Construction according to sense (agreement)

Apparent violation of the concords is to be explained either by

a. Construction according to sense, where the agreement is with the real gender or number (e.g. 949 a, 950-953, 958, 996, 997, 1013, 1044, 1050, 1055 a, 1058 b); or by

b. Attraction, when a word does not have its natural construction because of the influence of some other word or words in its clause (e.g. 1060 ff., 1239, 1978, 2465, 2502, 2522 ff.). This principle extends to moods and tenses (2183 ff.).

Construction according to the Sense (926 a).—The real, not the grammatical, gender often determines the agreement: ὦ φίλτατ᾽, ὦ περισσὰ τῑμηθεὶς τέκνον O dearest, O greatly honoured child E. Tro. 735 (this use of the attributive adjective is poetical), τὰ μειράκια πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλεγόμενοι the youths conversing with one another P. Lach. 180e, ταῦτ᾽ ἔλεγεν ἡ ἀναιδὴς αὕτη κεφαλή, ἐξεληλυθώς this shameless fellow spoke thus when he came out D. 21.117.

So in periphrases: ῑ̓̀ς Τηλεμάχοιο ἐς πατέρα ἰδών mighty Telemachus, gazing at his father π 476, τὸ δὲ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἡμῶν . . . χαίροντες τῇ ἐκείνων παιδιᾷ we the elders delighting in their sport P. L. 657d.