[B-Greek] SIKELOS OMFAKIZETAI What kind of middle?

Mark Lightman lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Sat Jan 1 11:37:59 EST 2011


LSJ defines ὀμφακίζω (OMFAKIZW) "to be unripe, properly of grapes" and refers to 
Isaiah 18:5 where the active is found.  Then it goes on to say "in Mid., 
Σικελὸς  ὀμφακίζεται the Sicilian steals sour grapes, proverb. of one who will 
steal anything worthless, Epich. 163 Ahr., cf. Aristaen. 2.7 Erasm. Adag. p. 
240."

I don't get how the middle is working here.  If the active means to produce sour 
grapes, how does the middle come to mean steal sour grapes?  I understand that 
this is a free translation, but what is going on here?  Is this some special 
kind of a middle that I am unfamiliar with?  Are there other examples?

I don't really understand the syntax of the passage in Isaiah, either, where  
ὄμφαξ...ὀμφακίζουσα  seems to be a (semitic?) redundancy.  


 Mark L
Φωσφορος 


FWSFOROS MARKOS



      


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