[B-Greek] TOU ELQONTAS SULLABESQAI

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at ioa.com
Tue Sep 20 09:40:15 EDT 2005


On Sep 20, 2005, at 9:05 AM, Mitch Larramore wrote:

> Luke 5:7 contains
>
> KAI KATENEUSAN TOIS METOCOIS EN TWi hETERWi PLOIWi TOU
> ELQONTAS SULLABESQAI AUTOIS
>
> Can someone explain this verbal combination:
> TOU ELQONTAS SULLABESQAI (How does the participle
> function and then the infinitive?)

Mitch, TOU SULLABESQAI AUTOIS is an articular finitive expressing  
purpose, "(in order )to assist them." The subject of the infinitive  
is implicitly (note it's accusative): TOUS METOCOUS EN TWi hETERWi  
PLOIWi. ELQONTAS is a circumstantial participle agreeing with the  
implicit accusative subject of the infinitive but functioning  
adverbially with SULLABESQAI. More "literally" it is

     "in order, after coming, to assist them"

More normal English would be: "to come and assist them."

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/




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