The definitions of the Greek Middle Voice between Apollonius Dyscolus and Constantinus Lascaris

Juan Signes-Codoñer

Summary

The present study offers a typological and a chronological classification of all the extant definitions of the middle voice from Apollonius Dyscolus (2nd century A. D.) to Constantinus Lascaris (1434–1501), the last significant Byzantine grammarian of the Modern times. As a result of the investigation, it becomes clear that there was no generally acknowledged definition of the middle voice in the Greek grammatical tradition until the Renaissance, when the last Byzantine grammarians attempted an all-embracing and complex systematization of the verbal voices. Before that time, what we find is a range of five different definitions, which were combined in different ways by Greek grammarians according to their needs and the scope of their works. Accordingly, the Greek Canones (morphological tables which listed and commented all variant forms of the corresponding verbal conjugations) generally stressed the morphological differences of the middle forms, whereas the Syntaxes neglected morphology and centred on the semantics and syntactic constructions of the middle verbal paradigms. The combination of both criteria in the more general and theoretical Grammars would thus allow for a variety of interpretations.

Quick links
Full-text access is restricted to subscribers. Log in to obtain additional credentials. For subscription information see Subscription & Price. Direct PDF access to this article can be purchased through our e-platform.

References

A.Editions of grammars (in chronological order)

