At the beginning of book 1, chapter 7 of the Anabasis, the author refers to Cyrus’s army twice within a couple sentences, using different words. Is there a subtle difference in meaning between στράτευμα and στρατιά? Is Xenophon using different words for variety? Can the choice be attributed to the rhythm of the sentences? Is there sometimes a preference for choosing among synonyms based on the grammatical case needed?
I think rather that they are practical synonyms, and that “stylistic variation” (to combine two of the choices expressed by Mark above) is a better explanation. In other words, I’m not sure that any real distinction is in view, anymore than in English we really feel a distinction between the “the General’s army” and “the General’s forces.”
Joel, I fail to see how your citation of 2.4.3 supports your claim?
I think in poetry, when a particular synonym fits the meter better in the case needed, yes. In prose, maybe not so much.
I could be wrong, of course. But my thinking is that a -μα substantive is a “result of action” noun. πρᾶγμα is concrete vs. πρᾶξις. μνῆμα is the concrete memorial, etc.
Before posting, I had also looked up the first 10 occurrences of each in Anabasis, and thought I saw a fairly clear pattern of στράτευμα being used in areas where the composition of the body matters, while στρατιά seemed to be presented indivisibly. Here they are.
What stuck out to me were so many uses concerned with gathering and collecting. στρατιά is also a frequent word in Anabasis, but seems to show up with a different pattern.
The part that I quoted in the earlier post is the 10th occurrence of στρατιά. I thought that it was the clearest example. When the soldiers are scattered, they are a στράτευμα, when they are together for a unified attack, they are a στρατιά.
Yes, as differently formed nouns, στρατευμα and στρατια conjure up somewhat different images (-μα neuters, deverbatives, being actual concrete things), and Joel’s sorted samples nicely illustrate the differential usage, a στρατευμα denoting a body of men constituted for military purposes, while ἡ στρατια (routinely with article) is just “the army,” now formed. (Barry is wrong to think it only a matter of stylistic variation.) The distinction holds outside of Xenophon too but less neatly.
So when Xenophon uses στρατευμα rather than στρατια of King’s army (not Cyrus’ army) in the OP’s first quote (ἐδόκει γὰρ εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἕω ἥξειν βασιλέα σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι μαχούμενον), it suggests that King too has been collecting forces, whereas in the second quote, from the next sentence (… ἀπήγγελλον Κύρῳ περὶ τῆς βασιλέως στρατιᾶς), the reference is simply to his army.
I think it’s mistaken to say that “when the soldiers are scattered, they are a στράτευμα.” It’s only when men (only potentially soldiers) are un-scattered, when they’ve been collected up, that they can become a στρατευμα, a military body, and thereby constitute a στρατια, an army. Of course a στρατευμα, once formed, may subsequently become scattered, and then the army has to be reassembled—precisely as in Joel’s initial quote, … νῦν μὲν ἡμᾶς ὑπάγεται μένειν διὰ τὸ διεσπάρθαι αὐτοῦ τὸ στράτευμα, ἐπὰν δὲ πάλιν ἁλισθῇ αὐτῷ ἡ στρατιά, κτλ.
All very satisfying, and showing the value of making fine distinctions (one of Kenneth Dover’s key precepts). Thanks to Mark for raising the question, and to Joel for helping to answer it.
Incidentally, Tony Long’s doctoral thesis was on -μα and -σις nouns in Sophocles.
Thanks, guys! I had never focused on the meaning of ‘-μα’ before, nor on the practical question that the King may not have had a large standing army at hand but had to gather one together in order to confront Cyrus.
Thanks for clarifying, that’s helpful. A subtle distinction, but a distinction nevertheless. In most cases, I think, at least for the English reader, a distinction without a difference, since we normally don’t conceptuallize a difference between an army being gathered and an army constituted – that would be communicated through context, or paraphrase if the distinction is important. An interesting case of semantic range and overlap.