Practice on particles

The list in this exercise includes some of the “particles” listed in 32.2 (q.v. for the imprecision of this grammatical category) and a few conjunctions. The translations give here are tailored to this exercise: the effect of the same particles in different contexts might be different.

Tips (see the list at 32.2):

ἀλλά in a dialogue may be simply transitional, and it should not be translated

ἄλλως τε καὶ = especially

αὖ, αὖτε = on the other hand, on the contrary (properly again).

γε = at least, at any rate, certainly; often to be rendered by intonation. γε enhances separate words or sentences.

γοῦν, a combination of γε (at least, at any rate, certainly) and οὖν commonly confirms a previous general assertion by giving a special instance of its truth = well, at least; yes certainly

γου̂ν finds the proof of an assertion in one of several possible facts or occurrences; γάρ gives the reason in general, but gives no particular instance. (Smyth)

δὴ enhances separate words; ἄγε δή / τί δή refer to the previous statement as its cause. Often equivalent to “of course,” “you see, “ you know.”

δη̂που = surely (ironic)

δη̂τα = actually, indeed

μέντοι = progressive or adversative

μήν = verily, truly

οὐ μὴν / μέντοι ἀλλά = but nevertheless

ὅμως = nevertheless, ὅμως δή, ἀλλὰ ὅμως = but still

In οὔκουν the predominant element is οὐκ; it is commonly used in questions where the answer expected is affirmative. In οὐκοῦν the predominant element is οὖν, thus it is inferential.

EXAMPLES

Translate the following examples, paying special attention to the word highlighted in red. Try to represent their effect, but if that would be contrary to English idiom or style, omit their translation and give an explanation as a footnote. Click on text for vocabulary (most of it is linked to Perseus).

1) εἰ μὴ πάντα, ἀλλἀ πολλά γ’ ἴστε.

2) χαλεπόν ἐστι διαβαίνεν τὸν ποταμὸν ἄλλως τε καὶ πολεμίων πολλῶν ἐγγὺς ὄντων.

3) οὐδ’ ἱκόμην ἔγωγ’ ἄν, εἰ σὺ μὴ ἐκάλεις.

4) ἔτι γὰρ οὑ̂τοι κακί̄ονές εἰσι τω̂ν ὑφ' ἡμω̂ν ἡττημένων·

ἔφευγον γου̂ν πρὸς ἐκείνους καταλιπόντες ἡμα̂ς.

5) ποῖά ἐστιν ἃ ἡμᾶς ὠφελεῖ; ὑγίεια καὶ ἰσχὺς καὶ κάλλος καὶ πλοῦτος δή·

ὡς ἔν τινι φρουρᾷ ἐσμεν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ οὐ δεῖ δὴ ἑαυτὸν ἐκ ταύτης λύειν

6) ὁ ἵππος μικροῦ ἐκεῖνον ἐξετραχέλισεν, οὐ μὴν // ἐξετραχελίσθη // ἀλλὰ ἐπέμεινεν ὁ Κῦρος.

7) καὶ ὁ Γωβρύας εἰ̂πεν ὅτι οὕτω μὲν γιγνομένων σαφω̂ς παρείη ἂν αὐτόν, καὶ δέοιτό γ' ἂν αὐτου̂ μένειν ἔστε σὺ ἀπέλθοις. οὐκου̂ν, ἔφη ὁ Κυ̂ρος, εἴ γε ἅπαξ εἰσέλθοι, δύναιτ' ἂν ἡμι̂ν ὑποχείριον ποιη̂σαι τὸ χωρίον; εἰκὸς γου̂ν, ἔφη ὁ Γωβρύας, τὰ μὲν ἔνδον ἐκείνου συμπαρασκευάζοντος, τὰ δ' ἔξωθεν σου̂ ἰσχυρότερα προσάγοντος. ἴθι οὐ̂ν, ἔφη, καὶ πειρω̂ ταυ̂τα διδάξας καὶ διαπραξάμενος παρει̂ναι· πιστὰ δὲ αὐτῳ̂ οὐκ ἂν μείζω οὔτ' εἴποις οὔτε δείξαις ὡ̂ν αὐτὸς σὺ τυγχάνεις παρ' ἡμω̂ν εἰληφώς.

