Greek adjective
δεινός
δεινός, -ή, -όν
δεινός is a Greek adjective. In the 3 analysed lines it was read in, it means “clever” (2 times) and “skilled” (2 times).
In the texts
Each line as the reader shows it: every word in its case colour with its meaning underneath, and arcs from δεινός to the words it goes with.
καὶ γὰρ οἰκονόμος δεινὴ καὶ φειδωλὸς καὶ ἀκριβῶς πάντα διοικοῦσα·
for she is a skilled and thrifty housekeeper, managing everything carefully.
δεινὴ: describes οἰκονόμος.
…ὡς χρῆν ὑμᾶς εὐλαβεῖσθαι μὴ ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ ἐξαπατηθῆτε ὡς δεινοῦ ὄντος λέγειν
But most of all I marveled at one of their many lies, this one in which they said that it was necessary for you to be wary lest you be deceived by me, as though I were skilled in speaking.
δεινοῦ: describes ὄντος.
…αὐτίκα ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ ἐξελεγχθήσονται ἔργῳ, ἐπειδὰν μηδ’ ὁπωστιοῦν φαίνωμαι δεινὸς λέγειν, τοῦτό μοι ἔδοξεν αὐτῶν ἀναισχυντότατον εἶναι, εἰ μὴ…
For that they were not ashamed that they would immediately be refuted by me in deed, when I did not appear to be clever at speaking in any way at all, this seemed to me the most shameless thing of theirs, unless perhaps these people call 'clever at speaking' the one who speaks the truth.
δεινὸς: completes φαίνωμαι.
Forms
Every form of the word in these texts, with what it is.
| Form | Grammar | Read |
|---|---|---|
| δεινὴ | Nominative · Singular · Feminine | 1 |
| δεινὸν | Accusative · Singular · Masculine | 1 |
| δεινὸς | Nominative · Singular · Masculine | 1 |
| δεινοῦ | Genitive · Singular · Masculine | 1 |
Words it goes with
Joined to δεινός by an arc in these lines, most often first.
Grammar
- About the nominativeThe Greek nominative names the subject and the word that renames it after εἰμί. How to spot it, and how the article helps, with lines from John and Aesop.
- About the accusativeThe Greek accusative marks the direct object, motion towards after εἰς and πρός, and the subject of an infinitive. Real lines from Homer, Aesop and John.
- About the genitiveThe Greek genitive covers “of” and “from”: possession, the whole a part belongs to, prepositions and the genitive absolute. Real lines from John and Aesop.
- About agreementHow Greek articles, adjectives and participles agree with their nouns in case, number and gender, and how the article frames a phrase, shown in real lines.
- About word orderWhy a Greek adjective can stand far from its noun, as in the Odyssey’s first line: the endings carry the grammar, so order is free for emphasis.