον Is the imperfect of ἄγω
The augment changes are explained on/ page 131 ᾰ → η, ε → η, ῐ → ῑ, ο → ω, ῠ → ῡ, αι → ῃ, ει → ῃ, αυ → ηυ, ευ → ηυ, οι → ῳ.
Pay careful attention to the accentuation.
ἠγόμην Is the imperfect passive/middle of ἄγομαι.
ἡγέομαι Is a different verb. It’s imperfect is ἡγούμην. Note the rough breathing here.
Thank you -
First of all, I now realize that I screwed up my question when I talked about “the last letter of the stem” being epsilon - according to the stem mentioned on the conjugation paradigm on p, 132 the stem is ην.
Your explanation reassures me - what confused me is that the vocabulary of that unit, on p. 135, includes the verb “ηγεομαι” (lead, guide) and not “αγω” (lead, carry) so I assumed that the conjugation given was that of “ηγεομαι”, and it just didn’t make sense.
I really recommend paying careful attention to the breathings because that should have indicated which verb was being discussed. Sometimes Mastronade can be a bit opaque so I can understand your confusion.
@C. Philo it’s only helpful to posit an opinion about misprints if you have sight of the text. Misprints can occur but it’s unlikely that one as major as this would have got through.
OK - thanks.
I therefore understand that the stem of αγω is αγ, becoming ηγ in the imperfect tense. I also would expect the stem of ηγεομαι to be ηγε, after removing the ending and the theme vowel (ομαι). Am I correct?
That seems right in the present but note that the principal parts are ἡγέομαι, ἡγήσομαι, ἡγησάμην, — , ἥγημαι, -ηγήθην. This verb only has middle/passive forms.
Also make sure you understand that the middle/passive imperfect of ἄγω is ἠγόμην.
My advice is to concentrate on the forms on page 132. There is a lot to assimilate there without making it more complicated. You will get there!
OK - Thanks again.
Asterisk1234