Module 28

εἰμί and εἶμι

The Verb

In Greek and in English verbs have the same definition and functions. Verbs are words that represent actions (throw) and states of being (be or exist). They differ in the same fundamental way that Greek nouns differ from their English counterparts: they use endings to create meaning in a way that English does not. The Greek verb (ῥῆμα) in its finite form has an ending that indicates what person and number the subject is. The Greek infinitive has an ending that indicates that it is unmarked for person and number.

The Verbs εἰμί and εἶμι

The verbs εἰμί and εἶμι are μι-verbs, occur frequently, and are irregular in all languages. Memorize the forms below. As you memorize them, note the similarities and differences between them.

Present Indicative Active of εἰμί

Imperfect Indicative Active of εἰμί

1. All forms of the present indicative active are enclitic except for εἶ you are and the infinitive, εἶναι to be.
2. ἔστι (ν) with its accent on the penult is not enclitic; it often means it is possible, it is allowed with its meaning completed by a complementary infinitive; if it means is the accent on the penult stresses the existence of the subject.

Present Infinitive Active of εἰμί

Present Indicative Active of εἶμι

Imperfect Indicative Active of εἶμι

Present Infinitive Active of εἶμι

Present Participles of εἰμί and εἶμι

ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν being

1. Remember that the participle is an adjective and must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, case, and number. If no noun is present, supply one from the gender and number of the participle or from context.
2. The participle is presented in full in part II of this 21st-Century series.

ἰών, ἰοῦσα, ἰόν coming, going

1. Remember that the participle is an adjective and must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, case, and number. If no noun is present, supply one from the gender and number of the participle or from context.
2. The participle is presented in full in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Practice Translating εἰμί and εἶμι. Translate the sentences below, which have been adapted from a variety of ancient Greek writers. Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key, making sure that you understand why each word translates as it does. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

1. ἔξεστι σῶσαί σε χρήμαθ’ οἷς συνεξῇεις καὶ ἅ σοι ἔδωκα (Euripides, Hekabe);
2. οὖν τι βούλῃ περὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ φράζειν ἐμοὶ ἢ ἄπειμι (Euripides, Hekabe);
3. ἡ δὲ λέγει· Γιγνώσκεις οὖν Ἀθήνης ἵνα στέγαι εἰσίν (Euripides, Hekabe);
4. ὁ δὲ λέγει· Μέλαινα πέτρα γῆς ἥ σοι σημανεῖ ἵνα στέγαι εἰσίν (Euripides, Hekabe).
5. ὅτε ἦν ὁ καιρὸς τῷ στρατηγῷ, ἠθέλησε εἰρήνην ἄγειν καὶ μὴ λῦσαι.
6. κατ’ ἐμὲ μὲν̣ γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ νίκημα ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἦν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄνδρες ἡττάοντο.
7. τότε δὲ Καμβύσης, ἐπεὶ ἦν οὐχ ὕδωρ αὐτῷ ἕτοιμον, ἀγγέλους παρὰ τὸν Ἀράβιον ἐπέμψε (Herodotos).
8. πρόσεισι καὶ κηρύσσει Κρέων τούτῳ, ὃς τὸ τῆς Σφιγγὸς αἴνιγμα λύσει, καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν Λαΐου δώσειν γυναῖκα (Bibliotheca).
9. τῆς σοφίας τοσαύτης ἐσμὲν ὥστε τρόποισιν οὐ τυραννικοῖς ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ φρενὸς αὐτοὺς ποιεῖν τὰ καλὰ πείθειν.
10. ὁ γεωργὸς πρὸς τὴν παῖδα ἔφη τῇ Σφιγγὶ πρόσωπον μὲν γυναικός, στῆθος δὲ καὶ πόδας καὶ οὐρὰν λέοντος καὶ πτέρυγας ὄρνιθος εἶναι.

Vocabulary

1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Translating. Translate the below, adapted from Lucian’s The Lover of Lies (Φιλοψευδής). Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Use your memory to identify endings and their functions. If you forget an ending or a function, consult the Adjective, Adverb, Noun, and Pronoun Chart in Appendix VIII and the Case and Function Chart in Appendix I. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key, making sure that you understand why each word translates as it does. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

Adverbs and Verbs

Adjectives, Nouns, Pronouns

1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Parsing Greek Sentences. Parse each word of the sentences found below. For nouns and pronouns, give their case and function. For verbs, give their person, number, tense, mood, and voice. For adverbs and conjunctions, identify them. For prepositional phrases, give the preposition and the preposition’s object. For adjectives, tell what noun they agree with in gender, number, and case.

ὁ πόλεμος καὶ δυστυχία τὰς ὀργὰς τῶν βροτῶν τὰς αὐτὰς ταῖς συντυχίαις καθιστᾶσιν.

τὸν Νεῖλον εἰς Κοπτὸν ἀναπλεύσας ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὸν Μέμνονα ἦλθον.

Check your answers with those in the Answer Key.

Diogenes the Cynic of Sinope (Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Σινώπη c. 412–323 BCE). Diogenes was born in Sinope, an Ionian Greek colony on the shores of the Black Sea. The adjective κυνικός means dog-like. Greek philosophers tended to separate the world into nature (φύσις) and custom (νόμος). Customs vary from society to society. Α look to nature is done as a means for determining primordial absolutes which can serve as a guide to understanding humankind, the universe, and the proper way to live. This quest for the primordial continues today as we look to DNA and quantum physics to understand who we are and how to live. Diogenes looked at the dog. He saw humans in pursuit of the artificial in their quest for empire, glory, honor, status, and wealth. Rather he thought we should study the dog who defecates and fornicates openly and without shame. Dogs live in the moment and are able to detect friend from foe. When Alexander the Great approached Diogenes and asked him if there was a request he could fulfill for him, Diogenes asked if he could please move because he was blocking the sun’s light and warmth from him. In his quest for the primordial Diogenes is one of a long list of thinkers who have pursued a life dedicated to the art of living well.

Module 28 Top 250 Vocabulary to be Memorized. Like learning the alphabet and endings, memorizing vocabulary is essential to acquiring language. The better you memorize the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary words the greater mastery of the language you will have.

Adjectives

ἐναντίος, ἐναντίᾱ, ἐναντίον opposite + gen. or dat.

ὀρθός, ὀρθή, ὀρθόν straight, correct, proper

τοσοῦτος, τοσαύτη, τοσοῦτο so much, so many

ὕστερος, ὑστέρᾱ, ὕστερον after, later

Verbs

παρέχω (ἔχω, ἕξω or σχήσω, ἔσχον, ἔσχηκα, -ἔσχημαι, ------) furnish, hand over; supply; cause; allow, grant; be allowed, παρέχει it is allowed

σκοπέω, σκοπήσω, ἐσκόπησα, ------, ἐσκόπημαι or ἔσκεμμαι, ------ look at; examine; consider, contemplate

συμβαίνω (βαίνω, βήσομαι, ἔβην, βέβηκα, βέβαμαι, ἐβάθην) stand with feet together; come together; come to an agreement, come to terms; meet + dat.; (impers.) come to pass, happen

τίθημι, θήσω, ἔθηκα, τέθηκα, τέθειμαι, ἐτέθην put, place; make, cause

ὑπάρχω (ἄρχω, ἄρξω, ἦρξα, ἦρχα, ἦργμαι, ἤρχθην) be; be sufficient; begin + gen.; (impers.) be allowed, be possible