THE GENITIVE PROPER WITH VERBS
THE PARTITIVE GENITIVE
[*] 1341. A verb may be followed by the partitive genitive if the action affects the object only in part. If the
entire object is affected, the verb in question takes the accusative.
Ἀδρήστοιο δ᾽ ἔγημε θυγατρῶν he married one
of Adrastus' daughters Ξ 121,
τῶν πώλων λαμβάνει he takes some
of the colts X. A. 4.5.35,
λαβόντες τοῦ βαρβαρικοῦ στρατοῦ taking part
of the barbarian force 1. 5. 7,
κλέπτοντες τοῦ ὄρους seizing part of
the mountain secretly 4. 6. 15 (cp.
τοῦ ὄρους κλέψαι τι 4. 6.
11),
τῆς γῆς ἔτεμον they ravaged part of
the land T. 2.56 (cp.
τὴν γῆν πᾶσαν ἔτεμον 2. 57 and
ἔτεμον τῆς γῆς τὴν πολλήν 2.
56),
κατεά_γη τῆς κεφαλῆς he had a hole knocked somewhere
in his head Ar. Vesp. 1428 (““
τὴν κεφαλὴν κατεα_γέναι”
to have one's head broken”
D. 54.35).
[*] 1342. With impersonals a partitive genitive does duty as the subject: ““
πολέμου οὐ μετῆν αὐτῇ”
she had no share in war”
X. C. 7.2.28, ““
ἐμοὶ οὐδαμόθεν προσήκει τούτου τοῦ πρά_γματος”
I have no part whatever in this affair”
And. 4.34. Cp.
1318.
[*] 1343. The genitive is used with verbs of sharing.
““
πάντες μετεῖχον τῆς ἑορτῆς”
all took part in the festival”
X. A. 5.3.9,
μετεδίδοσαν ἀλλήλοις ὧν (=
τούτων ἃ)
εἶχον ἕκαστοι they shared with each other what each had 4. 5. 6, ““
τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος μετείληφεν ἀθανασία_ς”
the human race has received a portion of immortality”
P. L. 721b, ““
σί_του κοινωνεῖν”
to take a share of food”
X. M. 2.6.22, ““
δικαιοσύνης οὐδὲν ὑ_μῖν προσήκει”
you have no concern in righteous dealing”
X. H. 2.4.40, ““
πολι_τεία_, ἐν ᾗ πένησιν οὐ μέτεστιν ἀρχῆς”
a form of government in which the poor have no part in the management of affairs”
P. R. 550c. So with
μεταλαγχάνειν get a share (along with somebody else),
συναίρεσθαι and
κοινοῦσθαι take part in,
μεταιτεῖν and
μεταποιεῖσθαι demand a share in.
[*] 1344. The part received or taken, if expressed, stands in the accusative.
οἱ τύραννοι τῶν μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν ἐλάχιστα μετέχουσι tyrants have the smallest por- tion in the greatest blessings X. Hi. 2.6, ““
τούτων μεταιτει_ τὸ μέρος”
he demands his share of this”
Ar. Vesp. 972.
a. With
μέτεστι the part may be added in the nominative: ““
μέτεστι χὐ_μῖν τῶν πεπρα_γμένων μέρος”
ye too have had a share in these doings”
E. I. T. 1299.
[*] 1345. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to touch, take hold of, make trial of.
（
ἡ νόσος) ““
ἥψατο τῶν ἀνθρώπων”
the plague laid hold of the men”
T. 2.48,
τῆς γνώμης τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχομαι I hold to the same opinion 1. 140, ““
ἐν τῇ ἐχομένῃ ἐμοῦ κλί_νῃ”
on the couch next to me”
P. S. 217d, ““
ἀντιλάβεσθε τῶν πρα_γμάτων”
take our public policy in hand”
D. 1.20,
ὅπως πειρῷντο τοῦ τείχους to make an attempt on (a part of)
the wall T. 2.81. So with
ψαύειν touch (rare in prose),
ἀντέχεσθαι cling to,
ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι and
συλλαμβάνεσθαι lay hold of.
