[B-Greek] Help with 'Imperfect' Particple required (Mt 2:7)

kgraham0938 at comcast.net kgraham0938 at comcast.net
Fri Jan 20 21:44:52 EST 2006


Hey what about taking this as an attributive participle?
TON CRONON TOU FAINOMENOU ASTEROS, 

Time of the shining star.

--
Kelton Graham 
KGRAHAM0938 at comcast.net

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Carl W. Conrad" <cwconrad at ioa.com> 

> 
> On Jan 20, 2006, at 4:52 PM, Martin Wells wrote: 
> 
> > Dear B-Greek, 
> > 
> > I'm in need of some clarification re the tense of the present middle 
> > participle "fainomenou" as used in Mt 2:7. 
> > 
> > I know that participles do not exist in imperfect form and the 
> > present is 
> > used to convey imperfect past time - with context (tense of main verb) 
> > providing the indication of time - but this word has been classed as 
> > corresponding to 'perfect' (Max and Mary) AND 'imperfect' (by 
> > Gustav Teres 
> > who argues for the Star being visible on a nightly basis ever since 
> > its 
> > rising). 
> > 
> > Is this tense plain old simple 'present' or perfect or imperfect? 
> > 
> > As the main verb - "akribws" - is aorist active indicative singular 
> > it would 
> > be in contrast to the imperfect (on going action as it unfolds). So 
> > if I 
> > conclude that "fainomenou" cannot be imperfect in form in this 
> > instance, 
> > would I be right? 
> 
> Text (in standard BG transliteration): TOTE hHRWiDHS LAQRAi KALESAS 
> TOUS MAGOUS HKRIBWSEN PAR' AUTWN TON CRONON TOU FAINOMENOU ASTEROS. 
> 
> The participle is, as you say, present "tense", although some would 
> prefer to speak of it as having IMPERFECT "aspect." In this case the 
> tense-form of the participle has nothing to do whatsoever with the 
> verb HKRIBWSEN (AKRIBOW). One could just as well translate the verse, 
> "ascertained precisely from the Magi the time of the star's 
> appearance (time of the star appearing)." Now we can say that CRONON 
> TOU FAINOMENOU ASTEROS is equivalent to CRONON EF' hWi EFAINETO ASTHR 
> or even CRONON hOTE EFAINETO ASTHR. That is to say, the imperfect 
> indicative would here be appropriate in a clause equivalent to the 
> participial phrase. 
> 
> 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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