Humanitext Reader

Callimachus · Iambs §10.1

Grammatical Word Formation for a Young Man

Passage 11 of 22 · Greek

Summary

A fragment of Callimachus is cited to illustrate a grammatical word formation where a specific noun form meaning "young man" is derived from an adjective.

§10.1καὶ τῶν νεήκων εὐθὺς οἱ τομώτατοι. . . . .
And of the young men, straightway the sharpest.....
"ὡς παρὰ τὸ ἱερός γίνεται ἱέραξ καὶ νέος νέαξ, ὡς παρὰ Καλλιμάχῳ· " καὶ τῶν κτλ.
"As from ἱερός comes ἱέραξ, and from νέος comes νέαξ, as in Callimachus:" "And of the..." etc.

Notes

  1. 10.1νεήκων — Genitive plural of the noun νέηξ ("young man", nominative singular). It is discussed in the subsequent grammatical comment as a derivative of the adjective νέος, analogous to the relationship between ἱερός and ἱέραξ, and νέος and νέαξ.
  2. 10.1τομώτατοι — Nominative masculine plural of τομώτατος, the superlative of the adjective τομός ("sharp", "keen"). Here it describes the character or sharpness of the young men (νεήκων).

Cite this passage

Callimachus, Iambs §10.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0533.tlg007.humanitext-grc1:10.1

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