[*] 1346. The genitive of the
part, with the accusative of the
person (the whole) who has been touched, is chiefly poetical: ““
τὸν δὲ πεσόντα ποδῶν ἔλαβε”
but him as he fell, he seized by his feet”
Δ 463, ““
ἔλαβον τῆς ζώνης τὸν Ὀρόντα_ν”
they took hold of Orontas by the girdle”
X. A. 1.6.10 (but ““
μοῦ λαβόμενος τῆς χειρός”
taking me by the hand”
P. Charm. 153b), ““
ἄγειν τῆς ἡνία_ς τὸν ἵππον”
to lead the horse by the bridle”
X. Eq. 6.9 (cp. ““
βοῦν δ᾽ ἀγέτην κεράων”
they led the cow by the horns”
γ 439).
[*] 1347.
Verbs of beseeching take the genitive by analogy to verbs of touching:
ἐμὲ λισσέσκετο γούνων she besought me by (
clasping)
my knees I 451 (cp.
γενείου ἁψάμενος λίσσεσθαι beseech by touching his chin K
454).
[*] 1348. The genitive is used with verbs of beginning.
a. Partitive: ““
ἔφη Κῦρον ἄρχειν τοῦ λόγου ὧδε”
he said that Cyrus began the discussion as follows”
X. A. 1.6.5,
τοῦ λόγου ἤρχετο ὧδε he began his speech as follows 3. 2. 7. On
ἄρχειν as distinguished from
ἄρχεσθαι see
1734. 5.
b. Ablatival (
1391) denoting the point of departure:
σέο δ᾽ ἄρξομαι I will make a beginning with thee I 97. In this sense
ἀπό or
ἐξ is usually added:
ἀρξάμενοι ἀπὸ σοῦ D. 18.297, ““
ἄρξομαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἰ_α_τρικῆς λέγων”
I will make a beginning by speaking of medicine”
P. S. 186b.
[*] 1349. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to aim at, strive after,
desire (genitive of the end desired).
““
ἀνθρώπων στοχάζεσθαι”
to aim at men”
X. C. 1.6.29, ““
ἐφι_έμενοι τῶν κερδῶν”
desiring gain”
T. 1.8, ““
πάντες τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπιθυ_μοῦσιν”
all men desire what is good”
P. R. 438a, ““
τὸ ἐρᾶν τῶν καλῶν”
the passionate love of what is noble”
Aes. 1.137, ““
πεινῶσι χρημάτων”
they are hungry for wealth”
X. S. 4. 36, ““
πόλις ἐλευθερία_ς διψήσα_σα”
a state thirsting for freedom”
P. R. 562c. So with
ὀϊστεύειν shoot at (poet.),
λιλαίεσθαι desire (poet.),
γλίχεσθαι desire.
φιλεῖν love,
ποθεῖν long for take the accusative.
[*] 1350. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to reach, obtain (genitive of the end attained).
““
τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐφικέσθαι”
to attain to virtue”
I. 1.5, ““
οἱ ἀκοντισταὶ βραχύτερα ἠκόντιζον ἢ ὡς ἐξικνεῖσθαι τῶν σφενδονητῶν”
the javelin-throwers did not hurl far enough to reach the slingers”
X. A. 3.3.7,
σπονδῶν ἔτυχε he obtained a truce 3. 1. 28. So with
κυρεῖν obtain (poet.),
κληρονομεῖν inherit,
ἀποτυγχάνειν fail to hit.
τυγχάνειν, when compounded with
ἐν, ἐπί, παρά, περί, and
σύν, takes the dative.
λαγχάνειν obtain by lot usually takes the accusative.
a. This genitive and that of 1349 form the
genitive of the goal.
[*] 1351. The genitive of the thing obtained may be joined with an ablatival genitive (
1410) of the person: ““
οὗ δὲ δὴ πάντων οἰόμεθα τεύξεσθαι ἐπαίνου”
in a case where we expect to win praise from all men”
X. A. 5.7.33. But where the thing obtained is expressed by a neuter pronoun, the accusative is employed.
[*] 1352. It is uncertain whether verbs signifying
to miss take a partitive or an ablatival genitive: ““
οὐδεὶς ἡμάρτανεν ἀνδρός”
no one missed his man”
X. A. 3.4.15, ““
σφαλέντες τῆς δόξης”
disappointed in expectations”
T. 4.85.
[*] 1353.
