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The Middle Voice: First Aorist
Recall that the formula to form the FIRST AORIST indicative is:
- augment + verb stem + first aorist (-σα) marker + secondary endings
To form the first aorist middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. Note that the second person singular regularly appears in a contracted form that results from the loss of the INTERVOCALIC SIGMA (S 628).
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–σάμην = I (1st person singular) |
–σαμεθα = we (1st person plural) |
|
(-σασο →) –σω = you (2nd person singular) |
–σασθε = y’all (2nd person plural) |
|
–σατο = (s)he, it (3rd person sg) |
–σαντο = they (3rd person pl) |
Infinitive ending: –σασθαι. For the First Aorist Middle infinitive, note the following:
- As with the PRESENT MIDDLE INFINITIVE, the accent falls on the ANTEPENULT
- Infinitives never receive an augment
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of λύω (S 383; GPH p. 78)
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ἐλυσάμην |
ἐλυσάμεθα |
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(ἐλύσασο → ) ἐλύσω |
ἐλύσασθε |
|
ἐλύσατο |
ἐλύσαντο |
Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: λύσασθαι
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of δείκνυμι
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ἐδειξάμην |
ἐδειξάμεθα |
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(ἐδείξασο → ) ἐδείξω |
ἐδείξασθε |
|
ἐδείξατο |
ἐδείξαντο |
Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: δείξασθαι
The Middle Voice: Second Aorist
Thematic Second Aorist
Recall that the formula to form the THEMATIC SECOND AORIST indicative is:
- augment + verb stem + thematic vowel (ο/ε) + secondary endings
To form the second aorist thematic middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. Note that the second person singular regularly appears in a contracted form that results from the loss of the INTERVOCALIC SIGMA (S 628). The endings, in other words, are identical to those used for the middle imperfect of thematic verbs.
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–ομην = I (1st person singular) |
–ομεθα = we (1st person plural) |
|
(-εσο →) –ου = you (2nd person singular) |
–εσθε = y’all (2nd person plural) |
|
–ετο = (s)he, it (3rd person sg) |
–οντο = they (3rd person pl) |
Infinitive ending: –έσθαι. For the Second Aorist Middle infinitive, note the following:
- The accent falls on the PENULT
- Infinitives never receive an augment
The Aorist, Indicative, Middle of λαμβάνω (S 384; GPH p. 83)
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ἐλαβόμην |
ἐλαβόμεθα |
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(ἐλάβεσο → ) ἐλάβου |
ἐλάβεσθε |
|
ἐλάβετο |
ἐλάβοντο |
Aorist Indicative Middle Infinitive: λαβέσθαι
Athematic Second Aorist
Recall that the formula to form the ATHEMATIC SECOND AORIST indicative is:
- augment + verb stem + secondary endings
To form the second aorist athematic middle, we simply replace the active secondary endings with middle secondary endings. As noted before, there are not many athematic second aorists, but among them are some commonly encountered verbs, including:
- βαίνω, βήσομαι, ἔβην (verb stem: βη-) walk, come, go
- γιγνώσκω, γνώσομαι, ἔγνων (verb stem: γνω-) know, learn, think
Neither of these verbs, however, occur in the aorist middle forms in preserved Greek texts, so memorization of their inflected forms in this tense and voice is