| 36. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ekolouthei {ἠκολούθει | ē-ko-loú-thei} ‘was following’ in initial position, using the imperfect to portray continuous action. The postpositive conjunction gar {γὰρ | gàr} ‘for’ provides the causal link to the preceding context. The noun phrase to plethos tou laou {τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ | to plê-thos tou la-oû} ‘the multitude of the people’ functions as the subject, with a neuter collective noun defined by a genitive. The participle krazontes {κράζοντες | krá-zon-tes} ‘crying out’ modifies the subject adverbially, describing concurrent shouting. Direct speech follows, introduced as the content of the shout: the imperative aire {Αἶρε | Aî-re} ‘Take away’ governs the understood accusative auton {αὐτόν | au-tón} ‘him,’ producing the urgent command. In rendering, the imperfect conveys ongoing pursuit through phrases like “pressed on after him” and “kept following,” while the participle is coordinated as “crying out” and “shouting” to reflect simultaneous activity. The original word order—verb, conjunction, subject, participle, direct speech—is smoothed into standard English while retaining the causal explanation introduced by gar and the mounting hostility of the crowd’s repeated imperative. |