Verbs of approaching and meeting take the genitive according to 1343 or 1349. These verbs are poetical. Thus,
ἀντιόων ταύρων for the purpose of obtaining (his share of)
bulls α 25,
ἀντήσω τοῦδ᾽ ἀνέρος I will encounter this man II 423, ““
πελάσαι νεῶν”
to approach the ships”
S. Aj. 709. In the meaning
draw near to verbs of approaching take the dative (
1463).
[*] 1354. The genitive is used with verbs of smelling.
““
ὄζω μύρου”
I smell of perfume”
Ar. Eccl. 524. So
πνεῖν μύρου to breathe (smell of)
perfume S. fr. 140.
[*] 1355. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to enjoy, taste,
eat,
drink.
““
ἀπολαύομεν πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν”
we enjoy all the good things”
X. M. 4.3.11, ““
εὐωχοῦ τοῦ λόγου”
enjoy the discourse”
P. R. 352b, ““
ὀλίγοι σί_του ἐγεύσαντο”
few tasted food”
X. A. 3.1.3. So (rarely) with
ἥδεσθαι take pleasure in.
a. Here belong
ἐσθίειν, πί_νειν when they do not signify
to eat up or
drink up: ““
ὠμῶν ἐσθίειν αὐτῶν”
to eat them alive”
X. H. 3.3.6, ““
πί_νειν οἴνοιο”
drink some wine”
χ 11, as boire du vin (but ““
πί_νειν οἶνον”
drink wine”
Ξ 5, as
boire le vin). Words denoting
food and
drink are placed in the accusative when they are regarded as kinds of
nourishment.
[*] 1356. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to remember, remind,
forget,
care for , and
neglect.
““
τῶν ἀπόντων φίλων μέμνησο”
remember your absent friends”
I. 1.26, ““
βούλομαι δ᾽ ὑ_μᾶς ἀναμνῆσαι τῶν ἐμοὶ πεπρα_γμένων”
I desire to remind you of my past actions”
And. 4.41, ““
δέδοικα μὴ ἐπιλαθώμεθα τῆς οἴκαδε ὁδοῦ”
I fear lest we may forget the way home”
X. A. 3.2.25,
ἐπιμελόμενοι οἱ μὲν ὑποζυγίων, οἱ δὲ σκευῶν some taking care of the pack animals, others of the baggage 4. 3. 30, ““
τῆς τῶν πολλῶν δόξης δεῖ ἡμᾶς φροντίζειν”
we must pay heed to the world's opinion”
P. Cr. 48a,
τί ἡμῖν τῆς τῶν πολλῶν δόξης μέλει;
what do we care for the world's opinion? 44 c, ““
τοῖς σπουδαίοις οὐχ οἷόν τε τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀμελεῖν”
the serious cannot disregard virtue”
I. 1.48,
μηδενὸς ὀλιγωρεῖτε μηδὲ καταφρονεῖτε (cp.
1385)
τῶν προστεταγμένων neither neglect nor despise any command laid on you 3. 48.
[*] 1357. So with
μνημονεύειν remember (but usually with the accus., especially of things),
ἀμνημονεῖν not to speak of,
κήδεσθαι care for,
ἐντρέπεσθαι give heed to,
ἐνθυ_μεῖσθαι think deeply of,
προορᾶν make provision for (in Hdt.),
μεταμέλει μοι it repents me,
καταμελεῖν neglect.
[*] 1358. Many of these verbs also take the accusative. With the accus.
μεμνῆσθαι means
to remember something as a whole, with the gen.
to remember something about a thing, bethink oneself. The accus. is usually found with verbs of remembering and forgetting when they mean
to hold or
not to hold in memory, and when the object is a thing. Neuter pronouns must stand in the accus.
ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι forget takes either the genitive or the accusative,
λανθάνεσθαι (usually poetical) always takes the genitive.
