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Classical Greek Tutoring
Newsletter, 17th May 2020
NEWSLETTER

Hello everyone, I trust this finds you well. 

Welcome to the latest newsletter from Classical Greek Tutoring.  In this fortnightly newsletter, I bring you the latest news in the classics world, as well as hints and tips for learning Greek.  Best wishes, Helen

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics

Exciting news! Natalie Haynes' Radio 4 series is back today, Sunday 17th May, at 4pm BST. This series will deal with mythological figures and, in the first episode, Natalie will discuss Helen of Troy with Professor Edith Hall. For what to expect, click here.

A Biblical Mystery at Oxford

Not a new story but a a new and detailed account of a shocking story. Ariel Sabar writes this article in The Atlantic about the Oxford scholar who claimed that he discovered a first-century gospel fragment, and who is facing allegations of antiquities theft, cover-up, and fraud. Read it here.

Ancient Greek Pronunciation

Produced for GCSE students studying Classical Greek, Classics for All has published this reading of Euripides' Electra lines 215-331. As you watch, the text appears on the screen, so it is not necessary to have a Greek text to hand. Electra and the Chorus Leader are read by Professor Philomen Probert, and Orestes is read by Professor David Langslow. Watch here.

Ancient Greek Grammar

Relative Clauses

A relative clause is a subordinate clause that refers to a noun or pronoun in the main clause. 

The relative pronoun (who, whom, which, etc) is always the first word in the relative clause unless it is the object of a preposition, then the preposition comes first followed immediately by the relative pronoun. The relative clause is not split up: once it starts, it finishes before returning to the main clause.

Excepting the masculine nominative singular, all forms of the relative pronoun resemble the definite article, but with a rough breathing instead of the initial τ. 

Where the forms of the relative correspond with the definite article, the relative is accented, e.g., ἥ, οἵ, αἵ.

The meanings of the relative pronoun are as follows. In the nominative case, who, which, what, in the accusative case, who, whom, which, what. The genitive pronoun is translated as of whom, of which, whose, while the dative: means to, for, by, with which/whom.

The relative pronoun agrees with its antecedant in gender and number. Its case depends on its function in the relative clause.

ὁ παῖς, ὅν παιδεύω, ἔχει ἵππον.

The child, whom I teach, has a horse.

The relative pronoun ὅν agrees with 'child', and is in the accusative case as the direct object.

ὁ παῖς ὅς πέμπει δῶρον ἀγαθός ἐστίν.

The child who sends a gift is good of the relative clause.

The relative pronoun ὅς agrees with 'child', and is in the nominative case as the subject of the relative clause.

ἡ κώμη, ἐν ἥ μένομεν, μικρά ἐστίν.

The village in which we are staying is small.

The relative pronoun agrees with 'village', and is in the dative case as the object of the preposition in the relative clause.

ὁ παῖς, οὕ ὁ δοῦλος λέγει, ἀγαθός ἐστίν.

The child, whose slave is speaking, is good.

The relative pronoun οὕ agrees with 'child', and is in the genitive case denoting possession in the relative clause.

If you have any questions about classical Greek language or literature, please drop me a line and I'll do my best to help.

If you have enjoyed this newsletter, please feel free to forward it to anyone you think may be interested. Click on the buttons below to visit my social media pages and website.

Classical Greek Tutoring

39 Old Mill Grove, Belfast
United Kingdom

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