Monographs

With two or more substantives a predicate adjective is plural, except when it agrees with the nearer subject: φόβος καὶ νόμος ἱκανὸς ἔρωτα κωλύ_ειν fear and the law are capable of restraining love X. C. 5.1.10, πολλῶν δὲ λόγων καὶ θορύβου γιγνομένου there arising much discussion and confusion D. 3.4. See ^cross968.

With substantives denoting persons of like gender, a predicate adjective is of the same gender: Ἀγάθων καὶ Σωκράτης λοιποί Agathon and Socrates are left P. S. 193c.

When the persons are of different gender, the masculine prevails: ὡς εἶδε πατέρα τε καὶ μητέρα καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα αἰχμαλώτους γεγενημένους, ἐδάκρυ_σε when he saw that his father and mother and brothers and wife had been made prisoners of war, he burst into tears X. C. 3.1.7.

a. But persons are sometimes regarded as things: ἔχω αὐτῶν καὶ τέκνα καὶ γυναῖκας φρουρούμενα I have their children and wives under guard X. A. 1.4.8.

With substantives denoting things of like gender a predicate adjective is of the same gender and plural. A neuter plural with the singular verb is often preferred: εὐγένειαί τε καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ τι_μαὶ δῆλά ἐστιν ἀγαθὰ ὄντα noble birth and power and honour are clearly good things P. Eu. 279b.

When the things are of different gender, a predicate adjective is neuter plural with singular verb: λίθοι τε καὶ πλίνθοι καὶ ξύλα καὶ κέραμος ἀτάκτως ἐρρι_μμένα οὐδὲν χρήσιμά ἐστιν stones and bricks and pieces of wood and tiles thrown together at random are useless X. M. 3.1.7.

When the substantives denote both persons and things, a predicate adjective is—a. plural, and follows the gender of the person, if the person is more important, or if the thing is treated as a person: γρᾴδια καὶ γερόντια καὶ

πρόβατα ὀλίγα καὶ βοῦς καταλελειμμένους old women and old men and a few sheep and oxen that had been left behind X. A. 6.3.22, ἡ τύχη καὶ Φίλιππος ἦσαν τῶν ἔργων κύ_ριοι Fortune and Philip were masters of the situation Aes. 2.118,

b. or is neuter plural if the person is treated like a thing: ἡ καλλίστη πολι_τεία_ τε καὶ ὁ κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ λοιπὰ ἂν ἡμῖν εἴη διελθεῖν we should still have to treat of the noblest polity and the noblest man P. R. 562a.

The verbal and the adjective predicate may agree with the first of two subjects as the more important: Βρα_σίδα_ς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἐπὶ τὰ μετέωρα τῆς πόλεως ἐτράπετο βουλόμενος κατ' ἄκρα_ς ἑλεῖν αὐτήν Brasidas with the bulk of his troops turned to the upper part of the city wishing to capture it completely T. 4.112.

For further uses of predicate adjectives, see ^cross1150 ff., 1168 ff., 2647.