μέλει it is a care,
ἐπιμέλεσθαι care for,
μεμνῆσθαι think about may take
περί with the genitive.
οἶδα generally means
I remember when it has a person as the object (in the accusative).
[*] 1359.
Verbs of reminding may take two accusatives: ““
ταῦθ᾽ ὑπέμνησ᾽ ὑ_μᾶς”
I have reminded you of this”
D. 19.25 (
1628).
[*] 1360. With
μέλει, the subject, if a neuter pronoun, may sometimes stand in the nominative (the personal construction): ““
ταῦτα θεῷ μελήσει”
God will care for this”
P. Phae. 238d. Except in poetry the subject in the nominative is very rare with other words than neuter pronouns:
χοροὶ πᾶσι μέλουσι P. L. 835e.
[*] 1361. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to hear and
perceive: ἀκούειν, κλύειν (poet.)
hear,
ἀκροᾶσθαι listen to,
αἰσθάνεσθαι perceive,
πυνθάνεσθαι hear,
learn of,
συνι_έναι understand,
ὀσφραίνεσθαι scent. The person or thing, whose words, sound, etc. are perceived by the senses, stands in the genitive; the words, sound, etc. generally stand in the accusative.
““
τινὸς ἤκουσ᾽ εἰπόντος”
I heard somebody say”
D. 8.4, ““
ἀκούσαντες τῆς σάλπιγγος”
hearing the sound of the trumpet”
X. A. 4.2.8,
ἀκούσαντες τὸν θόρυβον hearing the noise 4. 4. 21, ““
ἀκροώμενοι τοῦ ᾁδοντος”
listening to the singer”
X. C. 1.3.10, ““
ὅσοι ἀλλήλων ξυνί_εσαν”
all who understood each other”
T. 1.3, ““
ἐπειδὰν συνι_ῇ τις τὰ λεγόμενα”
when one understands what is said”
P. Pr. 325c (verbs of understanding,
συνι_έναι and
ἐπίστασθαι, usually take the accus.), ““
κρομμύων ὀσφραίνομαι”
I smell onions”
Ar. Ran. 654.
a. A supplementary participle is often used in agreement with the genitive of the person from whom something is heard: ““
λέγοντος ἐμοῦ ἀκροά_σονται οἱ νέοι”
the young men will listen when I speak”
P. A. 37d.
b. The accusative is almost always used when the thing heard is expressed by a substantivized neuter adjective or participle, but the genitive plural in the case of
οὗτος, ὅδε, αὐτός, and
ὅς is frequent.
[*] 1362. A double genitive, of the person and of the thing, is rare with
ἀκούειν: ““
τῶν ὐπὲρ τῆς γραφῆς δικαίων ἀκούειν μου”
to listen to my just pleas as regards the indictment”
D. 18.9.
[*] 1363.
ἀκούειν, αἰσθάνεσθαι, πυνθάνεσθαι, meaning
to become aware of, learn, take the accusative (with a participle in indirect discourse, 2112 b) of a personal or impersonal object:
οἱ δέ Πλαταιῆς, ὡς ᾔσθοντο ἔνδον τε ὄντας τοὺς Θηβαίους και κατειλημμένην τὴν πόλιν but the Plataeans,
when they became aware that the Thebans were inside and that the city had been captured T. 2.3,
πυθόμενοι Ἀρταξέρξην τεθνηκότα having learned that Artaxerxes was dead 4. 50.
a. To hear a thing is usually
ἀκούειν τι when the thing heard is something definite and when the meaning is simply
hear, not
listen to.
[*] 1364.
ἀκούειν, ἀκροᾶσθαι, πυνθἁνεσθαι, meaning
to hear from, learn from, take the genitive of the actual source (
1411).
[*] 1365.
ἀκούειν, κλύειν, πυνθάνεσθαίτινος may mean
to hear about, hear of: ““
εἰ δέ κε τεθνηῶτος ἀκούσῃς”
but if you hear that he is dead”
α 289, ““
κλύων σοῦ”
hearing about thee”
S. O. C. 307, ““
ὡς ἐπύθοντο τῆς Πύλου κατειλημμένης”
when they heard of the capture of Pylos”
T. 4.6. For the participle (not in indirect discourse) see 2112 a.
περί is often used with the genitive without the participle.
