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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

In the 2nd PERSON PLURAL of both the PRESENT and AORIST, the IMPERATIVE uses the same personal endings as the INDICATIVE: –σθε (middle).

Just as with infinitives, the AORIST IMPERATIVE never receives an AUGMENT.

• λύσασθε, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς ἵππους.
  • Men of Athens, ransom the horses!

A FIRST AORIST in the imperative uses the personal ending –σαι in the 2nd PERSON SINGULAR MIDDLE:

• λῦσαι, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τοὺς ἵππους.
  • King, ransom the horses!

Beware that this 2nd person singular middle imperative is easily confused with the FIRST AORIST INFINITIVE active in disyllabic verbs. For verbs of three or more syllables, however, the accent distinguishes between the two:

• κέλευσαι (imperative, recessive accent on antepenult)
• κελεῦσαι (infinitive, persistent accent on penult)

3rd person imperative endings of both the PRESENT and FIRST/SECOND AORIST:

• singular: –σθω (middle)
• plural: –σθων (middle)

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

Aorist Middle Infinitive: λύσασθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of δείκνυμι

Aorist Middle Infinitive: δείξασθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

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

In the 2nd PERSON PLURAL of both the PRESENT and AORIST, the IMPERATIVE uses the same personal endings as the INDICATIVE: –σθε (middle)

Just as with infinitives, the AORIST IMPERATIVE never receives an AUGMENT.

• λάβεσθε, ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς ἵππους.
  • Men of Athens, take the horses!

In the 2nd PERSON SINGULAR MIDDLE of both the PRESENT and SECOND AORIST, the imperative uses the personal ending –σο, which contracts for THEMATIC verbs (-εσο → –ου), as it does in the indicative.

In the 2nd PERSON SINGULAR SECOND AORIST THEMATIC MIDDLE, the accent is a CIRCUMFLEX on the ULTIMA:

• λαβοῦ, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὸν ἵππον.
  • King, take the horse (for yourself)!

3rd person imperative endings of both the PRESENT and FIRST/SECOND AORIST:

• singular: –σθω (middle)
• plural: –σθων (middle)

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

Aorist Middle Infinitive: λαβέσθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

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

Imperatives use the same endings as described above for the second aorist, but with the short stem vowel used for all stems.

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

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

Aorist Middle Infinitive: δόσθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

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

Aorist Middle Infinitive: θέσθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

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 Middle Infinitive: ἕσθαι

Aorist Middle Imperatives:

Vocabulary

Note that deponent 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 –