PREPARATORY GREEK COURSE IN ENGLISH.
Instead of indicating the sounds of the vowels in the Greek and Latin names given in the notes, we follow the plan of Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, giving rules for pronouncing the vowels and consonants. As the two principal marks (¯ ˘) are in Greek and Latin used differently from what they are in English, indicating the quantity instead of quality, it will be found less confusing to adopt this method.
RULES FOR THE VOWELS.
1. Any vowel at the end of an accented syllable, and e, o, and u, at the end of an unaccented syllable, have the long English sound.
2. A, ending an unaccented syllable, has the sound of a in father, or in last.
3. I, ending a final syllable, has the long sound. At the end of an initial unaccented syllable it varies between i long and i short (like i in pin). In all other cases i, ending an unaccented syllable, is short.
4. Y is like i in the same situation.
5. Æ and æ like e in the same situation.
6. If a syllable end in a consonant the vowel has the short English sound.
7. E, in final es, like e in Andes.
RULES FOR CONSONANTS.
1. C, before e, i, y, æ, œ, is pronounced like s; before a, o, and u, and before consonants, like k.
2. G, before e, i, y, æ, and œ, or another g followed by e, has the sound of j; before a, o and u, and consonants other than g, the hard sound.
3. Ch is like k, but is silent before a mute at the beginning of a word.
4. Initial x is like z.
5. T, s and c, before ia, ie, ii, io, iv, and ev, preceded immediately by the accent, change into sh and zh; but when the t follows s, t, or z, or when the accent falls on the first of the vowels following, the consonant preserves its pure sound.
6. Initial ph, before a mute, is silent.
7. S has generally the sound of s in this.
8. When two consonants like mn, nm, etc., occur at the beginning of a word, they are to be pronounced with the first consonant mute.
P. 9.—“Voltaire,” vol-têrˈ (1694-1778). French author.
P. 11.—“Mycenæ.” A city of Argos (see map in History of Greece), said to have been the leading city of Greece during the time of the Trojan war. Its remains are most interesting. The walls and the “gate of lions,” supposed to belong to the ancient acropolis, and two immense subterranean chambers, the walls of which contain some of the largest blocks found in the walls of buildings, are among its antiquities.
“Cyclopean.” Pertaining to a class of giants, who had but one eye in the middle of the forehead. They were said to inhabit Sicily, and to be assistants in the workshops of Vulcan, fabled to be under Mt. Etna.
“Schliemann.” A German antiquarian and traveler, who claims to have discovered the genuine home of Ulysses, and also to have unearthed ancient Troy. The latter he locates on the plateau of Hisarlik.
“Arcadia,” ar-caˈdi-a. The central country of the Peloponnesus. It received its name of “the Switzerland of Greece” from the mountains which surround it on all sides, and traverse its surface in every direction.
P. 13.—“Laconisms,” lăcˈo-nĭsms. A laconism; a brief pointed sentence; an expression in the laconic brief style of a Lacedæmonian or Spartan. The word is derived from Laconia, the name of the country.
“Pelopidas.” A Theban noble of great fortune. He was a firm friend of Epaminondas, assisting him in driving the Spartans from Thebes and being present at the battle of Leuctra. Many important civil and military affairs were entrusted to him. In 364 Pelopidas was sent to assist the Thessalonians against Alexander, but at the battle of Cynoscephalæ, (see “History of Greece,” p. 162,) he was slain while pursuing Alexander, whose army he had driven from the battle field.
“Miltiades.” In early life Miltiades had been made tyrant of the Chersonesus. He had engaged in many wars and taken from the Persians some of their possessions. These later conquests brought on him the hostility of Darius of Persia, and Miltiades was obliged to flee to Athens, where, on the approach of the Persians, he was made one of the ten generals who commanded the Athenian army. After the battle he obtained seventy ships, ostensibly to continue hostilities, but in reality he used them to satisfy a private enmity against the island of Paros. He was unsuccessful in this and wounded. On his return he was tried and cast into prison where he died from the effects of his wounds.
