Lesson 11 Middle/Passive Voice for Omega Verbs - My Notes on "From Alpha to Omega" by Anne Groton

Review Chart About Components of Verbs

Person	Number	Voice	Mood	Tense
1st	Singular	Active	Indicative	Present = Present time + imperfective or aoristic aspect.
2nd	Dual (two people)	Middle (I do for myself)	Imperative	Imperfect = Past time + Imperfective aspect
3rd	Plural	Passive	Subjective - (which often expresses deliberation or future potential)	Future = Future time + imperfective or aoristic aspect
			Optative - (expresses a wish, possibility, potentiality, or a hypothetical situation)	Aorist = Past time + aoristic aspect
				Perfect = Present time + perfective aspect
				Pluperfect =  Past time + perfective aspect
				Future perfect = future time + perfective aspect

Types of Aspects (Perception of the speaker) 

- Imperfective - “The speaker may view the action as a process continuing or repeated over time [unfinished aspect]” 

- Aoristic - “… as a simple occurrence [undefined aspect]”

- Perfective - “ … as a completed action with an enduring result [finished aspect]” 

Background for this Lesson

- Middle voice - "subject not only acts but also has a special interest in the action" 

- Passive voice - "when the subject is acted upon by someone or something else" 

- Building on the Right Stems - "The present middle/passive is built on the present stem, the future middle on the future stem, and the imperfect middle/passive on the augmented present stem." 

- Primary/Secondary Endings - "Present and future add primary endings; the imperfect adds secondary endings." 

Present Middle/Passive Indicative Endings

-ομαι  - ομεθα

- ῃ      - εσθε

-εται   - ονται 

Present Middle/Passive Infinitive 

εσθαι - Attached to the present stem of the verb.

Future Middle Indicative 

- σομαι  - σομεθα

- σῃ       - σεσθε

- σεται   - σονται

(The future passive isn't until the 6th principle part) 

Future Middle Infinitive

σεσθαι - Attached to the future stem (present stem + -σ-).

Imperfect Middle/Passive Indicative Endings

- όμην   - όμεθα 

- ου       - εσθε

- ετο      - οντο

Present Middle/Passive Imperative

---------     ----------

-ου            -εσθε 

-εσθω        -εσθων

Genitive of Personal Agent 

"In a passive sentence the person doing the action (i.e., the agent) may or may not be identified; e.g., 'I am taught by my brother' or simply 'I am taught.' To identify the agent, Greek often uses the preposition ὑπό ('by') and a noun in the genitive case; e.g., παιδεύομαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ. This construction is called the genitive of personal agent. Be sure to distinguish the genitive of personal agent (a human being) from the dative of means (an instrument or tool)." 

How to Determine if it's Passive or Middle

Passive) There is the genitive of agent - "The presence of a genitive of agent is a sign that the verb's voice must be passive, not middle (since, in a sentence with middle voice, the subject itself - and not a noun in the genitive - is the agent)."

Middle) There is a direct object - "The presence of a direct object is a sign that the verb's voice must be middle, not passive (since, in a passive sentence, the subject - and not a direct object - receives the action)." 

Reflexive Verbs in the Middle Voice

"In some verbs the middle voice shows a reflexive relationship: the action is done directly to the subject, not for it." I turn becomes "I betake myself" or "I move". 

Special Meanings/Reflexive Verbs in the Middle Voice

"In other verbs the middle voice may have a special meaning in addition to the one you would expect it to have." 

For example: 

ἀλλάττομαι - I change for myself --> I take [something] in exchange for [something]

        ** ("may also have a second object in the genitive ... I take the horse in exchange for the cart")

γράφομαι - I write for myself --> I indict [someone]

παιδεύομαι - I teach for myself --> I have [someone] taught 

φυλάττομαι -- I guard for myself --> I am on guard against [someone/something] 

Preposition ὑπό

"...ὑπό often means 'by,' but its basic meaning is 'under.' When used with the genitive, ὑπό implies motion out of or away from a source of origin ... when used with the accusative, it implies motion towards a goal or destination. When used with the dative, it implies that someone or something is at a particular location and is neither leaving it nor approaching it." 

Genitive = motion out of / away from 

Accusative = motion towards a goal or destination 

Dative = something is at a particular location and is not coming or going 

1) In the place, the place free of dangers, we have them taught, the small girls. 

2) The beautiful horses were being stolen out of the tent by the household slaves. 

3) Will the gods take the gifts of men in exchange for tranquilities?

4) No longer obey the unworthy lady, o worthy maids, but move yourselves by means of the long road into the countryside. 

5) Were you obeying the former master because I was ordering? I was not obeying. 

6) Do not be turned, o child, by the cart. Hold the former place.