| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the nominative subject Agrippas {Ἀγρίππας | A-gríp-pas} followed by the postpositive conjunction de {δὲ | dè}, marking a transition in the narrative. The prepositional phrase pros ton Pheston {πρὸς τὸν Φῆστον | pròs tòn Phê-ston} indicates the addressee of Agrippa’s words, with the verb “said” supplied in translation to make explicit the implied speech act. The clause introduced by Eboulomen kai autos {Ἐβουλόμην καὶ αὐτὸς | E-bou-ló-mēn kaí au-tós} contains the imperfect middle verb, expressing a continuing or ongoing desire in the past, while autos functions intensively (“I myself also”), aligning Agrippa’s wish with Festus’s earlier remarks. The genitive tou anthropou {τοῦ ἀνθρώπου | toû an-thrṓ-pou} depends on the infinitive, forming an objective genitive “to hear the man,” with akousai {ἀκοῦσαι | a-koû-sai} as aorist infinitive of purpose or content (“to hear”).
The second statement begins with Aurion {Αὔριον | Aú-ri-on} fronted for emphasis, setting the temporal frame before the rest of the clause. Phesin {φησίν | phē-sín} is a historical present introducing Festus’s response within the narrative flow. The verb akousē {ἀκούσῃ | a-koú-sē} is aorist subjunctive second person singular, functioning here in a future-oriented assurance (“you will hear”), with autou {αὐτοῦ | au-toû} as the genitive object “him.” The structure juxtaposes Agrippa’s expressed, ongoing wish with Festus’s concrete assurance grounded in a specific time, which the translations render by keeping the imperfect nuance in the first statement and using a simple future sense in the promise. |