καί in negative sentences
Posted: June 27th, 2014, 7:47 am
I am interested in the occasional occurrence of καί to coordinate terms in a negative sentence. First, one that's easy to understand:
εὐθέως οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι, [Gal 1.16]
'σάρξ καὶ αἵμα' stands for one thing as 'flesh and blood' does in English. But how about these two?
καὶ ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος. [Matt 10.38]
καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ζητεῖτε τί φάγητε ⸀καὶ τί πίητε, καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε, [Luke 12.29]
Buttmann [1891, p. 368] speaks of 'the usage according to which καί stands after a simple negative .. and connects the following clause so closely with the preceding clause (already negatived) that it is brought with the latter under the influence of the same negative, so that καί then completely takes the place of the οὐδέ (μηδέ) used by the Greeks under such circumstances.' Matt 10.38 is one of his examples.
Presumably, the significance of the use of καί may be that it joins the two connected elements into a single conception - taking up one's cross and following Jesus is conceived of as a single thing - likewise eating and drinking.
Is this classical? - I can't see anything in Smyth. I would be interested in other examples of terms joined by καί so strongly that the καί is retained in a negative sentence. We say 'no bread and butter, thanks', if one is spread on the other, but 'no bread or butter from the shop, thanks', when they are still in their packaging.
Thanks, Andrew
εὐθέως οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι, [Gal 1.16]
'σάρξ καὶ αἵμα' stands for one thing as 'flesh and blood' does in English. But how about these two?
καὶ ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος. [Matt 10.38]
καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ζητεῖτε τί φάγητε ⸀καὶ τί πίητε, καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε, [Luke 12.29]
Buttmann [1891, p. 368] speaks of 'the usage according to which καί stands after a simple negative .. and connects the following clause so closely with the preceding clause (already negatived) that it is brought with the latter under the influence of the same negative, so that καί then completely takes the place of the οὐδέ (μηδέ) used by the Greeks under such circumstances.' Matt 10.38 is one of his examples.
Presumably, the significance of the use of καί may be that it joins the two connected elements into a single conception - taking up one's cross and following Jesus is conceived of as a single thing - likewise eating and drinking.
Is this classical? - I can't see anything in Smyth. I would be interested in other examples of terms joined by καί so strongly that the καί is retained in a negative sentence. We say 'no bread and butter, thanks', if one is spread on the other, but 'no bread or butter from the shop, thanks', when they are still in their packaging.
Thanks, Andrew