| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the relative pronoun hous {οὓς | hoûs} introducing the first object of the participle synathroisas {συναθροίσας | synathroísas} ‘having gathered together’, forming a participial clause that sets the background action. The conjunction kai {καί | kaí} coordinates a second object phrase tous peri ta toiouta ergatas {τοὺς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἔργατας | toùs perí tá toiâuta érgatas} ‘those who are concerned with such workmen / workers in such things’, broadening the group to include others engaged in similar trades. The main verb eipen {εἶπεν | eîpen} ‘he said’ introduces direct speech, with the vocative andres {ἄνδρες | ándres} ‘men’ marking an address that appeals to shared identity. The present middle indicative epistasthe {ἐπίστασθε | epístasthe} ‘you know’ presents the following statement as common, established knowledge. The hoti {ὅτι | hóti} clause ek tautes tes ergasias he euporia hemin estin {ἐκ ταύτης τῆς ἐργασίας ἡ εὐπορία ἡμῖν ἐστίν | ek taútēs tês ergasías hē euporía hēmîn estín} is a copular construction in which the prepositional phrase ek tautes tes ergasias ‘from this business’ functions as a source modifier of the subject he euporia ‘the prosperity’, with the dative hemin ‘for us’ indicating advantage. The word order places he euporia early, highlighting economic well-being as the focus. In translation, the participial clause is rendered with a temporal-circumstantial nuance (“having gathered together” / “brought them together”), and the hoti clause is expressed with a clear causal-source relation (“from this business our prosperity comes”), preserving the emphasis on collective dependence on their trade income. |