Greek with Mastronarde

I am certain that not many care, but I am working my way back through Mastronarde's An Introduction To Attic Greek (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993). I have decided to put on my blog the translations I make for the "sentences for reading" for the chapters I am doing. Why? 1) Mmaybe somebody has a similar interest. 2) I like to start what I finish. And by putting these transations up here it gives me one more reason to keep pushing on through this book. I have made it public, in a sense; and if I don't stick to it I will lose face (at least that how I hope the motivating illusion will work).

oh yeah, and if anybody knows how to type the accents in Unicode (which may not be possible since it seems to be a program desigined for for modern Greek) then please let me know.

chapter 14, p 105. Section III.


1. δια τας καλος ορνιθας ου φοβουμεθα τον προς εκεινος πολεμον.

2. κακον λειπειν την ασπιδα, αλλ’ αγαθον σωζειν την ψυχην.

3. μετα ταυτα υδωρ φεροθσιν οι γεροντες τοις νεανιας οι υπερ της πατριδος μαχονται.

4. οι φυλακες ους οι πολεμιοι αιροθσιν αποθνησκουσιν.

5. δει τον Ηρακλεα κρατειν τον τ’εν Νεμεα λεοντα τους τε γιγαντες τα τε καθ’ Ελλαδα τερατα.

translation

1. Because of the good omen we do not fear war against them.
2. The bad abandon hope, but the good preserve life.
3. Because of these things, the old men carry water to the young men who make war on behalf of the country.
4. The guards seize the enemies who are dying.
5. It is necessary for Heracles to control the lions in Nemea as well as the giants and monsters of Greece.