Welcome to Lesson 25 of the Koine Greek course for English speakers. In this lesson, we will explore the third person plural pronoun "they" in Koine Greek. Unlike English, which uses one word for "they" regardless of gender, Koine Greek has three forms: αὐτοί (autoi) for masculine, αὐταί (autai) for feminine, and αὐτά (auta) for neuter. This lesson is designed for autodidacts learning independently. For the complete course index and additional lessons, please visit https://latinum.substack.com/p/index.
Definition: The word "they" in Koine Greek is a third person plural pronoun that refers to multiple people or things previously mentioned or understood from context. It agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it represents.
FAQ Schema Question: What does "they" mean in Koine Greek? Answer: "They" in Koine Greek is expressed as αὐτοί (masculine), αὐταί (feminine), or αὐτά (neuter), meaning a group of people or things being discussed. The form changes based on the gender of the group being referenced and the grammatical case required by the sentence.
Educational Schema Course: Koine Greek Language Learning Level: Beginner to Intermediate Topic: Third Person Plural Pronouns Type: Self-Study Reading Lesson Language of Instruction: English Target Language: Koine (Hellenistic) Greek
How this topic word will be used: Throughout this lesson, you will encounter "they" in various contexts, showing how it functions as both a pronoun and as part of verbal constructions. The examples demonstrate different genders, cases, and syntactical positions to provide comprehensive understanding.
Key Takeaways: -
Koine Greek has three forms of "they" based on gender -
The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in gender, number, and case -
Word order in Greek is more flexible than in English -
Understanding "they" is essential for reading narrative texts -
The forms also function as intensive pronouns when used with nouns
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25.1a αὐτοὶ they (masculine) εἶδον saw τὸν the Ἰησοῦν Jesus ἐν in τῇ the ὁδῷ way 25.1b autoi (au-toi) they eidon (ei-don) saw ton (ton) the Iēsoun (I-ē-soun) Jesus en (en) in tē (tē) the hodō (ho-dō) way
25.2a αἱ the γυναῖκες women αὐταὶ they (feminine) ἦλθον came πρὸς toward τὸν the οἶκον house 25.2b hai (hai) the gunaikes (gu-nai-kes) women autai (au-tai) they ēlthon (ēl-thon) came pros (pros) toward ton (ton) the oikon (oi-kon) house
25.3a τὰ the τέκνα children αὐτὰ they (neuter) ἔπαιζον were-playing ἐν in τῇ the αὐλῇ courtyard 25.3b ta (ta) the tekna (tek-na) children auta (au-ta) they epaizon (e-pai-zon) were-playing en (en) in tē (tē) the aulē (au-lē) courtyard
25.4a ἐδίδασκον were-teaching αὐτοὺς them (masculine) τὸν the νόμον law 25.4b edidaskon (e-di-das-kon) were-teaching autous (au-tous) them ton (ton) the nomon (no-mon) law
25.5a αὐταὶ they (feminine) οὐκ not ἐπίστευσαν believed τῷ the λόγῳ word 25.5b autai (au-tai) they ouk (ouk) not episteusan (e-pis-teu-san) believed tō (tō) the logō (lo-gō) word
25.6a εἶπεν said αὐτοῖς to-them (masculine/neuter) ὁ the διδάσκαλος teacher 25.6b eipen (ei-pen) said autois (au-tois) to-them ho (ho) the didaskalos (di-das-ka-los) teacher
25.7a αὐτὰ they (neuter) τὰ the πρόβατα sheep ἀκολουθοῦσιν follow τῷ the ποιμένι shepherd 25.7b auta (au-ta) they ta (ta) the probata (pro-ba-ta) sheep akolouthousin (a-ko-lou-thou-sin) follow tō (tō) the poimeni (poi-me-ni) shepherd
25.8a μετὰ after ταῦτα these-things αὐτοὶ they (masculine) ἀπῆλθον departed 25.8b meta (me-ta) after tauta (tau-ta) these-things autoi (au-toi) they apēlthon (a-pēl-thon) departed
25.9a ἔδωκαν gave αὐταῖς to-them (feminine) ἄρτον bread καὶ and ὕδωρ water 25.9b edōkan (e-dō-kan) gave autais (au-tais) to-them arton (ar-ton) bread kai (kai) and hudōr (hu-dōr) water
