Aristotle, Categories, Section 2

Discussion of Greek texts that do not fall into the other categories, including texts in other dialects or texts from other periods.
Forum rules
This is not a beginner's forum, competence in Greek is assumed.
Post Reply
Mike Baber
Posts: 97
Joined: May 30th, 2011, 11:25 pm
Location: Texas

Aristotle, Categories, Section 2

Post by Mike Baber »

Main passage:
ἁπλῶς δὲ τὰ ἄτομα καὶ ἓν ἀριθμῶ κατ' οὐδενὸς ὑποκειμένου λέγεται, ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ δὲ ἔνια οὐδὲν κωλύει εἶναι· ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
Clause in question:
ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
I would translate the clause as, "For certain grammatical [knowledge] is present in a subject ('underlying thing')."

But, I'm curious. What's the function of τῶν? Would it be referring back to ἔνια?
cwconrad
Posts: 2112
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:52 pm
Location: Burnsville, NC 28714
Contact:

Re: Aristotle, Categories, Section 2

Post by cwconrad »

Mike Baber wrote:Main passage:
ἁπλῶς δὲ τὰ ἄτομα καὶ ἓν ἀριθμῶ κατ' οὐδενὸς ὑποκειμένου λέγεται, ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ δὲ ἔνια οὐδὲν κωλύει εἶναι· ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
Clause in question:
ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
I would translate the clause as, "For certain grammatical [knowledge] is present in a subject ('underlying thing')."

But, I'm curious. What's the function of τῶν? Would it be referring back to ἔνια?
The phrase, τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ is a substantive composed of the genitive plural article and a prepositional phrase; it means "of things in a subject". The clause means, essentially, "For a particular grammar (=any one/any indiidual) grammar belongs to/is a part of[/falls into the category of/i] things in a subject)." This genitive substantive constitutes the predicate, with the verb ἔστὶν, of the clause. This is a partitive genitive which in this instance constitutes the predicate of the clause, sort of similar to, "Smyth's grammar is one of the things under discussion" -- where "under discussion" means "the subject about which everything we are currently saying turns."

I said previously that with Aristotle's Categories you've bitten off more than you can chew; but I see you continue to masticate.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
David Lim
Posts: 901
Joined: June 6th, 2011, 6:55 am

Re: Aristotle, Categories, Section 2

Post by David Lim »

ἁπλῶς δὲ τὰ ἄτομα καὶ ἓν ἀριθμῶ κατ' οὐδενὸς ὑποκειμένου λέγεται, ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ δὲ ἔνια οὐδὲν κωλύει εἶναι· ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
Carl, can I ask why it is "η τις γραμματικη" with "τις" in the so-called attributive position? Is this construction also found in the later Koine Greek?
δαυιδ λιμ
cwconrad
Posts: 2112
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:52 pm
Location: Burnsville, NC 28714
Contact:

Re: Aristotle, Categories, Section 2

Post by cwconrad »

David Lim wrote:
ἁπλῶς δὲ τὰ ἄτομα καὶ ἓν ἀριθμῶ κατ' οὐδενὸς ὑποκειμένου λέγεται, ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ δὲ ἔνια οὐδὲν κωλύει εἶναι· ἡ γὰρ τὶς γραμματικὴ τῶν ἐν ὑποκειμένῳ ἐστίν.
Carl, can I ask why it is "η τις γραμματικη" with "τις" in the so-called attributive position? Is this construction also found in the later Koine Greek?
Because it's attributive, perhaps? γραμματική here is the substantive. It's worth looking at the lengthy entry on the indefinite τις, τι in LSJ. To be noted there is this paragraph:
— in Philosophic writers, τις is added to the Art. to show that the Art. is used to denote a particular individual who is not specified in the general formula, although he would be in the particular case, ὁ τὶς ἄνθρωπος the individual man ( whoever he may be), this or that man, opp. ἄνθρωπος (man in general), ὁ τὶς ἵππος, ἡ τὶς γραμματική, Arist.Cat.1b4, 8; τὸ τὶ μέγεθος, opp. ὅλως τὸ μέγεθος, Id.Pol.1283a4, cf. S.E.P.2.223; but in ἑνὸς γὰρ τό γε τὶ φήσεις σημεῖον εἶναι Pl.Sph.237d, the Art. is used as in Il. cc. s.v. ὁ, ἡ , τό B.1.5: later ὅ τις (or ὁ τὶς ) much like ὁ δεῖνα, δεῦρο ὅ τις θεός, ὄφθητί μοι in a general formula of invocation, PMag.Par. 1.236; αἴρω σε, ἥ τις βοτάνη ib.287; εἰς τήν τινα κρείαν (leg. χρείαν ) ib.289.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
Post Reply

Return to “Other Greek Texts”