[*] 1366. In the meaning
heed,
hearken,
obey, verbs of hearing generally take the genitive:
ἄκουε πάντων, ἐκλέγου δ᾽ ἃ συμφέρει listen to everything,
but choose that which is profitable Men. Sent. 566, ““
τῶν πολεμίων ἀκούειν”
to submit to enemies”
X. C. 8.1.4.
πείθεσθαι takes the genitive, instead of the dative, by analogy to this use (
Hdt. 6.12,
T. 7.73). (On the dative with
ἀκούειν obey see
1465.)
[*] 1367.
αἰσθάνεσθαι takes the genitive, or (less frequently) the accusative, of the thing immediately perceived by the senses: ““
τῆς κραυγῆς ᾔσθοντο”
they heard the noise”
X. H. 4.4.4, ““
ᾔσθετο τὰ γιγνόμενα”
he perceived what was happening”
X. C. 3.1.4. The genitive is less common than the accusative when the perception is intellectual: ““
ὡς ᾔσθοντο τειχιζόντων”
when they heard that they were progressing with their fortification”
T. 5.83. Cp.
1363.
[*] 1368. Some verbs, ordinarily construed with the accusative, take the genitive by the analogy of
αἰσθάνεσθαι, etc.: ““
ἔγνω ἄτοπα ἐμοῦ ποιοῦντος”
he knew that I was acting absurdly”
X. C. 7.2.18, ““
ἀγνοοῦντες ἀλλήλων ὅ τι λέγομεν”
each of us mistaking what the other says”
P. G. 517c. This construction of verbs of knowing (and
showing) occurs in Attic only when a participle accompanies the genitive.
[*] 1369. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to fill, to be full of. The thing filled is put in the accusative.
““
οὐκ ἐμπλήσετε τὴν θάλατταν τριήρων”
; will you not cover the sea with your triremes?”
D. 8.74, ““
ἀναπλῆσαι αἰτιῶν”
to implicate in guilt”
P. A. 32c, ““
τροφῆς εὐπορεῖν”
to have plenty of provisions”
X. Vect. 6.1, ““
τριήρης σεσαγμένη ἀνθρώπων”
a trireme stowed with men”
X. O. 8.8, ““
ὕβρεως μεστοῦσθαι”
to be filled with pride”
P. L. 713c. So with
πλήθειν, πληροῦν, γέμειν, πλουτεῖν, βρί_θειν (poet.),
βρύειν (poet.).
a. Here belong also ““
χεὶρ στάζει θυηλῆς Ἄρεος”
his hand drips with sacrifice to Ares”
S. El. 1423, ““
μεθυσθεὶς τοῦ νέκταρος”
intoxicated with nectar”
P. S. 203b, ““
ἡ πηγὴ ῥεῖ ψυ_χροῦ ὕο̂ατος”
the spring flows with cold water”
P. Phae. 230b. The instrumental dative is sometimes used.
[*] 1370. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to rule, command,
lead.
““
θεῖον τὸ ἐθελόντων ἄρχειν”
it is divine to rule over willing subjects”
X. O. 21.12, ““
τῆς θαλάττης ἐκράτει”
he was master of the sea”
P. Menex. 239e, ““
Ἔρως τῶν θεῶν βασιλεύει”
Love is king of the gods”
P. S. 195c, ““
ἡγεῖτο τῆς ἐξόδου”
he led the expedition”
T. 2.10,
στρατηγεῖν τῶν ξένων to be general of the mercenaries X. A. 2. 6. 28. So with
τυραννεῖν be absolute master of,
ἀνἀσσειν be lord of (poet.),
ἡγεμονεύειν be commander of. This genitive is connected with that of 1402.
[*] 1371. Several verbs of ruling take the accusative when they mean
to conquer,
overcome (so
κρατεῖν), or when they express the domain over which the rule extends; as ““
τὴν Πελοπόννησον πειρᾶσθε μὴ ἐλά_σσω ἐξηγεῖσθαι”
try not to lessen your dominion over the Peloponnese”
T. 1.71.
ἡγεῖσθαί τινι means
to be a guide to any one, show any one the way. Cp.
