[B-Greek] EMFASIS in NT Greek
Yancy Smith
yancywsmith at sbcglobal.net
Tue Sep 22 14:23:04 EDT 2009
I agree, Elizabeth. DEISIDAIMWN would then contain an implicit criticism ("flatterers" of the gods, though BDAG disallows this, evidently because the editors did not consider this a case of EMFASIS), but also would contain an "out" since it also has a positive connotation. The brilliance of the slight is that the readers can "get it" and laugh but the hearers at Mars Hill would not be able to determine which meaning he intended. For the ancient Christian reader, the facts speak for themselves, for the modern reader they might not speak at all. Demetrius says of EMFASIS for the purpose of ASFALEIA that
"Often what we say is directed toward a tyrant or someone who is vilent in some other way, and when we want to censure him, we are compelled to use figured speech." (289)
Πολλάκις δὲ ἢ πρὸς τύραννον ἢ ἄλλως βίαιόν τινα διαλεγόμενοι καὶ ὀνειδίσαι ὁρμῶντες χρῄζομεν ἐξ ἀνάγκης σχήματος λόγου,
POLLAKIS DE H PROS TURANNON H ALLWS BIAION TINA DIALEGOMENOI KAI ONEIDISAI hORMWNTES CRHiZOMEN EX ANAGKEHS SCHMATOS LOGOU
"Flattery is shameful. Direct criticism is risky. The best course is the middle road, figured speech."
τὸ μὲν οὖν κολακεύειν αἰσχρόν, τὸ δὲ ἐπιτιμᾶν ἐπισφαλές, ἄριστον δὲ τὸ μεταξύ, τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ ἐσχηματισμένον.
TO MEN OUN KOLAKEUEIN AISCRON, TO DE EPITIMAN EPISFALES, ARISTON DE TO METAXU, TOUT ESTI TO EXCHMATISMENON.
I notice that Ahl quotes Quintilian (9.2.67) in this respect:
"You can speak well and make open statement against the tyrants we were discussing, provided the statement can be understood another way. It is only danger you are trying to avoid, not giving offense. If you can slip by through ambiguity of expression, there is no one who won't enjoy your verbal burglary (nemo non illi furto favet)."
Of course what is true of tyrants is also true sometimes of properly elected officials.
Thanks
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Kline [mailto:kline_dekooning at earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 12:49 PM
To: yancywsmith at sbcglobal.net
Cc: 'B-Greek B-Greek'
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] EMFASIS in NT Greek
On Sep 22, 2009, at 9:27 AM, Yancy Smith wrote:
> I am wondering whether members of the list could help me think of
> some examples of EMPHASIS from the NT?
Perhaps the Mars Hill discourse:
Acts 17:22 Σταθεὶς δὲ [ὁ] Παῦλος ἐν μέσῳ
τοῦ Ἀρείου πάγου ἔφη· ἄνδρες
Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ πάντα ὡς
δεισιδαιμονεστέρους ὑμᾶς θεωρῶ. 23
διερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ
σεβάσματα ὑμῶν εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν
ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο· Ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ. ὃ οὖν
ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτο ἐγὼ
καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.
ACTS 17:22 STAQEIS DE [hO] PAULOS EN MESWi TOU AREIOU PAGOU EFH·
ANDRES AQHNAIOI, KATA PANTA hWS DEISIDAIMONESTEROUS hUMAS QEWRW. 23
DIERCOMENOS GAR KAI ANAQEWRWN TA SEBASMATA hUMWN hEURON KAI BWMON EN
hWi EPEGEGRAPTO· AGNWSTWi QEWi. hO OUN AGNOOUNTES EUSEBEITE, TOUTO EGW
KATAGGELLW hUMIN.
Elizabeth Kline
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