P. 16.—“Ichthyologist,” ĭchˌthy-ŏlˈo-gist. One who understands the classification of fishes.
P. 19.—“Longinus.” (213?-273.) The most distinguished adherent of the Platonic philosophy in the third century. His learning was so great that he was called “a living library.” He taught many years at Athens, but at last left to go to Palmyra, as the teacher of Zenobia. When she was afterward defeated by the Romans and captured, Longinus was put to death.
P. 20.—“Chrysostom.” (347-407.) The “golden mouthed,” so called because of his eloquence. In 397 he was made Bishop of Constantinople.
“Isocrates.” (436-338 B. C.) One of the ten Attic orators. His style was artificial and labored, but exercised immense influence upon oratory at Athens.
“Renascence,” re-nāsˈcence. A springing up. A becoming alive again.
P. 35.—“Academe,” aˈca-deˌme. Originally the name of a public pleasure ground situate in the Ceramicus, said to have belonged in the time of the Trojan war to Academus, a local hero. In the fifth century B. C. this land belonged to Cimon, who on his death gave it to the citizens as a public pleasure ground. Here Socrates talked, and Plato taught his philosophy until his school was named the Academic, and the Platonists the Academists. A school started by one of these philosophers was called an Academy.
“Hymettus,” hy-metˈtus. A mountain about three miles south of Athens famous for its honey and its marble.
P. 36.—“Ilissus,” i-lisˈsus. A river of Attica rising on Mount Hymettus, flowing through the eastern part of the city, and disappearing in the marshy plains outside.
“Lyceum.” The principal gymnasium of Athens. It received the name Lyceum from its nearness to the temple of Apollo Lyceios, or Apollo the wolf slayer. Here Aristotle (to whom reference is made in the preceding line of the verse) taught his philosophy. See p. 64 of “Brief History of Greece.”
“Stoa.” The stoa, or portico, was a place enclosed by a colonnade or arcade, and used for walking in. There were several in Athens. The Encyclopædia Britannica says: “It is probable that some of the porticoes in the Agora were built by Cimon; at all events the most beautiful one among them was reared by Pisianax, his brother-in-law, and the paintings with which Polygnotus, his sister’s lover, adorned it (representing scenes from the military history of Athens, legendary and historical), made it ever famous as the ‘painted portico.’”
“Melesigenes,” melˌe-sigˈe-nes. Meles-born. A name sometimes given to Homer. One of the traditions of his birthplace is that he was born on the banks of the Meles, in Ionia.
“Phœbus.” The bright or pure. An epithet given to Apollo (see “History of Greece,” p. 72) by Homer. When Apollo became connected with the sun this name was given to him as the sun-god.
P. 38.—“Memorabilia,” mĕmˌo-ra-bĭlˈi-a. Things to be remembered.
P. 39.—“Planudes.” A Byzantine monk of the fourteenth century. He was the editor of the Greek Anthology, the author of works on theology and natural history, as well as the collector of the fables mentioned here, and the author of Æsop’s biography.
P. 40.—“Pessimism,” pesˈsi-mism. The doctrine of those who believe everything to be at the worst.
P. 42.—“Parmenio.” A general of Philip and Alexander. He was second in command in Alexander’s Persian campaign, and did much to secure the great victories. His son being accused of being privy to a plot against the king’s life in 330 B. C., confessed himself guilty, and involved his father. Both were put to death.
P. 43.—“Lucan.” (39?-65.) A Roman poet.
P. 44.—“Lyttelton.” Lord George. (1709-1773.) An Englishman of noble family. He held various official positions, and in 1756 was raised to the peerage. The last ten years of his life were spent in literary pursuits. Beside his “Dialogues of the Dead,” he wrote a history of Henry II., and a work on St. Paul.
“Fenelon,” faˌneh-lonˈ. (1651-1715.) A French prelate and author. His most famous works, “Dialogues of the Dead,” “Directions for the Conscience of a King,” and “The Adventures of Telemachus,” were written for the use of the grandsons of Louis XIV., of whom he had been appointed preceptor.