1537.
GENITIVE OF PRICE AND VALUE
[*] 1372. The genitive is used with verbs signifying
to buy, sell, cost, value,
exchange. The price for which one gives or does anything stands in the genitive.
““
ἀργυρίου πρίασθαι ἢ ἀποδόσθαι ἵππον”
to buy or sell a horse for money”
P. R. 333b, ““
Θεμιστοκλέα_ τῶν μεγίστων δωρεῶν ἠξίωσαν”
they deemed Themistocles worthy of the greatest gifts”
I. 4.154, ““
οὐκ ἀνταλλακτέον μοι τὴν φιλοτι_μία_ν οὐδενὸς κέρδους”
I must not barter my public spirit for any price”
D. 19.223. So with
τάττειν rate,
μισθοῦν let,
μισθοῦσθαι hire,
ἐργάζεσθαι work, and with any verb of doing anything for a wage, as ““
οἱ τῆς παρ᾽ ἡμέρα_ν χάριτος τὰ μέγιστα τῆς πόλεως ἀπολωλεκότες”
those who have ruined the highest interests of the State to purchase ephemeral popularity”
D. 8.70, ““
πόσου διδάσκει; πέντε μνῶν”
for how much does he teach? for five minae”
P. A. 20b, ““
οἱ Χαλδαῖοι μισθοῦ στρατεύονται”
the Chaldaeans serve for pay”
X. C. 3.2.7.
a. The instrumental dative is also used. With verbs of exchanging,
ἀντί is usual (
1683).
[*] 1373.
To value highly and
lightly is
περὶ πολλοῦ (
πλείονος, πλείστου) and
περὶ ὀλίγου (
ἐλά_ττονος, ἐλαχίστου)
τι_μᾶσθαι or
ποιεῖσθαι: ““
τὰ πλείστου ἄξια περὶ ἐλαχίστου ποιεῖται, τὰ δὲ φαυλότερα περὶ πλείονος”
he makes least account of what is most important, and sets higher what is less estimable”
P. A. 30a. The genitive of value, without
περί, is rare: ““
πολλοῦ ποιοῦμαι ἀκηκοέναι ἃ ἀκήκοα Πρωταγόρου”
I esteem it greatly to have heard what I did from Protagoras”
P. Pr. 328d.
a. The genitive of cause is rarely used to express the thing bought or that for which pay is demanded: ““
οὐδένα τῆς συνουσία_ς ἀργύριον πρά_ττει”
you charge nobody anything for your teaching”
X. M. 1.6.11, ““
τρεῖς μναῖ διφρίσκου”
three minae for a small chariot”
Ar. Nub. 31.
[*] 1374. In legal language
τι_μᾶν τινι θανάτου is
to fix the penalty at death (said of the jury, which is not interested in the result),
τι_μᾶσθαί τινι θανάτου to propose death as the penalty (said of the accuser, who is interested), and
τιμᾶσθαί τινος to propose a penalty against oneself (said of the accused). Cp. ““
τι_μᾶταί μοι ὁ ἀνὴρ θανάτου”
the man proposes death as my penalty”
P. A. 36b,
ἀλλὰ δὴ φυγῆς τι_μήσωμαι; ἴσως γὰρ ἄν μοι τούτου τι_μήσαιτε but shall I propose exile as my penalty? for perhaps you (the jury)
might fix it at this 37 c. So
θανάτου with
κρί_νειν, διώκειν, ὑπάγειν. Cp.
1379.
GENITIVE OF CRIME AND ACCOUNTABILITY
[*] 1375. With verbs of judicial action the genitive denotes the crime, the accusative denotes the person accused.
““
αἰτιᾶσθαι ἀλλήλους τοῦ γεγενημένου”
to accuse one another of what had happened”
X. Ages. 1.33, ““
διώκω μὲν κακηγορία_ς, τῇ δ᾽ αὐτῇ ψήφῳ φόνου φεύγω”
I bring an accusation for defamation and at the same trial am prosecuted for murder”
L. 11.12, ““
ἐμὲ ὁ Μέλητος ἀσεβεία_ς ἐγράψατο”
Meletus prosecuted me for impiety”
P. Euth. 5c, ““
δώρων ἐκρίθησαν”
they were tried for bribery”
L. 27.3. On verbs of accusing and condemning compounded with
κατά, see
1385.
