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The Middle Voice: First Aorist

Recall that the formula to form the FIRST AORIST indicative is:

• augment + verb stem + first aorist (-σα) marker + secondary endings

To form the first aorist middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. Note that the second person singular regularly appears in a contracted form that results from the loss of the INTERVOCALIC SIGMA (S 628).

Infinitive ending: –σασθαι. For the First Aorist Middle infinitive, note the following:

• As with the PRESENT MIDDLE INFINITIVE, the accent falls on the ANTEPENULT
• Infinitives never receive an augment

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of λύω (S 383; GPH p. 78)

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: λύσασθαι

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of δείκνυμι

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: δείξασθαι

The Middle Voice: Second Aorist

Thematic Second Aorist

Recall that the formula to form the THEMATIC SECOND AORIST indicative is:

• augment + verb stem + thematic vowel (ο/ε) + secondary endings

To form the second aorist thematic middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. Note that the second person singular regularly appears in a contracted form that results from the loss of the INTERVOCALIC SIGMA (S 628). The endings, in other words, are identical to those used for the middle imperfect of thematic verbs.

Infinitive ending: –έσθαι. For the Second Aorist Middle infinitive, note the following:

• The accent falls on the PENULT
• Infinitives never receive an augment

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of λαμβάνω (S 384; GPH p. 83)

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: λαβέσθαι

Athematic Second Aorist

Recall that the formula to form the ATHEMATIC SECOND AORIST indicative is:

• augment + verb stem + secondary endings

To form the second aorist athematic middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. As noted before, there are not many athematic second aorists, but among them are some commonly encountered verbs, including:

• βαίνω, βήσομαι, ἔβην (verb stem: βη-) walk, come, go
•  γιγνώσκω, γνώσομαι, ἔγνων (verb stem: γνω-) know, learn, think

Neither of these verbs, however, occur in the aorist middle forms in preserved Greek texts, so memorization of their inflected forms in this tense and voice is not necessary.

The Middle Voice: Aorist –μι Verbs

The following –μι verbs all form the AORIST MIDDLE regularly, according to the following rules:

• Short stem vowels are used for all stems
• The intervocalic σ in the 2nd person singular drops out.

Infinitive ending: –σθαι. For the Second Aorist Middle infinitive, note the following:

• The accent falls on the PENULT
• Infinitives never receive an augment

Note: There is no Aorist Middle Indicative of the –μι verb ἵστημι.

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of δίδωμι (S 416; GPH p. 129)

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: δόσθαι

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of τίθημι (S 416; GPH p. 151)

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: θέσθαι

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of ἵημι (S 777)

Note here that εἱ– is the result of the augment contracting with, rather than lengthening, the initial vowel of the verb stem: ἐ–ἕμην, ἔ–ἑσο, κτλ. Notice also that the INTERVOCALIC SIGMA has NOT dropped out (which would have resulted in a form such as ἔ–ἑσο → ἔ–οὑ → οὗ!).

Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: ἕσθαι

Vocabulary

Note that verbs used only in the MIDDLE VOICE in the PRESENT TENSE often form their AORISTS in the MIDDLE voice, as well. This form is reflected in the THIRD PRINCIPAL PART.

– τὸ τέλος –