Descriptive

Descriptive Apposition.—Here the appositive describes something definite that has just been mentioned: ἡ ἡμετέρᾱ πόλις, ἡ κοινὴ καταφυγὴ τῶν Ἑλλήνων our city, the common refuge of the Greeks Aes. 3.134.

There are two kinds of determinative compounds.

(1) Descriptive determinative compounds.—The first part defines or explains the second part in the sense of an adjective or adverb. (This class is less numerous than the second class.)

ἀκρό-πολις upper city, citadel (ἄκρᾱ πόλις), ὁμό-δουλος fellow-slave (ὁμοῦ δουλεύων, cp. 885. 4 a), ὀψί-γονος late-born (ὀψὲ γενόμενος), προ-βουλή forethought, ἀμφι-θέᾱτρον amphitheatre (a place-for-seeing round about), ἄ-γραφος not written (οὐ γεγραμμένος).

a. Copulative compounds are formed by the coördination of two substantives or adjectives: ῑ̓ᾱτρό-μαντις physician and seer, γλυκύ-πικρος sweetly-bitter. Similar is deaf-mute. So also in numerals: δώ-δεκα two (and) ten = 12.

b. Comparative compounds (generally poetic) are μελι-ηδής honey-sweet (μέλι, ἡδύς), ποδ-ήνεμος Ἶρις Iris, with feet swift as the wind. Cp. eagle-eyed, goldfish, blockhead. Such compounds are often possessive (898), as ῥοδο-δάκτυλος rosy-fingered, χρῡσο-κόμης golden-haired.

(2) Dependent determinative compounds.—A substantive forming either the first or the second part stands in the sense of an oblique case (with or without a preposition) to the other part.

Accusative: λογο-γράφος speech-writer (λόγους γράφων), στρατ-ηγός armyleading, general (στρατὸν ἄγων), φιλ-άνθρωπος loving mankind (φιλῶν ἀνθρώπους), δεισι-δαίμων superstitious (δεδιὼς τοὺς δαίμονας); cp. pickpocket, sightseer, painstaking, soothsayer, laughter-loving.

Genitive: στρατό-πεδον camp (στρατοῦ πέδον ground on which an army is encamped). In ἀξιό-λογος worthy of mention (ἄξιος λόγου) the defining part stands second (869 c) and is governed by the adjective part like a preposition (cp. 899). Cp. ringmaster, law-offcer, jest-book.

(Ablative): ἀνεμο-σκεπής sheltering from the wind; cp. land-breeze, sea-breeze.

Dative: ἰσό-θεος godlike (ἴσος θεῷ); cp. churchgoer, blood-thirsty.

(Instrumental): χειρ-ο-ποίητος made by hand (χερσὶ ποιητός), χρῡσό-δετος bound with gold (χρῡσῷ δετός); cp. thunder-struck, storm-swept, star-sown.

(Locative): οἰκο-γενής born in the house (ἐν οἴκῳ γενόμενος), ὁδοι-πόρος wayfarer (879); cp. heart-sick.

N. 1.—The Greeks did not think of any actual case relation as existing in these compounds, and the case relation that exists is purely logical. The same form may be analysed in different ways, as φιλάνθρωπος = φιλῶν ἀνθρώπους or = φίλος ἀνθρώπων.

N. 2.—Such compounds may often be analysed by a preposition and a dependent noun: θεό-δμητος god-built (ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν δμητός).