25.10a αὐτῶν of-them (genitive) ἡ the πίστις faith μεγάλη great ἦν was 25.10b autōn (au-tōn) of-them hē (hē) the pistis (pis-tis) faith megalē (me-ga-lē) great ēn (ēn) was
25.11a οἱ the μαθηταὶ disciples αὐτοὶ they (masculine) ἐθαύμασαν marveled 25.11b hoi (hoi) the mathētai (ma-thē-tai) disciples autoi (au-toi) they ethaumasan (e-thau-ma-san) marveled
25.12a ἤκουσαν heard παρ' from αὐτῶν them (genitive) τὴν the ἀλήθειαν truth 25.12b ēkousan (ē-kou-san) heard par' (par) from autōn (au-tōn) them tēn (tēn) the alētheian (a-lē-thei-an) truth
25.13a αὐτοὶ they (masculine) δὲ but οὐ not συνῆκαν understood 25.13b autoi (au-toi) they de (de) but ou (ou) not sunēkan (su-nē-kan) understood
25.14a εὗρον found αὐτὰς them (feminine) προσευχομένας praying 25.14b heuron (heu-ron) found autas (au-tas) them proseuchomenas (pros-eu-cho-me-nas) praying
25.15a δι' through αὐτῶν them (genitive) ὁ the θεὸς God ἐλάλησεν spoke 25.15b di' (di) through autōn (au-tōn) them ho (ho) the theos (the-os) God elalēsen (e-la-lē-sen) spoke
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25.1 αὐτοὶ εἶδον τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ. They saw Jesus on the way.
25.2 αἱ γυναῖκες αὐταὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν οἶκον. The women themselves came to the house.
25.3 τὰ τέκνα αὐτὰ ἔπαιζον ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ. The children themselves were playing in the courtyard.
25.4 ἐδίδασκον αὐτοὺς τὸν νόμον. They were teaching them the law.
25.5 αὐταὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν τῷ λόγῳ. They (feminine) did not believe the word.
25.6 εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ διδάσκαλος. The teacher said to them.
25.7 αὐτὰ τὰ πρόβατα ἀκολουθοῦσιν τῷ ποιμένι. The sheep themselves follow the shepherd.
25.8 μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτοὶ ἀπῆλθον. After these things they departed.
25.9 ἔδωκαν αὐταῖς ἄρτον καὶ ὕδωρ. They gave them (feminine) bread and water.
25.10 αὐτῶν ἡ πίστις μεγάλη ἦν. Their faith was great.
25.11 οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοὶ ἐθαύμασαν. The disciples themselves marveled.
25.12 ἤκουσαν παρ' αὐτῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. They heard the truth from them.
25.13 αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐ συνῆκαν. But they did not understand.
25.14 εὗρον αὐτὰς προσευχομένας. They found them (feminine) praying.
25.15 δι' αὐτῶν ὁ θεὸς ἐλάλησεν. Through them God spoke.
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25.1 αὐτοὶ εἶδον τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ.
25.2 αἱ γυναῖκες αὐταὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν οἶκον.
25.3 τὰ τέκνα αὐτὰ ἔπαιζον ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ.
25.4 ἐδίδασκον αὐτοὺς τὸν νόμον.
25.5 αὐταὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν τῷ λόγῳ.
25.6 εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ διδάσκαλος.
25.7 αὐτὰ τὰ πρόβατα ἀκολουθοῦσιν τῷ ποιμένι.
25.8 μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτοὶ ἀπῆλθον.
25.9 ἔδωκαν αὐταῖς ἄρτον καὶ ὕδωρ.
25.10 αὐτῶν ἡ πίστις μεγάλη ἦν.
25.11 οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοὶ ἐθαύμασαν.
25.12 ἤκουσαν παρ' αὐτῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
25.13 αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐ συνῆκαν.
25.14 εὗρον αὐτὰς προσευχομένας.
25.15 δι' αὐτῶν ὁ θεὸς ἐλάλησεν.
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Grammar Rules for "They" in Koine Greek
The third person plural pronoun "they" in Koine Greek follows specific grammatical patterns that differ significantly from English usage.
