[*] 211. Imperfect and aorist interwoven. The two tenses are often so combined that the general statement is given by the aorist and the details of the action by the imperfect, or the situation is described by the imperfect and isolated points presented by the aorist.1 “[Σωκράτης] τὸ φάρμακον ἔπιεν . . . πῶς ἐτελεύτα”; PLATO , Phaedo, 57 A; Socrates drank the poison. How did he die? (Describe the closing scenes.) “οὐκ ἐξήρκεσε δ᾽ αὐτοῖς ταῦτ᾽ ἐξαμαρτεῖν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους ἐπόρθουν μὲν τὴν ἤπειρον, ὕβριζον δὲ τὰς νήσους, ἀνῄρουν δὲ . . . καὶ . . . καθίστασαν, ἐλυμαίνοντο δὲ τὴν Πελοπόννησον καὶ μεστὴν στάσεων καὶ πολέμων ἐποίησαν. ἐπὶ ποίαν γὰρ τῶν πόλεων οὐκ ἐστράτευσαν; ἢ περὶ τίνας αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐξήμαρτον; οὐκ Ἠλείων μὲν μέρος τι τῆς χώρας ἀφείλοντο, τὴν δὲ γῆν τὴν Κορινθίων ἔτεμον, . . . διῴκισαν, . . . ἐξεπολιόρκησαν, . . . εἰσέβαλον, οὐδὲν δ᾽ ἐπαύσαντο τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους κακῶς ποιοῦντες, αὑτοῖς δὲ τὴν ἧτταν τὴν ἐν Λεύκτροις παρασκευάζοντες”; ISOC.8.99-100. ISOC.5.53-4: “οὐ γὰρ ἔφθασαν τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρατήσαντες καὶ πάντων ἀμελήσαντες ἠνώχλουν μὲν . . . ἐτόλμων . . . ἠπείλουν . . . ἀπεστέρουν . . . ἐπόρθουν . . . ἐξέπεμπον . . . τελευτῶντες δὲ πρὸς Φωκέας πόλεμον ἐξήνεγκαν”. 5.87: “ἔσχε γὰρ διττὰς ἐπιθυμίας . . . προῃρεῖτο γὰρ βασιλεῖ τε πολεμεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἑταίρους . . . καταγαγεῖν”. 8.99-100 (see above). PLATO , Phaedo, 57 A (see above). XEN. Hell. 2.3.55-6: “ὡς δὲ ταῦτα εἶπεν, εἷλκε μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ βωμοῦ ὁ Σάτυρος, εἷλκον δὲ οἱ ὑπηρέται. ὁ δὲ Θηραμένης . . . ἐπεκαλεῖτο . . . . ἡ δὲ βουλὴ ἡσυχίαν εἶχεν . . . . οἱ δ᾽ ἀπήγαγον τὸν ἄνδρα κτἑ”. THUC.3.22(a number of examples of shifting tenses). 4.119.1-3: “ταῦτα ξυνέθεντο καὶ ὤμοσαν Λακεδαιμόνιοι καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι Ἀθηναίοις καὶ τοῖς ξυμμάχοις . . . ξυνετίθεντο δὲ καὶ ἐσπένδοντο Λακεδαιμονίων μὲν οἵδε . . . ἡ μὲν δὴ ἐκεχειρία αὕτη ἐγέ νετο, καὶ ξυνῇσαν ἐν αὐτῇ περὶ τῶν μειζόνων σπονδῶν διὰ παντὸς ἐς λόγους” . HDT.2.162: “τῶν τις Αἰγυπτίων ὄπισθε στὰς περιέθηκέ οἱ κυνέην, καὶ περιτιθεὶς ἔφη ἐπὶ βασιληίῃ περιτιθέναι”. 3.123: “ταῦτα ἀκούσας Πολυκράτης ἥσθη τε καὶ ἐβούλετο”. HOM. Od. 10.352-67: A string of imperfects followed by a string of aorists.
1 See also B. L. G., A. J. P. xiv (1893), 104-6.
Syntax of Classical Greek from Homer to Demosthenes. Basil L. Gildersleeve. New York. American Book Company. 1900.
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