[B-Greek] Imperfect and Aorist Tense-Aspects
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Sep 14 13:50:46 EDT 2006
On Sep 14, 2006, at 1:06 PM, Elizabeth Kline wrote:
>
> On Sep 14, 2006, at 4:23 AM, Randall Buth wrote:
>
>> Randall (me) argues that HLQEN refers backwards in time which results
>> in an understanding that the author has taken a vantage point
>> (deictic
>> centre) in the future and is looking back in time to the 'coming'.
>
> After following this discussion for some time perhaps I am beginning
> to understand the different frameworks. If the vantage point (deictic
> centre) is portable, subject to relocation, then what would we say
> about the so called historical present? Is this a case where the
> present indicitive retains the semantic feature +present but the
> vantage point of the speaker is relocated?
>
> For what its worth, G.L.Cooper (Attic Syntax, 1.53.6.B) gives two
> examples of the aorist indicative with future reference from
> Euripides. Cooper states that this is quite rare and observes that
> both of these examples are conditionals.
Interesting that he should have hit upon these. It strikes me that
there's a curious colloquial force to the aorist of APOLLUMAI;
APWLOMHN = "I've had it/I'm done for/It's all over with me";
Latin "perii" is used exactly the same in Latin comedy, esp. Plautus.
>
> E.Alc
>
> 386 APWLOMHN AR, EI ME DH LEIYEIS, GUNAI.
"I'm done for then, if you're really going to abandon me, woman"
> E.Med
>
> 78 APWLOMESQ' AR, EI KAKON PROSOISOMEN
>
> 79 NEON PALAIWI, PRIN TOD' EXHNTLHKENAI.
"Well then, we're done for, if woe we are to add
fresh to what was, ere bailing out of that!"
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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