Apollonius Dyscolus
(Alexandria, 2nd cent. AD.): Περὶ συντάξεως τῶν τοῦ λόγου μερῶν Ed. by Gustav Uhlig, Apollonius Dyscolos De syntaxi. (= Grammatici Graeci, II.) Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1910 (New edition by Jean Lallot, Apollonius Dyscole, De la construction, 2 vols. Paris: Vrin 1997.)Google Scholar
Aelius Herodianus
(Alexandria-Rome, 2nd cent. A. D.): Παρεκβολαὶ τοῦ μεγάλου ῥήματος ἐκ τῶν Ἡρωδιανοῦ· Εd. by Jacob La Roche, Programm des akademischen Gymnasiums, Vienna: 1863, 4–37. [I have also consulted the Thesaurus cornucopiae et Horti Adonidis. Ed. by Aldus Manutius & Urbanus Bolzanius, Venice: Aldus Manutius 1496, ff. 189r–214v.]Google Scholar
Pseudo-Dionysius Thrax
(Alexandria, c. 4th cent. A. D.): Τέχνη γραμματική 11–20 Ed. by Jean Lallot, La grammaire de Denys le Thrace. Paris: CNRS 1989. [Lallot follows the ed. by Gustav Uhlig in Grammatici Graeci II.1, Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1883.]Google Scholar
Theodosius of Alexandria
(Alexandria, early 5th cent. A. D.): Εἰσαγωγικοὶ κανόνες περὶ κλίσεως ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων Ed. by Alfred Hilgard, Theodosii Alexandrini canones isagogici de flexione nominum et verborum. (Grammatici Graeci IV.1.1–100). Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1894.Google Scholar
Macrobius
(fl. Rome, 410–430): De differentiis et societatibus Graeci Latinique verbi Ed. by Paolo de Paolis, Macrobii Theodosii De verborum Graeci et Latini differentiis vel societatibus excerpta, Urbino: Quattro Venti 1990 [Cf. also the older ed. by Heinrich Keil in Grammatici Latini V, 599–629. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1868.]Google Scholar
Stephanus of Byzantium
(Constantinople, 7th cent.) and the Scholia Vaticana of Cod. Vat. gr. 14 ed. by Alfred Hilgard, Scholia in Dionysii Thracis Artem Grammaticam (= Grammatici Graeci I.3), 106–292. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1901.Google Scholar
Michael Syncellus of Jerusalem
(Jerusalem 761/762 – Constantinople 846): Μέθοδος περὶ τῆς τοῦ λόγου συντάξεως Ed. by Daniel Donnet, Le traité de la construction de la phrase de Michel le Syncelle de Jérusalem. Histoire du texte, édition, traduction et commentaire. Brussels & Rome: Institut historique belge de Rome 1982.Google Scholar
Sophronius of Alexandria
(Alexandria, fl. 844–857): Σχόλια σύντομα ἐκ τῶν τοῦ Χάρακος πρὸς εἰσαγομένους εἱς τοὺς ὀνοματικοὺς καὶ ῥηματικοὺς κανόνας Ed. by Alfred Hilgard, Sophronii Patriarchae Alexandrini excerpta ex Ioannis Characis. (Grammatici Graeci IV.2.373–434). Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1894.Google Scholar
Georgius Choiroboscus
(Constantinople, middle of 9th cent.): Κάνονες περὶ κλίσεως ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων Ed. by Alfred Hilgard, Georgii Choerbosci diaconi et oecumenici magistri prolegomena et scholia in Theodosii Alexandrini canones isagogicos de flexione nominum et verborum (Grammatici Graeci IV.1.101–417 and IV.2, pp. 1–372). Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1894.Google Scholar
Heliodorus
(Constantinople?, 10th cent.) and the Scholia Marciana of Codd. Venetus Marcianus 489 y Neapolitanus Borbonicus II D 4 Ed. by Alfred Hilgard, Scholia in Dionysii Thracis Artem Grammaticam (Grammatici Graeci I.3.292–442). Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1901Google Scholar
