7 Practice
In this section, you get to practise saying some Greek words aloud yourself.
Activity 5 Speaking aloud (5)
Say the names of these places. Then listen to the pronunciation and repeat. Can you recall their English equivalents from Session 1?
Ἀθῆναι
Δῆλος
Θῆβαι
Κόρινθος
Σικελία
Χίος
Discussion
The places mentioned are:
- Ἀθῆναι, Athēnai = Athens
- Δῆλος, Dēlos = the island of Delos
- Θῆβαι, Thēbai = Thebes
- Κόρινθος, Korinthos = Corinth
- Σικελία, Sikelia = Sicily
- Χίος, Chios = the island of Chios
Now, say the names of these peoples. Then listen to the audio and repeat. Can you recall the English equivalents, also mentioned in Session 1?
Αἰγύπτιοι
Βαβυλώνιοι
Λακεδαιμόνιοι
Πέρσαι
Ῥωμαῖοι
Φοίνικες
Discussion
The peoples mentioned are:
- Αἰγύπτιοι (Aiguptioi) Egyptians
- Βαβυλώνιοι (Babulо̄nioi) Babylonians
- Λακεδαιμόνιοι (Lakedaiomonioi) Lacedaimonians (= the Spartans)
- Πέρσαι (Persai) Persians
- Ῥωμαῖοι (Rhо̄maioi) Romans
- Φοίνικες (Phoinikes) Phoenicians
If you have read any of the Iliad or Odyssey, you might remember Homer’s use of ‘epithets’, recurring adjectives or phrases that accompany the names of major characters. Try reading the following examples:
- γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη (‘bright-eyed Athena’)
- κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ (‘Hector of the flashing helmet’)
- λευκώλενος Ἥρη (‘white-armed Hera’)
- ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς (‘rosy-fingered Dawn’)
- πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς (‘swift-footed Achilles’)
Discussion
γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη (glaukо̄pis Athēnē)
κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ (koruthaiolos Hectо̄r)
λευκώλενος Ἥρη (leukо̄lenos Hērē)
ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς (rhododaktulos Ēо̄s)
πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς (podas о̄kus Achilleus, literally ‘feet swift Achilles’)