| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the aorist middle verb apespasametha {ἀπησπασάμεθα | apēspasámetha} ‘we took leave’, combined with the reciprocal pronoun allelous {ἀλλήλους | allḗlous} ‘one another’, depicting a mutual farewell. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links this to the next aorist active verb enebemen {ἐνέβημεν | enébēmen} ‘we went on board’, with eis to ploion {εἰς τὸ πλοῖον | eis tò ploîon} indicating movement into the vessel. An adversative de {δὲ | dè} introduces ekeinoi {ἐκεῖνοι | ekeînoi} ‘those’, shifting subject to describe their action with the aorist hupestrepsan {ὑπέστρεψαν | hupéstrepsan} ‘they returned’. The phrase eis ta idia {εἰς τὰ ἴδια | eis tà ídia} idiomatically means returning to one’s own homes or affairs. The two coordinated clauses contrast departure and return, preserved in translation by corresponding connective particles. |