Forms and Declension:
Masculine Forms: -
Nominative: αὐτοί (they) -
Genitive: αὐτῶν (of them, their) -
Dative: αὐτοῖς (to them) -
Accusative: αὐτούς (them)
Feminine Forms: -
Nominative: αὐταί (they) -
Genitive: αὐτῶν (of them, their) -
Dative: αὐταῖς (to them) -
Accusative: αὐτάς (them)
Neuter Forms: -
Nominative: αὐτά (they) -
Genitive: αὐτῶν (of them, their) -
Dative: αὐτοῖς (to them) -
Accusative: αὐτά (them)
Key Differences from English: -
Gender Agreement: Unlike English "they," Greek requires the pronoun to match the gender of its antecedent. Mixed groups default to masculine. -
Case System: The form changes based on grammatical function - subject (nominative), possession (genitive), indirect object (dative), or direct object (accusative). -
Position: When used intensively with a noun, αὐτός usually follows the noun: οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοί = "the disciples themselves" -
No Separate Possessive: Greek uses the genitive case (αὐτῶν) where English has "their"
Common Mistakes: -
Using the wrong gender: Students often use masculine forms for all instances. Remember to check the gender of the antecedent. -
Confusing intensive and personal use: αὐτοί alone = "they"; οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοί = "the men themselves" -
Word order errors: While Greek word order is flexible, certain patterns are more natural. The pronoun often comes early in the sentence for emphasis. -
Forgetting case agreement: The pronoun must be in the case required by its function, not the case of its antecedent. -
Mixing up αὐτός with οὗτος: αὐτός means "he/she/it/they" or "self," while οὗτος means "this/these"
Step-by-Step Guide for Choosing the Correct Form:
Step 1: Identify the antecedent (what "they" refers to) Step 2: Determine the gender of the antecedent Step 3: Determine the grammatical function (subject, object, etc.) Step 4: Select the appropriate case Step 5: Choose the form matching both gender and case
Grammatical Summary:
The pronoun αὐτός in plural forms serves multiple functions: -
Personal pronoun (they/them) -
Intensive pronoun (themselves) -
With the article: "the same"
The genitive plural αὐτῶν is identical for all three genders, as is the dative plural for masculine and neuter (αὐτοῖς).
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In the Hellenistic world of Koine Greek, the use of pronouns reflected important social and cultural distinctions. The three-gender system wasn't merely grammatical but reflected how ancient Mediterranean societies categorized their world.
When reading texts from this period, particularly the New Testament and Septuagint, understanding "they" helps modern readers grasp group dynamics. For instance, when masculine plural forms are used for mixed groups, this reflects the patriarchal nature of ancient society where masculine forms took precedence.
The intensive use of αὐτός (as in "they themselves") often carries special emphasis in religious and philosophical texts. This emphasis might highlight the personal responsibility of a group or distinguish insiders from outsiders - a crucial distinction in early Christian communities.
In narrative texts, the flexibility of Greek word order allowed authors to create emphasis and flow that English cannot easily replicate. When "they" appears at the beginning of a sentence, it often signals a shift in narrative focus or emphasizes the group's agency in the story.
The genitive form αὐτῶν frequently appears in expressions of belonging or origin, reflecting the communal nature of ancient society where identity was closely tied to one's group. This is particularly evident in genealogies and community descriptions.
For English speakers learning Koine Greek, recognizing these cultural nuances helps in understanding not just what the text says, but what it meant to its original audience. The pronouns aren't merely grammatical markers but windows into how ancient Greek speakers understood identity, community, and social relationships.
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From the Gospel of John 4:40-42 (Byzantine Text):
ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ' αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν, καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου.
