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THE GENERIC ARTICLE

1122. The generic article denotes an entire class as distinguished from other classes. Thus, ὁ ἄνθρωπος man (as distinguished from other beings), οἱ γέροντες the aged; δεῖ τὸν στρατιώτην φοβεῖσθαι μᾶλλον τὸν ἄρχοντα ἢ τοὺς πολεμίους the (a) soldier should fear his commander rather than the enemy X. A. 2.6.10, ““πονηρὸν ὁ συ_κοφάντης” the informer is a vile thing” D. 18.242.

1123. In the singular the generic article makes a single object the representative of the entire class; in the plural it denotes all the objects belonging to a class. The generic article is especially common, in the plural, with adjectives used substantively: ““οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι ὡς τοὺς κακούργους καὶ ἀδίκους εἴα_ καταγελᾶν” no one could say that he permitted the malefactor and the wrongdoer to deride him” X. A. 1.9.13.

1124. The Article with Participles.—A participle with the article may denote an entire class: ὁ βουλόμενος any one who wishes. Cp. 2050, 2052.

ὁ τυχών any chance comer, ὁ ἡγησόμενος a guide, ““οὐκ ἀπορήσετε τῶν ἐθελησόντων ὑπὲρ ὑ_μῶν κινδυ_νεύειν” you will not be in want of those who will be willing to encounter danger for you” D. 20.166, οἱ λογοποιοῦντες newsmongers 4. 49. The same sense is expressed by πᾶς ὁ with a participle or adjective. On the article with a participle in the predicate, see 1152.

a. When the reference is to a particular occasion, the article may be particular (2052); as ὁ λέγων the speaker on a definite occasion.

American Book Company, 1920.

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