Learning

Present of Past and Present Combined.—The present, when accompanied by a definite or indefinite expression of past time, is used to express an action begun in the past and continued in the present. The ‘progressive perfect’ is often used in translation. Thus, πάλαι θαυμάζω I have been long (and am still) wondering P. Cr. 43b. Cp. iamdudum loquor. So with πάρος, ποτέ. This use appears also in the other moods.

a. So with verbs of hearing, saying, learning, whose action commenced in the past, but whose effect continues into the present: ἐξ ὧν ἀκούω from what I hear (have heard) X. A. 1.9.28, ὅπερ λέγω as I said P. A. 21a. So with αἰσθάνομαι, γιγνώσκω, μανθάνω, πυνθάνομαι. ἄρτι just is often found with these verbs.

b. The perfect is used instead of the present when the action is completed in the present.

Verbs of Knowing and Showing.—After verbs signifying to know, be ignorant of, learn (not learn of), remember, forget, show, appear, prove, acknowledge, and announce, the participle represents a dependent statement, each tense having the same force as the corresponding tense of the indicative or optative with ὅτι or ὡς, the present including also the imperfect, the perfect including also the pluperfect.

Such verbs are: οἶδα, γιγνώσκω, ἐπίσταμαι, ἐννοῶ, μανθάνω (2136), (οὐκ) ἀγνοῶ, μέμνημαι, ἐπιλανθάνομαι (2134), δηλῶ, (ἐπι) δείκνῡμι, φαίνω, ἀποφαίνω, φαίνομαι (2143), ἔοικα (2089 c, 2133), (ἐξ-) ἐλέγχω, ὁμολογῶ (rarely), ἀγγέλλω, ποιῶ represent (2115).

οὐ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν αὐτὸν τεθνηκότα (= τέθνηκε) for they did not know that he was dead X. A. 1.10.16, ἔγνω τὴν ἐσβολὴν ἐσομένην (= ἔσται) he knew that the invasion would take place T. 2.13, δν ῡ̔μεῖς ἐπίστασθε ἡμᾶς προδόντα (= προὔδωκε) you know that he betrayed us X. A. 6.6.17, τίς οὕτως εὐήθης ἐστὶν ῡ̔μῶν ὅστις ἀγνοεῖ τὸν ἐκεῖθεν πόλεμον δεῦρ᾽ ἥξοντα (= ἥξει); who of you is so simple-minded as not to know that the war will come hither from that quarter? D. 1.15, (Χερρόνησον) κατέμαθε πόλεις ἕνδεκα ἢ δώδεκα ἔχουσαν (= ἔχει) he learned that Chersonesus contained eleven or twelve cities X. H. 3.2.10, μέμνημαι ἀκούσᾱς (= ἤκουσα) I remember to have heard X. C. 1.6.6, μέμνημαι Κριτίᾳ τῷδε ξυνόντα σε (= ξυνῆσθα) I remember that you were in company with Critias here P. Charm. 156a, ἐπιλελήσμεσθ᾽ ἡδέως γέροντες ὄντες (= ἐσμέν) we have gladly forgotten that we are old E. Bacch. 188, δείξω (αὐτὸν) πολλῶν θανάτων ὄντ᾽ (= ἐστί) ἄξιον I will show that he deserves to die many times D. 21.21, δειχθήσεται τοῦτο πεποιηκώς (= πεποίηκε) he will be shown to have done this 21. 160, τοῦτο τὸ γράμμα δηλοῖ ψευδῆ τὴν διαθήκην οὖσαν (= ἐστί) this clause shows that the will was forged 45. 34, ἐᾱ̀ν ἀποφαίνωσι τοὺς φεύγοντας παλαὶ πονηροὺς ὄντας (= εἰσί) if they show that the exiles were inveterate rascals L. 30.1, ἡ ψῡχὴ ἀθάνατος φαίνεται οὖσα (= ἐστί) it seems that the soul is immortal P. Ph. 107c, ἀδικοῦντα (= ἀδικεῖ) φίλιππον ἐξήλεγξα I convicted Philip of acting unjustly D. 18.136, ῥᾳδίως ἐλεγχθήσεται ψευδόμενος (= ψεύδεται) he will easily be convicted of lying 27. 19, ὁμολογούμεθα ἐλθόντες (= ἤλθομεν) I acknowledge that I came L. 4.7, αὐτῷ Κῦρον ἐπιστρατεύοντα (= ἐπιστρατεύει) πρῶτος ἤγγειλα I was the first to announce that Cyrus was taking the field against him X. A. 2.3.19.

a. Except with ἀγγέλλω announce (what is certain), verbs of saying or thinking rarely take the participle in prose, e.g. πᾶσι ταῦτα δεδογμένα ἡμῖν νόμιζε (= εὖ ἴσθι) think that this is our unanimous opinion P. R. 450a.

Verbs of Perception.—Verbs signifying to see, perceive, hear, learn (i.e. learn by inquiry, hear of), when they denote physical (actual) perception take the participle. When they denote intellectual perception they may take the participle or ὅτι or ὡς with a finite verb. (The Homeric usage is less strict.)