ὡς when οὖν therefore ἦλθον came πρὸς to αὐτὸν him οἱ the Σαμαρεῖται Samaritans ἠρώτων they-asked αὐτὸν him μεῖναι to-remain παρ' with αὐτοῖς them καὶ and ἔμεινεν he-remained ἐκεῖ there δύο two ἡμέρας days καὶ and πολλῷ many πλείους more ἐπίστευσαν believed διὰ through τὸν the λόγον word αὐτοῦ his τῇ to-the τε and γυναικὶ woman ἔλεγον they-said ὅτι that Οὐκέτι no-longer διὰ because-of τὴν the σὴν your λαλιὰν speech πιστεύομεν we-believe αὐτοὶ they γὰρ for ἀκηκόαμεν have-heard καὶ and οἴδαμεν we-know ὅτι that οὗτός this ἐστιν is ἀληθῶς truly ὁ the σωτὴρ savior τοῦ of-the κόσμου world
hōs (hōs) when oun (oun) therefore ēlthon (ēl-thon) came pros (pros) to auton (au-ton) him hoi (hoi) the Samareitai (Sa-ma-rei-tai) Samaritans ērōtōn (ē-rō-tōn) they-asked auton (au-ton) him meinai (mei-nai) to-remain par' (par) with autois (au-tois) them kai (kai) and emeinen (e-mei-nen) he-remained ekei (e-kei) there duo (du-o) two hēmeras (hē-me-ras) days kai (kai) and pollō (pol-lō) many pleious (plei-ous) more episteusan (e-pis-teu-san) believed dia (di-a) through ton (ton) the logon (lo-gon) word autou (au-tou) his tē (tē) to-the te (te) and gunaiki (gu-nai-ki) woman elegon (e-le-gon) they-said hoti (ho-ti) that Ouketi (Ou-ke-ti) no-longer dia (di-a) because-of tēn (tēn) the sēn (sēn) your lalian (la-li-an) speech pisteuomen (pis-teu-o-men) we-believe autoi (au-toi) they gar (gar) for akēkoamen (a-kē-ko-a-men) have-heard kai (kai) and oidamen (oi-da-men) we-know hoti (ho-ti) that houtos (hou-tos) this estin (es-tin) is alēthōs (a-lē-thōs) truly ho (ho) the sōtēr (sō-tēr) savior tou (tou) of-the kosmou (kos-mou) world
ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ' αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν, καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου.
So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word, and they said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your speaking that we believe, for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."
ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ' αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν, καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου.
This passage beautifully illustrates several uses of "they" in Koine Greek: -
Implied Subject: ἠρώτων ("they asked") - the subject "they" is contained in the verb ending without needing the pronoun αὐτοί. -
Dative Plural: παρ' αὐτοῖς ("with them") - showing the dative case for the indirect object of the preposition παρά. -
Emphatic Nominative: αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν ("for we ourselves have heard") - here αὐτοί is used intensively with the first person plural verb, meaning "we ourselves." -
Cultural Note: The Samaritans' progression from hearing about Jesus through the woman to believing based on their own experience shows the importance of personal encounter in ancient religious contexts. -
Verbal Agreement: Notice how ἔλεγον ("they said") doesn't need an expressed subject pronoun because the third person plural ending makes it clear who is speaking.
This text demonstrates how Greek can express "they" through verbal endings alone, use the pronoun for emphasis, or employ it in various cases to show different grammatical relationships.
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25.16a οἱ the Ῥωμαῖοι Romans αὐτοὶ they κατέλαβον seized τὴν the πόλιν city 25.16b hoi (hoi) the Rhōmaioi (Rhō-mai-oi) Romans autoi (au-toi) they katelabon (ka-te-la-bon) seized tēn (tēn) the polin (po-lin) city
25.17a αὐτοὶ they (masculine) ἐστρατοπέδευσαν encamped πρὸς near τῷ the ποταμῷ river 25.17b autoi (au-toi) they estratopedeusan (e-stra-to-pe-deu-san) encamped pros (pros) near tō (tō) the potamō (po-ta-mō) river
25.18a οἱ the στρατιῶται soldiers αὐτῶν their ἦσαν were ἄνδρες men πολέμου of-war 25.18b hoi (hoi) the stratiōtai (stra-ti-ō-tai) soldiers autōn (au-tōn) their ēsan (ē-san) were andres (an-dres) men polemou (po-le-mou) of-war
