Translating this sentence

Greek Learning Greek
1

Hi,

I’d like to get the sentence “It takes two.” translated, please.

Thanks,
Pierlucx

2

One possibility: δυοῖν δεῖ.

3

hey will, is δεῖ + oblique of person (rather than thing) OK?

http://archimedes.fas.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/dict?name=lsj&lang=el&word=dei=&filter=CUTF8

i was thinking a reciprocal for the sense, something like ἄνευ ἀλλήλων ο?δὲν δύναται.

cheers :slight_smile:

4

Given the other constructions with δεῖ that take persons I saw no reason to doubt it for δεῖ with genitive.

5

hey will, LSJ suggests that:

(a) personal δέω + gen of person “needed” is fine, see sections A and II, 1, b:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?layout.reflang=greek;layout.refembed=2;layout.refwordcount=1;layout.refdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057;layout.reflookup=de%2Fomai;layout.refcit=entry%3Dde%2Fw2;doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2324294

(b) impersonal δεῖ + gen of person “needed” + dat of person “needing” is also OK, see section II, 2:

http://archimedes.fas.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/dict?name=lsj&lang=el&word=dei=&filter=CUTF8

in both (a) and (b) the person “needing” (in addition to the gen of person “needed”) is referred to somehow, either through the personal form of the verb or (where the impersonal δεῖ is used) through the dative. your translation therefore looks different to these attested uses.

do you have an e.g. in grk similar to your translation? thanks :slight_smile:

6

No exact parallel.

Since the middle, δεῖται, can take a person (or at least a general, III) with the genitive, I felt safe using it in the active.