Michael Psellus
(Constantinople 1017/18 – Constantinople 1078): Στίχοι περὶ γραμματικῆς Ed. by L. G. Westerink, Michael Psellus. Poemata. Stuttgart & Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1992.Google Scholar
Gregorius of Corinth
(c. 1070 – middle of 12th cent.): Περὶ συντάξεως λόγου Ed. by Daniel Donnet, Le traité Περὶ συντάξεως λόγου de Grégoire de Corinthe. Étude de la tradition manuscrite, édition, traduction et commentaire. Brussels & Rome: Ravenstein 1967.Google Scholar
Theodorus Prodromus
(Constantinople c. 1098 – Constantinople 1156/1158): Περὶ τῶν ὀκτὼ τοῦ λόγου μερῶν Ed. by Carolus Guilielmus Goettling, Theodosii Alexandrini Grammatica, 80–197. Leipzig: in libraria Dykiana 1822.Google Scholar
Roger Bacon
(Ilchester 1212/1220 – Oxford 1292): Grammatica Graeca. Copied in the ms. Oxford, Corpus Christi College 148 Ed. by Edmond Nolan & S. A. Hirsch, The Greek Grammar of Roger Bacon and a Fragment of his Hebrew Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1902.Google Scholar
Maximus Planudes
(Nicomedia c. 1255 – Constantinople 1305): Περὶ γραμματικῆς διάλογος Ed. by Ludwig Bachmann, Anecdota Graeca, vol. II, 3–101. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs 1828 (Repr., Hildesheim: Georg Olms 1965.)Google Scholar
Ioannes Glycys
(Nicea or Constantinople c. 1260 – Constantinople 1319): Περὶ ὀρθότητος συντάξεως Ed. by Albert Jahn, Joannis Glycae patriarchae Constantinopolitani: Opus de vera syntaxeos ratione. Bern: Jenni 1849.Google Scholar
Manuel Moschopoulos
(Constantinople c. 1265 – 1316): Ἐρωτήματα γραμματικά. Editio princeps Milan: Uldericus Scinzenzeler 1493.Google Scholar
Georgius Lacapenus
(Constantinople, c. 1297 – 1311), Περὶ συντάξεως τῶν ῥημάτων. Florence: Philippus Iunta 1515.Google Scholar
Manuel Chrysoloras
(Constantinople c. 1350 – Constance 1415), Ἐρωτήματa. Editio princeps Florence: Laurentius d’Alopa c. 1496.Google Scholar
Gennadius Scholarius
(Constantinople 1405 – Serres [Macedonia] 1472): Εἰσαγωγὴ εἰς γραμματικήν Ed. by Louis Petit, X. A. Siderides & Martin Jugie, Oeuvres complètes de Gennade Scholarios, vol. VIII, 351–498. Paris: Maison de la Bonne Presse 1936.Google Scholar
Theodorus Gaza
(Thessalonike 1400 – Calabria 1475): Γραμματική. Editio princeps. Venice: Aldo Manuzio 1495.Google Scholar
Demetrius Calchondyles
(Athens 1424 – Milan 1511): Ἐρωτήμτα συνοπτικὰ τῶν ὀκτὼ τοῦ λόγου μερῶν. Editio princeps. Milan: Ulrich Scinzenzeler 1493.Google Scholar
Constantinus Lascaris
(Constantinople 1434 – Messina 1501): 1. ᾽Επιτομὴ τῶν ὀκτὼ τοῦ λόγου μερῶν. Milan: Dionysius Paravisinus 1476; Milan: Bono Accorsi 1480; Vicenza: Leonardus Achates 1489 and 1491; 2 Γραμματική, vol. I, Venice: Aldo Manuzio 1495; vol. II, Venice: Aldo Manuzio 1500; vol. III, Vicenza: Leonardus Achates 1489/1490; Venice, Aldo Manuzio 1503; complete edition: Venice: Aldo Manuzio 1512.Google Scholar
Nicolaus Sophianus
(Korkyra c.1500 – [Italy] after 1545): Γραμματικὴ τῆς κοινῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων γλώσσης c.1540 Ed. by Émile Legrand, Nicolaos Sophianos: Grammaire du Grec vulgaire. Paris: Graph. tes Pandoras 1870 (Repr., Paris 1874, and in Th. K. Papadopoulos, “Εἰσαγωγικά” in Νικολάου Σοϕιανοῦ Γραμματικὴ τῆς κοινῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων γλώσσης, 1–165. Athens: Kedros 1977.Google Scholar

