[B-Greek] TARASSW/TARASSOMAI subject-agent affected

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Tue Feb 26 17:06:00 EST 2008


On Feb 26, 2008, at 4:46 PM, Elizabeth Kline wrote:

>
> On Feb 22, 2008, at 3:30 AM, Carl Conrad wrote:
>
>> My own impression is that this reflexive usage of TARASSEIN hEAUTON
>> is exceptional, although perfectly intelligible: the middle is the
>> normal usage.
>
> Carl and Iver,
>
> Another case where the reflexive pronoun is used in this manner is
> found in the Test.Joseph (Test. Twelve Patriarchs)
>
> 15.3.1
> Καὶ πάλιν ἤθελον 2 δακρῦσαι,
> καὶ ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτόν, ἵνα μὴ
> αἰσχύνω τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου.
>
> 15.3.1
> KAI PALIN HQELON 2 DAKRUSAI,
> KAI EPESCON EMAUTON, hINA MH
> AISCUNW TOUS ADELFOUS MOU.
>
> Here EPESCON EMAUTON is somwhat similar to TARASSEIN hEAUTON.
>
>
> Elizabeth Kline
>
> English by P.Schaff "And again I would have wept, but I restrained
> myself, that I should not put my brethren to shame."

One significant difference is that EPECW doesn't appear to be used in  
the middle voice: 22x active in LXX, 5x active in GNT. I get the  
impression that the middle is little used and not in this sense in  
extra-biblical literature. LSJ notes one instance of a middle usage in  
Plato with TA WTA "stop one's ears" and one instance of a passive  
usage in Josephus "be prevented (by ... ).


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






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