“Landor.” (1775-1864.) An English author. His works were very voluminous, including poems, satires, dramas, etc. The work here referred to was called “Imaginary Conversations,” being a series of dialogues between persons of past and present times. It was said to have greatly increased the author’s literary reputation.
“Erasmus,” e-răzˈmŭs. (1467-1536.) A Dutch classical scholar of wide reputation. At the time that Luther advanced the tenets of the reformers Erasmus would not adopt these extreme views. Luther ridiculed and denounced the scholar, and Erasmus retorted by turning his wit against the monastic habits and scholastic dignity.
P. 45.—“Phidias,” phidˈi-as. (B. C. 490?-432.) The greatest of Grecian sculptors. His chief works were the Athene of the Acropolis, the Zeus at Olympus, and the decorations of the Parthenon, in which he was assisted by his pupils.
“Alcamenes,” al-camˈe-nes. (B. C. 444-400.) A pupil of Phidias. His greatest work was a statue of Venus.
“Myron.” A Bœotian sculptor, born about 480 B. C. His masterpieces were all in bronze. The Quoit-player and the Cow are most famous. Myron excelled in animals and figures in action.
“Euphranor.” A sculptor and painter of Athens who flourished about 360 B. C. His finest statue was a Paris, and his best paintings adorned a porch in the Ceramicus. He also wrote on proportion and colors.
P. 46.—“Polycleitus,” polˈy-cleiˌtus. A Greek sculptor who lived about 430 B. C. His statues of men are said to have surpassed those of Phidias. The Spear-bearer was a statue so perfectly proportioned that it was called the canon or rule.
“Bendis,” benˈdis; “Atthis,” atˈthis; “Men.” Local deities among the Egyptians.
“Anubis.” One of the Egyptian deities, the son of Osiris. He was represented in the form of a man with a dog’s head, or as a dog. His name meant gilded, and his images were of solid gold.
“Lysippus.” The favorite sculptor of Alexander the Great. His statues were all in bronze, and it is said reached the number of 1,500.
“Pentelicus.” A mount in Attica celebrated for its marble.
“Praxiteles.” Born at Athens B. C. 392. He worked in both marble and bronze. About fifty different works by him are mentioned. First in fame stands the Cnidian Venus, “one of the most famous art creations of antiquity.” Apollo as the lizard-killer, his Faun, and a representation of Eros are probably best known.
P. 47.—“Colossus of Rhodes.” A bronze statue of the sun which stood at the entrance of the harbor of Rhodes. It was one hundred and five feet in height, cost three hundred talents, and was twelve years in erecting. The Colossus was designed by Chares.
“Pnyx,” nĭks. The place of public assembly in Athens.
P. 48.—“Philippics.” The orations delivered by Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon.
P. 50.—“Paley,” William. (1743-1805.) An English theologian. The author of several valuable works. In the “Natural Theology” here referred to he attempts to demonstrate the existence and perfect character of God from the evidences of design in nature.
P. 51.—“Helvetius,” hĕl-veeˈshĭ-us. Claude Adrien. (1715-1771.) A French philosopher. The author of a famous work on the materialistic philosophy.
“Mellanippides,” melˌa-nipˈpi-des. A celebrated poet of Melos who lived about B. C. 440.
“Zeuxis.” A painter who lived in the latter part of the fifth century B. C. Part of his life was spent in the practice of his art in Macedonia, thence he went to Magna Græca, where at Croton he painted his masterpiece, a Helen. Zeuxis made a great fortune by his painting.
P. 61.—“Diogenes.” He came from Laërte, in Cilicia, and probably lived in the second century A. D. He is the author of “The Lives of the Philosophers,” a work in ten books. Almost nothing is known of his life.
P. 62.—“Tacitus,” tacˈi-tus. (A. D. 55-117.) A Roman historian. His histories of the condition and customs of the Britains and Germans are trustworthy accounts, written in a clear and concise style. A history of Rome is his most ambitious work. The “Germania” mentioned was a history of the origin, customs, situation and peoples of Germany.
P. 70.—“Darics,” dărˈic. The word is derived from Darius, and applied to an ancient Persian coin weighing about 128 grains, and bearing on one side the figure of an archer.