[B-Greek] 1 Peter 1:15

Ben Crick ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Mon Dec 27 20:06:42 EST 2004


On Mon 27 Dec 2004 (14:01:42), normangoos at comcast.net wrote:
> There is an aorist imperative in this verse, GENHQHTW, translated with
> an  active sense - "become". 

 Dear Norman

 Carl has given a complete answer; but your request reminds me of that
 well-known German poem /Der Zauberlehrling/ (the Sorceror's Apprentice).
 The elderly Spellmaster has taken himself away somewhere; the apprentice
 magician orders the broom to fill the bath with water. Unfortunately, he
 cannot remember how to cancel the spell (never start something you don't
 know how to stop!). Desperately he chops the broom into several pieces; but
 each piece only carries on filling the bath to overflowing. At last /der alte
 Hexenmeister/ returns. He takes in the situation at a glance, and issues the
 countermanding order "/Besen, Besen, seid gewesen!/" best rendered in English
 as the military parade ground order "Brooms, brooms, as you were!".

 /Seid gewesen/ is grammatically a 2nd person plural perfect imperative "Be
 has-been"; but odd-sounding in German ears. A bit of a Harry Potter "Hogwarts
 Academy" scenario perhaps: if I may be permitted a little seasonal
 lightheartedness.

 ERRWSQE

 Ben
-- 
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