This textbook was conceived and written under the authors' conviction
that the feature of Greek grammar that lends itself most readily to
understanding and discussion is syntax, especially the syntax of the
verb and that such understanding has been unnecessarily complicated by
the traditional use of a terminology derived more from the study of the
Latin verb than the Greek. The principal feature of the Greek verb is no
longer presented as that of "tense," a term that conflates and confuses
questions of the time of an action relative to the act of speaking with
ways of representing an action in itself. Rather, emphasis is placed on
the latter feature, the aspect of a verb, both as a means of organizing
the many forms that the verb can take and as a means of making
comparatively simple sense of the multiplicity of syntactical rules that
govern its use. Volume One features twenty Lessons presenting basic
Greek Grammar in a manner facilitating the early introduction of
substantial and philosophically rich passages from Heraclitus Aeschylus,
Xenophon, Aristotle, Euclid and especially Plato, each containing
vocabulary, discussion and exercises to aid in retention and
reinforcement. Volume Two contains extended readings, with grammatical
and vocabulary notes, from Plato and Aristotle, including the complete
dialogue Meno, as well as Appendices and comprehensive Vocabulary lists.
The two most distinctive Lessons in the text occur close to the
beginning. Lesson Four presents the six features that determine any
Greek verb--aspect (progressive, aorist or simple, perfect), "tense"
(past, present, future), mood, voice, person, number)--through a
discussion that is carried out mostly in English. At the end of the
lesson, students are in possession of all the conceptual elements upon
which the syntax of the Greek verb is based. Lesson Five presents the
Progressive System of the regular verb in all of its moods and voices.
The burden of paradigms on the memory is lightened by means of an
emphasis on analysis into a verb's formative elements and through the
use of linguistic rules that show how seemingly diverse forms arise from
common origins. This early presentation of the non-indicative moods
allows the student to appreciate the verb as a conveyer, not only of
facts, but of the speaker's doubts, wishes, speculations and feelings as
well.
