Syntax Of Classical Greek From Homer To Demosthenes

From the PREFACE. In compliance with the wishes of many of my former pupils, I have determined to publish my Greek Syntax in parts. The framework was planned many years ago, and corresponds in its structure to the scheme of my Latin Grammar, the first edition of which was published in 1867. In fact, the Latin Syntax was based on the MS of the Greek. Doubtless the syntactician of to-day will find ample opportunity to criticise the arrangement, but to refashion the book would require more time than the speeding years will allow me to presume on. Nor will I undertake in this place a vindication of the principles that have guided me in my syntactical studies. A word, however, as to the order of the examples may be deemed appropriate. A catena of syntactical usage would be a memorable achievement, and I do not deny that at one time I thought it possible to organize such a work, for which a large staff of helpers would have been needed; but I have learned to renounce this ambitious scheme, and even the present far more modest undertaking would have been impossible unless I had associated with myself a scholar who is acquainted with every detail of my syntactical work, published and unpublished, and who has brought to the task not only a hearty sympathy with my views and methods, but a clearness of judgment and an accuracy in details that have been of great service to me in my own researches. In completing the list of examples, and in filling up the gaps in the presentation, I have availed myself freely of his help, and we have worked side by side in the collection and the scrutiny of the passages cited; and to this pupil, colleague, friend, Professor C. W. E. Miller, the completion of the work has been committed, in case the privilege should be denied me of putting the last hand to the labor of many years. Like myself, Professor Miller is thoroughly imbued with the conviction that the study of syntax is of the utmost importance for the appreciation of literary form, and we both believe that the presentation of the phenomena under the rubrics of the different departments of literature will be found useful for instruction and even more so for suggestion. Taking the Attic Orators as the standard of conventional Greek, we have worked backward through philosophy and history to tragic, lyric, and epic poetry, comedy being the bridge which spans the syntax of the agora and the syntax of Parnassus. Individual syntax we have not been able to set forth with any fulness, but the different departments have been represented to the best of our ability and judgment. The plan has saved us from giving the usual medley of examples, it has forced us to rely largely on our own collections and to examine the texts for ourselves, and it will enable those who come after us to fill up these outlines with greater ease.