[*] 1376. So with
ἀμύ_νεσθαι and
κολάζειν punish,
εἰσάγειν and
προσκαλεῖσθαι summon into court,
αἱρεῖν convict,
τι_μωρεῖσθαι take vengeance on. With
τι_μωρεῖν avenge and
λαγχάνειν obtain leave to bring a suit, the person avenged and the person against whom the suit is brought are put in the dative. So with
δικάζεσθαί τινί τινος to go to law with a man about something.
[*] 1377. Verbs of judicial action may take a cognate accusative (
δίκην, γραφήν), on which the genitive of the crime depends: ““
γραφὴν ὕβρεως καὶ δίκην κακηγορία_ς φεύξεται”
he will be brought to trial on an indictment for outrage and on a civil action for slander”
D. 21.32. From this adnominal use arose the construction of the genitive with this class of verbs.
[*] 1378.
ἁλίσκεσθαι (
ἁλῶναι)
be convicted,
ὀφλισκάνειν lose a suit,
φεύγειν be prosecuted are equivalent to passives: ““
ἐά_ν τις ἁλῷ κλοπῆς . . . κἂ_ν ἀστρατεία_ς τις ὄφλῃ”
if any one be condemned for theft . . . and if any one be convicted of desertion”
D. 24.103, ““
ἀσεβεία_ς φεύγοντα ὑπὸ Μελήτου”
being tried for impiety on the indictment of Meletus”
P. A. 35d.
ὀφλισκάνειν may take
δίκην as a cognate accus. (““
ὠφληκέναι δίκην”
to be cast in a suit”
Ar. Av. 1457); the crime or the penalty may stand in the genitive (with or without
δίκην), or in the accusative: ““
ὁπόσοι κλοπῆς ἢ δώρων ὄφλοιεν”
all who had been convicted of embezzlement or bribery”
And. 1.74,
ὑφ᾽ ὑ_μῶν θανάτου δίκην ὀφλών having incurred through your verdict the penalty of death, ““
ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθεία_ς ὠφληκότες μοχθηρία_ν”
condemned by the truth to suffer the penalty of wickedness”
P. A. 39b.
[*] 1379. With verbs of judicial action the genitive of the penalty may be regarded as a genitive of value: ““
θανάτου κρί_νουσι”
they judge in matters of life and death”
X. C. 1.2.14. So ““
ὑπάγειν τινὰ θανάτου”
to impeach a man on a capital charge”
X. H. 2.3.12; cp.
τι_μᾶν θανάτου 1374.
a. With many verbs of judicial action
περί is used.
GENITIVE OF CONNECTION
[*] 1380. The genitive may express a more or less close connection or relation, where
περί is sometimes added.
With verbs of saying or thinking:
τί δὲ ἵππων οἴει;
but what do you think of horses? P. R. 459b. Often in poetry: ““
εἰπὲ δέ μοι πατρός”
but tell me about my father”
λ 174,
τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φῄς;
what dost thou say of thy brother? S. El. 317.
[*] 1381. The genitive is often used loosely, especially at the beginning of a construction, to state the subject of a remark:
ἵππος ἢν κακουργῇ, τὸν ἱππέα_ κακίζομεν: τῆς δὲ γυναικός, εἰ κακοποιεῖ κτλ.
if a horse is vicious, we lay the fault to the groom; but as regards a wife, if she conducts herself ill, etc.
X. O. 3.11, ““
ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν”
and so in the case of the other arts too”
P. Charm. 165d,
τί δὲ τῶν πολλῶν καλῶν;
what about the many beautiful things? P. Ph. 78d.
