Alpha privative

Compounds of alpha privative.—In addition to the adjectives with alpha privative which take the genitive by reason of the notion expressed in the verb, or by analogy, there are many others, some of which take the genitive because of the idea of separation, especially when the genitive is of kindred meaning and an attributive adjective is added for the purpose of more exact definition. Thus, ἄτῑμος deprived of, ἀπαθής not suffering, ἀτελής free from (1392): as τῑμῆς ἄτῑμος deprived of honour P. L. 774b, ἄπαις ἀρρένων παίδων without male children I. 12.126, τοῦ ἡδίστου θεᾱ́ματος ἀθέᾱτος not seeing the most pleasant sight X. M. 2.1.31, ἄφωνος τῆσδε τῆς ἀρᾶς without uttering this curse S. O. C. 865. This is more frequent in poetry than prose.

a. So when the adjectives are passive: φίλων ἄκλαυτος unwept by friends S. Ant. 847, cp. κακῶν δυσάλωτος οὐδείς no one is hard for evil fortune to capture S. O. C. 1722. The genitive with adjectives in alpha privative is sometimes called the genitive of relation.

ἑκών willing, ᾱ̓́κων unwilling are properly participles and are treated as such (cp. 2117 c). Thus, ἐμοῦ οὐχ ἑκόντος without my consent S. Aj. 455.

a. ᾱ̓́κων, ἀεκαξόμενος, ἀφρονέων, ἀελπτέων, ἀνάρμενος, ἀνομολογούμενος, ἀτίξων are the only cases in Greek showing the earlier method of negativing the participle with alpha privative. Elsewhere οὐ or μή is used.