B.Secondary sources

Allan, Rutger J.
2003The Middle Voice in Ancient Greek: A study in polysemy. Amsterdam: Gieben. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Andersen, Paul Kent
1994 “Remarks on Dionysius Thrax’s concept of Diathesis”. Historiographia Linguistica 21.1–37. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Auroux, Sylvain, E. F. K. Koerner, Hans-Josef Niederehe & Kees Versteegh
eds. 2000History of the Language Sciences. Geschichte der Sprachwissenschaften. Histoire des sciences du langage. Vol. I. Berlin & New York: Walter de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Bécares Botas, Vicente
1985Diccionario de terminología gramatical griega. Salamanca: Publicaciones de la Universidad de Salamanca.Google Scholar
Blank, David L.
2000 “The Organization of Grammar in Ancient Greece”. Auroux, Koerner, Niederehe & Versteegh, eds. 2000.400–417.Google Scholar
Collinge, N. E.
1963 “The Greek Use of the Term Middle in Linguistic Analysis”. Word 19.232–241. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cortese, Mariarosa
1986 “Aspetti linguistici della cultura greca di Francesco Filelfo”. Francesco Filelfo nel quinto centenario della morte: Atti del XVII Convegno di studi maceratesi, Tolentino 27–30 settembre 1981, 163–206. Padua: Antenore.Google Scholar
Di Benedetto, Vincenzo
1958 “Dionisio Trace e la Techne a lui attribuita”. Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Ser. II, 27.169–210.Google Scholar
1959 “Dionisio Trace e la Techne a lui attribuita”. Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Ser. II.28.87–118.Google Scholar
1973 “La Techne spuria”. Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Ser. III, 3.797–814.Google Scholar
1990 “At the Origins of Greek Grammar”. Glotta 58.19–39.Google Scholar
2000 “Dionysius Thrax and the Tekhne Grammatike”. Auroux, Koerner, Niederehe & Versteegh, eds. 2000.394–400.Google Scholar
García Gual, Carlos
1970El sistema diatético en el verbo griego. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.Google Scholar
Harrauer, Hermann & Pieter Johannes Sijpesteijn
1985Neue Texte aus dem antiken Unterricht. 2 vols. Vienna: Hollinek.Google Scholar
Householder, Fred W.
1981The Syntax of Apollonius Dyscolus. Translated and with commentary. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logo DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hovdhaugen, Even
1986 “Genera verborum quot sunt? Observations on the Roman Grammatical tradition”. Historiographia Linguistica 13.307–321. DOI logo DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ildefonse, Frédérique
1997La naissance de la grammaire dans l’Antiquité grecque. Paris: Vrin.Google Scholar
Kemmer, Suzanne
1993The Middle Voice. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John BenjaminsSluiter DOI logo DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kukenheim, Louis
1951Contributions à l’histoire de la grammaire grecque, latine et hébraïque à l’époque de la Renaissance. Leiden: E. J. Brill.Google Scholar
Lallot, Jean
1989La grammaire de Denys le Thrace. Paris: CNRS Éditions. (2nd rev. ed. 1998.)Google Scholar
1997Apollonius Dyscole: De la construction. Volume II: Notes et index. Paris: Vrin.Google Scholar
Lambert, Frédéric
1978 “Le terme et la notion de διάθεσις chez Apollonius Dyscole”. Varron: Grammaire antique et stylistique latine ed. by Jean Collart. 245–252. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.Google Scholar
Law, Vivien & Ineke Sluiter
eds. 1995Dionysius Thrax and the Techne Grammatike. Münster: Nodus.Google Scholar
López Rueda, José
1973Helenistas españoles del siglo XVI. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.Google Scholar
Martínez Manzano, Teresa
1994Konstantinos Laskaris: Humanist, Philologe, Lehrer, Kopist. Hamburg: Universität Hamburg.Google Scholar
Matthaios, Stephanos
1999Untersuchungen zur Grammatik Aristarchs: Texte und Interpretationen zur Wortartenlehre. Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Nonno, Mario de, Paolo de Paolis & Louis Holtz
eds. 2000Manuscripts and Tradition of Grammatical Texts from Antiquity to the Renaissance: Proceedings of a conference held at Erice, 16–23 October 1997, as the 11th Course of International School for the Study of Written Records. Cassino: Edizioni dell’Università degli Studi di Cassino.Google Scholar
Rijksbaron, Albert
1986 “The Treatment of the Greek Middle Voice by the Ancient Grammarians”. Philosophie du langage et grammaire dans l’Antiquité ed. by Henry Joly, 427–444. Brussels & Grenoble: Ousia.Google Scholar
Robins, Robert H.
1993The Byzantine Grammarians: Their place in history. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logo DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rollo, Antonio
2001 “La grammatica greca di Urbano Bolzanio”. Umanisti bellunesi fra Quattro e Cinquecento: Atti del Convegno di Belluno 5 Novembre 1999 ed. by Paolo Pellegrini. 177–209. Florence: Leo S. Olschki.Google Scholar
Swiggers, Pierre & Alfons Wouters
2000 “Grammaires grecques (et latines) sur papyrus”. Nonno, de Paolis & Holtz, eds. 2000.59–88.Google Scholar
Wouters, Alfons
1979The Grammatical Papyri from Graeco-Roman Egypt: Contributions to the study of the Ars Grammatica in Antiquity. Brussels: Paleis der Academiën.Google Scholar
1988The Chester Beatty Codex AC 1499: A Graeco-Latin lexicon on the Pauline epistles and a Greek Grammar. Leuven & Paris: Peeters.Google Scholar
1995 “The Grammatical Papyri and the Techné grammatiké of Dionysius Thrax”. Law & Sluiter, eds. 1995.95–109.Google Scholar