GENITIVE WITH COMPOUND VERBS
[*] 1382. The genitive depends on the meaning of a compound verb as a whole (1) if the simple verb takes the genitive without a preposition, as
ὑπείκειν withdraw,
παραλύ_ειν release,
παραχωρεῖν surrender (
1392),
ἐφί_εσθαι desire (
1349); or (2) if the compound has acquired through the preposition a signification different from that of the simple verb with the preposition: thus ““
ἀπογνόντες τῆς ἐλευθερία_ς”
despairing of freedom”
L. 2.46 cannot be expressed by
γνόντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλευθερία_ς. But it is often difficult to determine whether the genitive depends on the compound verb as a whole or on the preposition contained in it.
[*] 1383. A verb compounded with a preposition taking the dative or accusative may take the genitive by analogy of another compound verb whose preposition requires the genitive: so ““
ἐμβαίνειν ὅρων”
to set foot on the boundaries”
S. O. C. 400 by analogy to
ἐπιβαίνειν τῶν ὅρων P. L. 778e.
[*] 1384. Many verbs compounded with
ἀπό, πρό, ὑπέρ, ἐπί, and
κατά take the genitive when the compound may be resolved into the simple verb and the preposition without change in the sense: ““
τοὺς συμμάχους ἀποτρέψαντες τῆς γνώμης”
dissuading the allies from their purpose”
And. 3.21, ““
προαπεστάλησαν τῆς ἀποστάσεως”
they were despatched before the revolt”
T. 3.5, ““
πολλοῖς ἡ γλῶττα προτρέχει τῆς διανοία_ς”
in many people the tongue outruns the thought”
I. 1.41, (
οἱ πολέμιοι) ““
ὑπερκάθηνται ἡμῶν”
the enemy are stationed above us”
X. A. 5.1.9, ““
τῷ ἐπιβάντι πρώτῳ τοῦ τείχους”
to the first one setting foot on the wall”
T. 4.116. This use is most frequent when the prepositions are used in their proper signification. Many compounds of
ὑπέρ take the accusative.
a. This use is especially common with
κατά against or
at: ““
μή μου κατείπῃς”
don't speak against me”
P. Th. 149a, ““
κατεψεύσατό μου”
he spoke falsely against me”
D. 18.9, ““
ψευδῆ κατεγλώττιζέ μου”
he mouthed lies at me”
Ar. Ach. 380. The construction in 1384 is post-Homeric.
[*] 1385. The verbs of accusing and condemning (cp.
1375) containing
κατά in composition (
καταγιγνώσκειν decide against,
καταδικάζειν adjudge against,
καταψηφίζεσθαι vote against,
κατακρί_νειν give sentence against) take a genitive of the
person, and an accusative of the
penalty.
κατηγορεῖν accuse,
καταγιγνώσκειν and
καταψηφίζεσθαι take a genitive of the
person, an accusative of the
crime: ““
καταγνῶναι δωροδοκία_ν ἐμοῦ”
to pronounce me guilty of bribery”
L. 21.21,
τούτου δειλία_ν καταψηφίζεσθαι to vote him guilty of cowardice 14. 11, ““
τῶν διαφυγόντων θάνατον καταγνόντες”
having condemned the fugitives to death”
T. 6.60;
person,
crime, and
penalty: ““
πολλῶν οἱ πατέρες μηδισμοῦ θάνατον κατέγνωσαν”
our fathers passed sentence of death against many for favouring the Persians”
I. 4.157. The genitive is rarely used to express the
crime or the
penalty: ““
παρανόμων αὐτοῦ κατηγορεῖν”
to accuse him of proposing unconstitutional measures”
D. 21.5; cp. ““
ἀνθρώπων καταψηφισθέντων θάνατον”
men who have been condemned to death”
P. R. 558a.
[*] 1386. In general, prose, as distinguished from poetry, repeats the preposition contained in the compound; but
κατά is not repeated.
[*] 1387.
Passive.—
θάνατος αὐτῶν κατεγνώσθη sentence of death was passed on them L. 13.39 (so “
κατεψηφισμένος ἦν μου ὁ θάνατος”
X. Ap. 27), ““
κατηγορεῖτο αὐτοῦ οὐχ ἥκιστα μηδισμός”
he was especially accused of favouring the Persians”
T. 1.95.
Part I: Letters, Sounds, Syllables, Accent
Part IV: Syntax
