Re: Theodoret

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Fri Nov 19 1999 - 17:19:23 EST


At 3:33 PM -0600 11/19/99, Thomas and Patti Bond wrote:
>I would like to submit another question regarding Theodoret. My question
>specifically regards the use of the nominative participle and neuter neuter
>nominative (or genitve plural) adjective in this sentence. How would this
>be translated:
>
>DESMION hEAUTON PROSHGOREUSEN, AXIOCREWN DIA TWN DESMWN KATASKEUAZWN THN
>AITHSIN
>
>I have seen it translated, "(Paul) introduces hmself as a prisoner,
>formulating his noteworthy request by appealing to his bonds." But how can
>AXIOCREWN be linked with AITHSIN? And cannot KATASKEUAZWN be the subject of
>PROSHGOREUSEN? Something like, "the one making the request called himself a
>prisoner because of the significant bonds."

I'd convey this as: "He called himself a prisoner, formulating his
petition/request as a trustworthy (one) by means of his imprisonment."

problems:

(a) AXIOCREWN is acc. sg. masc. (could be neuter, but must here be masc., I
think), an adjective of the so-called "Attic" declension which has
metathesis of vowel quantities: AXIOCRH(I)ON --> AXIOCRHON -> AXIOCREWN.
The disyllabic vocalic combination H-O becomes a distinct Attic diphthong
EW in rather the same way, I think, that the Canadian or Eastern Tidewater
accent turns the long diphthong "out" into a short diphthong with a clipped
initial E followed by a sharp OO(T).

(b) I don't see how KATASKEUAZWN could be a subject, inasmuch as it has no
article that would make it a substantive. Rather it must be an
adverbial/circumstantial participle construed with PROSHGOREUSEN and
agreeing with the implicit masc. nom. sg. subject of that verb. The point
of the whole statement must be that Paul expected that he might make his
request (to Philemon?) all the more forceful (importunate?) by calling
himself a prisoner.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

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