[B-Greek] hARPAX Mt 7:15

Tom Moore tom at katabiblon.com
Wed Apr 22 20:22:03 EDT 2009


Thanks! This clears up a bit confusion of mine.

I haven't understood what BDAG means when it lists only a single form for an adjective (which is rare), such hARPAX -AGOS. I take it that the single form is intended to apply to fem. mas. *and* neu.; and that this would also be true of AUTOCEIR -IROS, that AUTOCEIR is fem. mas. and neu. The only other case of this in BDAG that I'm aware of is TRACWNITIS -IDOS; so I assume also for this, the neu. would be TRACWNITIS (and not, say, TRACWNITI).

Perseus, though, parses both hARPAX and AUTOCEIR as nouns.

Regards,
Tom

>  -------Original Message-------
>  From: Carl Conrad <cwconrad2 at mac.com>
>  Subject: Re: [B-Greek] hARPAX Mt 7:15
>  Sent: Apr 22 '09 23:22
>  
>  
>  On Apr 22, 2009, at 5:30 PM, Tom Moore wrote:
>  
>  > Is ἅρπαξ -αγος (hARPAX -AGOS) a noun or an adjective? BDAG  
>  > says adjective. LSJ seems to indicate a noun. While there are lots  
>  > of nouns with stems in -K, -G, -C, none of which are neuter, this is  
>  > the only adjective I can find with a palatal stem.
>  >
>  > If it is an adjective, what would be its neuter? If its a noun, how  
>  > do we understand Matthew 7:15, where it certainly seems adjectival?
>  >
>  > Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν,  
>  > οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν  
>  > ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ  
>  > εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.
>  > PROSECETE APO TWN YEUDOPROFHTWN, hOITINES ERCONTAI PROS hUMAS EN  
>  > ENDUMASIN PROBATWN, ESWQEN DE EISIN LUKOI hARPAGES. [Matthew 7:15]
>  
>  What LSJ actually says is:
>  
>  ἅρπαξ, ᾰγος, ὁ, ἡ, (ἁρπάζω)
>  robbing, rapacious, Ar.Eq.137, v.l. inFr. 628, X.Mem.3.1.6; λύκοι  
>  Lyc.1309 (v.l. Ἄτρακας): also c. Subst. neut., ἅρπαγι  
>  χείλει AP9.272 (Bianor): Sup. ἁρπαγίστατος Pl.Com.  
>  57.
>  mostly as Subst.,
>  ἅρπαξ, ἡ, rapine, Hes.Op.356.
>  ἅρπαξ, ὁ, robber, peculator, τῶν δημοσίων Ar.Nu.
>  351; ὁ μὲν κλέπτης ὁ δ' ἅ. Myrtil.4; πάντες  
>  εἰσὶν ἅρπαγες (sc. οἱ Ὠρώπιοι) Xeno1.
>  species of wolf, Opp.C.3.304.
>  grappling-iron, used in sea-fights, App.BC5.118, Moschio ap.Ath.
>  5.208d; flesh-hook, J.AJ8.3.7.
>  
>  and, as I read the BDAG entry, it too displays both substantive and  
>  adjectival usage.
>  The neuter, like the masculine and feminine, is hARPAX; it's seen in  
>  the citation from the Greek Anthology noted above hARPAGI CEILEI.
>  
>  
>  
>  Carl W. Conrad
>  Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
>  
>  
>  
>  



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