25.19a ἔπεμψαν sent αὐτοῖς to-them (dative) πρέσβεις ambassadors περὶ concerning εἰρήνης peace 25.19b epempsan (e-pem-psan) sent autois (au-tois) to-them presbeis (pres-beis) ambassadors peri (pe-ri) concerning eirēnēs (ei-rē-nēs) peace
25.20a αὐταὶ they (feminine) αἱ the γυναῖκες women ἐφύλασσον were-guarding τὴν the πύλην gate 25.20b autai (au-tai) they hai (hai) the gunaikes (gu-nai-kes) women ephulassson (e-phu-las-son) were-guarding tēn (tēn) the pulēn (pu-lēn) gate
25.21a μετὰ after τρεῖς three ἡμέρας days αὐτοὶ they παρέδωκαν surrendered 25.21b meta (me-ta) after treis (treis) three hēmeras (hē-me-ras) days autoi (au-toi) they paredōkan (pa-re-dō-kan) surrendered
25.22a ὁ the βασιλεὺς king ἐξέλεξεν chose αὐτοὺς them ὡς as συμμάχους allies 25.22b ho (ho) the basileus (ba-si-leus) king exelexen (ex-e-lex-en) chose autous (au-tous) them hōs (hōs) as summachous (sum-ma-chous) allies
25.23a αὐτῶν their ἡ the δύναμις power μεγάλη great ἐγένετο became 25.23b autōn (au-tōn) their hē (hē) the dunamis (du-na-mis) power megalē (me-ga-lē) great egeneto (e-ge-ne-to) became
25.24a εὗρον found αὐτὰς them (feminine) ἐν in τῇ the ἀγορᾷ marketplace 25.24b heuron (heu-ron) found autas (au-tas) them en (en) in tē (tē) the agora (a-go-ra) marketplace
25.25a αὐτοὶ they δὲ but οὐκ not ἐβούλοντο wished πολεμεῖν to-wage-war 25.25b autoi (au-toi) they de (de) but ouk (ouk) not eboulonto (e-bou-lon-to) wished polemein (po-le-mein) to-wage-war
25.26a ἔγραψαν wrote αὐταῖς to-them (feminine) ἐπιστολὰς letters περὶ concerning τῆς the νίκης victory 25.26b egrapsan (e-grap-san) wrote autais (au-tais) to-them epistolas (e-pis-to-las) letters peri (pe-ri) concerning tēs (tēs) the nikēs (ni-kēs) victory
25.27a τὰ the τείχη walls αὐτὰ they (neuter) κατέπεσον fell ἐν in τῇ the μάχῃ battle 25.27b ta (ta) the teichē (tei-chē) walls auta (au-ta) they katepeson (ka-te-pe-son) fell en (en) in tē (tē) the machē (ma-chē) battle
25.28a μετ' with αὐτῶν them ἦλθον came πολλοὶ many ξένοι foreigners 25.28b met' (met) with autōn (au-tōn) them ēlthon (ēl-thon) came polloi (pol-loi) many xenoi (xe-noi) foreigners
25.29a αὐτοὶ they γὰρ for ἐνίκησαν conquered τοὺς the ἐχθρούς enemies 25.29b autoi (au-toi) they gar (gar) for enikēsan (e-ni-kē-san) conquered tous (tous) the echthrous (ech-throus) enemies
25.30a ὕστερον afterwards αὐτοὶ they ᾠκοδόμησαν built νέαν new πόλιν city 25.30b husteron (hus-te-ron) afterwards autoi (au-toi) they ōkodomēsan (ō-ko-do-mē-san) built nean (ne-an) new polin (po-lin) city
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25.16 οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι αὐτοὶ κατέλαβον τὴν πόλιν. The Romans themselves seized the city.
25.17 αὐτοὶ ἐστρατοπέδευσαν πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ. They encamped near the river.
25.18 οἱ στρατιῶται αὐτῶν ἦσαν ἄνδρες πολέμου. Their soldiers were men of war.
25.19 ἔπεμψαν αὐτοῖς πρέσβεις περὶ εἰρήνης. They sent ambassadors to them concerning peace.
25.20 αὐταὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ἐφύλασσον τὴν πύλην. The women themselves were guarding the gate.
25.21 μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας αὐτοὶ παρέδωκαν. After three days they surrendered.
25.22 ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐξέλεξεν αὐτοὺς ὡς συμμάχους. The king chose them as allies.
25.23 αὐτῶν ἡ δύναμις μεγάλη ἐγένετο. Their power became great.
25.24 εὗρον αὐτὰς ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ. They found them (feminine) in the marketplace.
25.25 αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐβούλοντο πολεμεῖν. But they did not wish to wage war.
25.26 ἔγραψαν αὐταῖς ἐπιστολὰς περὶ τῆς νίκης. They wrote letters to them (feminine) concerning the victory.
25.27 τὰ τείχη αὐτὰ κατέπεσον ἐν τῇ μάχῃ. The walls themselves fell in the battle.
