Zuntz, Lesson 5

Greek Learning Greek
1

Χαίρετε, ῶ φιλοί!

Here are some doubts of mine on this chapter:

II.C-2 Επεὶ λέγειν χρή, λέξω.

Should this be understood as “I will speak when necessary“? If it was Latin, it would be “Cum necesse erit, dicam“, with both verbs in the future; does Greek use the present with επεί, even if the main verb (or whatever it is called here) is in the future?

II.D (Ποίημα)
Ποῦ μοι τὰ ῥόδα; Ποῦ μοι τὰ ία; Ποῦ μοι τὰ καλὰ σέλινα;
Ταδὶ τὰ ῥόδα · ταδὶ τὰ ία · ταδὶ τὰ καλὰ σέλινα.

Firstly, is ποῦ μοι… = “where is my” (in this case, “where are my…“)?
Secondly, the vocabulary says that ταδί = “these (here)”; “Ταδὶ τὰ ῥόδα, etc.“, therefore, is “Here are your roses, etc.“?
Lastly, the grammatical explaination says that the last syllable of the last foot of a iambic trimeter (or a “iambic tetrameter catalectic“) is always long, but says that we scan σέλινα as “u–u” (using u instead of ˘ for better visibility). Does this mean that the last syllable of that word is normally short, but it ought to be pronunced as long in this verse because it is the last syllable?

Έρρωσθε!

2

επει with indicative normally means “since” (like Lat. cum w/ subj.). When it means “when” it’s more likely to have subjunctive + αν (an indefinite clause).

Επεὶ λέγειν χρή, λέξω is rather an odd sentence, but it would probably mean “since (I) have to speak, I shall.”

Ποῦ μοι τὰ ῥόδα; etc. is a folksong. In the second line, which answers the questions of the first, either “your” or “my" may be understood.
The two lines can each be read as a catalectic iambic tetrameters with resolution. The final syllable of any verse counts as long, even if it’s short.

3

What you said about it meaning “since“ seems to makes sense if applied to this sentence; why would it be an odd one?

Thanks!

4

Well, it’s not terribly odd, but it doesn’t seem entirely natural (and it doesn’t say who has to speak).

But the ποῦ μοι τὰ ῥόδα call-and-response ditty is perfectly delightful.

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