8) τίς γὰρ ὑμω̂ν οὐκ οἰ̂δεν ὅτι περὶ τω̂ν ἀμφισβητουμένων πολὺ δοκει̂ δικαιότατον καὶ δημοτικώτατον εἰ̂ναι, ὅταν οἰκέται ἢ θεράπαιναι συνειδω̂σιν ἃ δει̂, τούτους ἐλέγχειν καὶ βασανίζειν, καὶ τοι̂ς ἔργοις μα̂λλον ἢ τοι̂ς λόγοις πιστεύειν, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ πραγμάτων κοινω̂ν καὶ μεγάλων καὶ συμφερόντων τῃ̂ πόλει; (2.01)

9)  ὑμει̂ς δέ, ἔφη, ἴστε δήπου ὅθεν ἥλιος ἀνίσχει καὶ ὅπου δύεται, καὶ ὅτι ἐὰν μέν τις εἰς τὴν  ̔Ελλάδα μέλλῃ ἰέναι, πρὸς ἑσπέραν δει̂ πορεύεσθαι: ἢν δέ τις βούληται εἰς τοὺς βαρβάρους, τοὔμπαλιν πρὸς ἕω. ἔστιν οὐ̂ν ὅστις του̂το ἂν δύναιτο ὑμα̂ς ἐξαπατη̂σαι ὡς ἥλιος ἔνθεν μὲν ἀνίσχει, δύεται δὲ ἐνταυ̂θα, ἔνθα δὲ δύεται, ἀνίσχει δ' ἐντευ̂θεν;

10) καὶ τοσου̂τόν γ' ἔσεσθε¹ τω̂ν προγόνων χείρους ὅσον ἐκει̂νοι μὲν τοὺς λόγῳ μόνον τῳ̂ προδότῃ βοηθήσαντας ται̂ς ἐσχάταις τιμωρίαις μετη̂λθον, ὑμει̂ς δὲ αὐτὸν τὸν ἔργῳ καὶ οὐ λόγῳ τὸν δη̂μον ἐγκαταλιπόντα ὡς οὐδὲν ἀδικου̂ντα ἀφήσετε; μὴ δη̂τα, ὠ̂ ἄνδρες δικασταί, <οὔτε γὰρ ὅσιον>² ὑμι̂ν οὔτε³ πάτριον, ἀναξίως ὑμω̂ν αὐτω̂ν ψηφίζεσθε. καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὲν ἕν τι τοιου̂τον γεγονὸς ἠ̂ν ψήφισμα, εἰ̂χεν ἄν τις εἰπει̂ν ὡς δι' ὀργὴν μα̂λλον ἢ δι' ἀλήθειαν ἐποιήσαντο: ὅταν δὲ παρὰ πάντων ὁμοίως εἰληφότες ὠ̂σι τὴν αὐτὴν τιμωρίαν, πω̂ς οὐκ εὔδηλον ὅτι φύσει πα̂σι τοι̂ς τοιούτοις ἔργοις ἐπολέμουν;

11) ἔστι μάλιστα του̂το δέος, μὴ πανου̂ργος ὢν καὶ δεινὸς ἅνθρωπος πράγμασι χρη̂σθαι, ...τρέψηται καὶ παρασπάσηταί τι τω̂ν ὅλων πραγμάτων. οὐ μὴν ἀλλ' ἐπιεικω̂ς, ὠ̂ ἄνδρες  ̓Αθηναι̂οι, του̂θ' ὃ δυσμαχώτατόν ἐστι τω̂ν Φιλίππου πραγμάτων, καὶ βέλτιστον ὑμι̂ν·

12)‑- οὐκου̂ν ὡμολόγηται, οὑ̂ ἐνδεής ἐστι καὶ μὴ ἔχει, τούτου ἐρα̂ν;

-- ναί. --ἐνδεὴς ἄρ' ἐστὶ καὶ οὐκ ἔχει ὁ  ̓́Ερως κάλλος.

--ἀνάγκη --τί δέ; τὸ ἐνδεὲς κάλλους καὶ μηδαμῃ̂ κεκτημένον κάλλος ἀ̂ρα λέγεις σὺ καλὸν εἰ̂ναι;

--οὐ δη̂τα. --ἔτι οὐ̂ν ὁμολογει̂ς ἔρωτα καλὸν εἰ̂ναι, εἰ ταυ̂τα οὕτως ἔχει;