T. Now tell me what is the future of βαίνω? C. (thinks) βανῶ.
T. No, no; think again; you know better than that. C. (objects) Φαίνω, Φανῶ?
T. Certainly, Φανῶ is the future of Φαίνω; but βαίνω is, you know, an irregular verb. C. Oh, I recollect, βήσω.
T. Well, that is much better; but you are not quite right yet; βήσομαι. C. Oh, of course,.
T. βήσομαι. Now do you mean to say that βήσομαι comes from βαίνω? C. is silent.
T. For instance: τύψω comes from τύπτω by a change of letters; does βήσομαιin any similar way come from βαίνω? C. It is an irregular verb.
T. What do you mean by an irregular verb? does it form tenses anyhow and by caprice? C. It does not go according to the paradigm.
T. Yes, but how do you account for this? C. is silent.
T. Are its tenses formed from several roots? C. is silent. T. is silent; then he changes the subject.
T. Well, now you say Anabasis means an ascent. Who ascended? C. The Greeks, Xenophon.