Aelius Herodianus
Greek · Philosophy · Grammar · Grammar; Fragmentary Texts · Excerpt
4 works · 204 aligned sentences
Commentary on Apollonius' On Genders
This work is a grammatical treatise in which the ancient Greek grammarian Herodian commentaries on and examines the linguistic works of Apollonius. The central theme of the work revolves around phonological rules, dialectal peculiarities, and the theoretical principles governing word formation. Specifically, the text addresses the phenomenon of vowel lengthening that occurs after diaeresis, analyzing it in detail with concrete examples from the Aeolic dialect. Furthermore, it logically explains how "analogy" (analogia), which governs linguistic regularity, functions and influences the determination of actual word forms. Through these discussions, the work offers a meticulous analysis of classical linguistics, systematically unraveling the dynamism between rules and exceptions in language.
Philosophy1 chunks · §118 aligned sentencesRead →Excerpt from Herodian's Hypomnemata on Didymus' On Pathē
This work is an excerpt from the commentary by the ancient Greek grammarian Herodian on the treatise "On Pathē" (on sound changes and inflections) by his predecessor Didymus. It is a technical grammatical text that meticulously examines specific word forms, phonological changes, and accentuation rules, particularly within the context of Homeric poetry. The discussion begins with the rules governing the movement of accents on oxytone words when elision occurs. It then investigates the correct accentuation of a specific phrase found in the Homeric text. Finally, the text traces the complex process of phonological transformation from a base verb to its pluperfect form. Through these analyses, the work illustrates the rigorous approach of ancient scholarship toward understanding the precise phonetic rules of the Greek language.
Philosophy1 chunks · §1-385 aligned sentencesRead →On Attic Prosody
This work is a collection of fragments from the grammatical treatise "On Attic Prosody" by the ancient Greek grammarian Herodian, focusing on the rules of accentuation in the Attic dialect. Preserved through citations in ancient scholia and lexicons, the text examines the specific pronunciation and spelling conventions of Attic Greek. The discussion centers on detailed analyses of individual words, such as the adverb "kragon" (κραγόν), the noun "phoriamos" (φωριαμός)—noting its proparoxytone accentuation in Attic—and the noun "eilyos" (εἰλυός). Through these examples, the work contrasts the standard Greek accentuation rules with the unique phonological characteristics of the Attic dialect. Ultimately, these fragments reveal the systematic methods employed by ancient grammarians to observe and codify the nuances of their language.
Philosophy1 chunks · §168 aligned sentencesRead →On Breathings
This work is a fragment of an ancient grammatical treatise that examines the rules and exceptions of breathings (aspiration) in Classical Greek. It focuses on the linguistic principles governing the application of rough and smooth breathings on initial vowels and consonants. Specifically, the text analyzes the word hypsos (ὕψοϲ, "height") as the unique exception where an initial upsilon (υ) is followed by a double consonant, exploring its etymological background. Furthermore, it references a passage from Menander's comedy The Halaeans to explain the origin and evolution of breathings in specific lexical items. Through these philological citations and etymological inquiries, the work sheds light on the phonology of the Greek language beyond mere textbook rules.
Philosophy1 chunks · §133 aligned sentencesRead →