35
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).
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–σάμην = I (1st person singular) |
–σαμεθα = we (1st person plural) |
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(-σασο →) –σω = you (2nd person singular) |
–σασθε = y’all (2nd person plural) |
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–σατο = (s)he, it (3rd person sg) |
–σαντο = they (3rd person pl) |
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)
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ἐλυσάμην |
ἐλυσάμεθα |
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(ἐλύσασο → ) ἐλύσω |
ἐλύσασθε |
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ἐλύσατο |
ἐλύσαντο |
Aorist Middle Infinitive: λύσασθαι
Aorist Middle Imperatives:
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λῦσαι |
λύσασθε |
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λυσάσθω |
λυσάσθων |
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of δείκνυμι
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ἐδειξάμην |
ἐδειξάμεθα |
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(ἐδείξασο → ) ἐδείξω |
ἐδείξασθε |
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ἐδείξατο |
ἐδείξαντο |
Aorist Middle Infinitive: δείξασθαι
Aorist Middle Imperatives:
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δεῖξαι |
δείξασθε |
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δειξάσθω |
δειξάσθων |
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.
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–ομην = I (1st person singular) |
–ομεθα = we (1st person plural) |
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(-εσο →) –ου = you (2nd person singular) |
–εσθε = y’all (2nd person plural) |
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–ετο = (s)he, it (3rd person sg) |
–οντο = they (3rd person pl) |
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)
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ἐλαβόμην |
ἐλαβόμεθα |
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(ἐλάβεσο → ) ἐλάβου |
ἐλάβεσθε |
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ἐλάβετο |
ἐλάβοντο |
Aorist Middle Infinitive: λαβέσθαι
Aorist Middle Imperatives:
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λαβοῦ |
λάβεσθε |
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λαβέσθω |
λαβέσθων |
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)
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ἐδόμην |
ἐδόμεθα |
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(ἔδοσο →) ἔδου |
ἔδοσθε |
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ἔδοτο |
ἔδοντο |
Aorist Middle Infinitive: δόσθαι
Aorist Middle Imperatives:
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(δόσο →) δοῦ |
δόσθε |
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δόσθω |
δόσθων |
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of τίθημι (S 416; GPH p. 151)
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ἐθέμην |
ἐθέμεθα |
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(ἔθεσο →) ἔθου |
ἔθεσθε |
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ἔθετο |
ἔθεντο |
Aorist Middle Infinitive: θέσθαι
Aorist Middle Imperatives:
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(θέσο →) θοῦ |
θέσθε |
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θέσθω |
θέσθων |
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of ἵημι (S 777)
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εἵμην |
εἵμεθα |
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εἷσο |
εἷσθε |
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εἷτο |
εἷντο |
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:
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(ἕσο →) οὗ |
ἕσθε |
|
ἕσθω |
ἕσθων |
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 –
Paradigms, Key Terms and Concepts
- Chapter Paradigms
- MIDDLE VOICE OF FIRST AORISTS
- MIDDLE VOICE OF SECOND AORISTS
- MIDDLE VOICE OF AORIST –μι VERBS
Vocabulary
- αἰσθάνομαι, αἰσθήσομαι, ᾐσθόμην perceive
- ἀποκρίνομαι, ἀποκρινοῦμαι, ἀπεκρινάμην answer
- ἀφικνέομαι, ἀφίξομαι, ἀφικόμην come to, arrive at
- γίγνομαι, γενήσομαι, ἐγενόμην happen, become, be born
- δέχομαι, δέξομαι, ἐδεξάμην welcome
- ἕπομαι, ἕψομαι, ἑσπόμην follow
- ἐργάζομαι, ἐργάσομαι, εἰργασάμην work
- ἡγέομαι, ἡγήσομαι, ἡγησάμην lead (+ dat.), consider
- κτάομαι, κτήσομαι, ἐκτησάμην get, acquire
- μάχομαι, μαχοῦμαι, ἐμαχεσάμην fight
- πυνθάνομαι, πεύσομαι, ἐπυθόμην learn, hear, inquire about (+ acc. or gen.)
- χράομαι, χρήσομαι, ἐχρησάμην use
Exercises
Ι. Conjugate in full the following verbs in the aorist middle, including the infinitive. If you have forgotten the principal parts of any of these verbs (or the verbs in the next exercise), note that they can be found on the list of “Most Common Ancient Greek Verbs,” available here: Greek Verb List.
- λείπω
- ποιέω
- δίδωμι
- τίθημι
- ἵημι
ΙΙ. The following verb forms are all aorist active. For each, 1). Identify whether it is a 1st or 2nd aorist, and 2). Change from the aorist in the active voice to the aorist in the middle voice, keeping the same person and number.
- ἠκούσατε
- ἔφυγε
- ἐκώλυσαν
- ἐδηλώσαμεν
- ἔφυσας
- ἐλάβομεν
- ἐβούλευσα
- ἤγαγες
Readings
Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 5:36-42: AGE Ch. 35a.
Plato Phaedo 58a1-c5: AGE Ch. 35b.