25.28 μετ' αὐτῶν ἦλθον πολλοὶ ξένοι. With them came many foreigners.
25.29 αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐνίκησαν τοὺς ἐχθρούς. For they conquered the enemies.
25.30 ὕστερον αὐτοὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν νέαν πόλιν. Afterwards they built a new city.
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25.16 οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι αὐτοὶ κατέλαβον τὴν πόλιν.
25.17 αὐτοὶ ἐστρατοπέδευσαν πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ.
25.18 οἱ στρατιῶται αὐτῶν ἦσαν ἄνδρες πολέμου.
25.19 ἔπεμψαν αὐτοῖς πρέσβεις περὶ εἰρήνης.
25.20 αὐταὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ἐφύλασσον τὴν πύλην.
25.21 μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας αὐτοὶ παρέδωκαν.
25.22 ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐξέλεξεν αὐτοὺς ὡς συμμάχους.
25.23 αὐτῶν ἡ δύναμις μεγάλη ἐγένετο.
25.24 εὗρον αὐτὰς ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ.
25.25 αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐβούλοντο πολεμεῖν.
25.26 ἔγραψαν αὐταῖς ἐπιστολὰς περὶ τῆς νίκης.
25.27 τὰ τείχη αὐτὰ κατέπεσον ἐν τῇ μάχῃ.
25.28 μετ' αὐτῶν ἦλθον πολλοὶ ξένοι.
25.29 αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐνίκησαν τοὺς ἐχθρούς.
25.30 ὕστερον αὐτοὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν νέαν πόλιν.
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Special Features of "They" in Historical Narrative
Historical narratives in Koine Greek show distinctive patterns in their use of third person plural pronouns:
1. Narrative Continuity: Historical writers often omit αὐτοί when the subject remains the same across multiple actions. The pronoun appears primarily when: -
Introducing a new subject -
Creating emphasis -
Contrasting groups
2. Military Terminology: In military contexts, masculine plurals dominate even when referring to mixed groups, reflecting the male-dominated nature of ancient warfare.
3. Collective Action: Historical narratives frequently use αὐτοί to emphasize unified group action, particularly in military campaigns or political movements.
4. Genitive of Possession: The form αὐτῶν appears frequently in historical texts to indicate: -
Military forces ("their soldiers") -
Political power ("their authority") -
Territorial claims ("their land")
5. Chronological Markers: Pronouns often appear with temporal markers (μετὰ ταῦτα, ὕστερον) to maintain narrative flow while shifting between different groups of actors.
Common Patterns in Historical Texts: -
Subject + αὐτοί + verb = emphatic action by a specific group -
Verb + αὐτοῖς + object = diplomatic or military interaction -
Article + noun + αὐτῶν = possessive relationships in political/military contexts
Stylistic Considerations:
Historical writers like Polybius and Josephus tend to use pronouns more sparingly than narrative Gospel writers, relying instead on proper nouns and titles to maintain clarity when discussing multiple groups.
The intensive use (οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι αὐτοί = "the Romans themselves") often marks crucial turning points in historical narratives, emphasizing personal involvement of significant groups in decisive events.
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The Latinum Institute has been creating innovative online language learning materials since 2006, pioneering self-study methods for ancient languages. These lessons are specifically designed for autodidacts - independent learners who prefer to study at their own pace without formal instruction.
Our Koine Greek course uses the "construed text" method, where complex sentences are broken down word by word with detailed grammatical analysis. This approach, developed through years of online teaching experience, helps English speakers understand how ancient Greek constructs meaning differently from modern English.
Each lesson in this series focuses on a single grammatical concept, providing: -
Extensive interlinear glossing for beginners -
Natural Greek sentences drawn from historical texts -
Cultural and historical context -
Authentic literary passages with detailed analysis -
Genre-specific examples to build reading competence
The method emphasizes immediate comprehension through detailed glossing while gradually building the skills needed to read unglossed texts. By presenting the same sentences in multiple formats (interlinear, Greek with translation, Greek only), learners can progress from supported to independent reading within each lesson.
The Latinum Institute's approach has been refined through teaching thousands of students worldwide. Our materials are used by university students, seminary students, homeschoolers, and lifelong learners who want to access ancient texts in their original languages.
For more information about our teaching method and philosophy, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/method and https://latinum.org.uk
Student reviews and testimonials: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Complete course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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