| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse is a single sentence introduced by the explanatory conjunction gar {γάρ | gár} “for,” which connects this statement to Festus’s preceding explanation. The impersonal verb dokei {δοκεῖ | do-keí} “it seems” takes alogon {ἄλογον | á-lo-gon} “unreasonable” as its predicate complement, while moi {μοι | moi} “to me” functions as a dative of opinion, marking this as the speaker’s considered judgment. The participial phrase pemponta desmion {πέμποντα δέσμιον | pém-pon-ta dés-mi-on} “sending a prisoner” is an accusative participle with its object, dependent on the infinitive semanai {σημᾶναι | sē-má-nai} “to signify,” forming an infinitival complement to dokei that expresses what is judged to be unreasonable. The combination of the negative particle me {μὴ | mē} with kai {καὶ | kaí} “also” (mē kai) highlights the omission of a necessary accompanying action. This omitted action is spelled out in the object phrase tas kat autou aitias {τὰς κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ αἰτίας | tàs kat au-toú ai-tí-as}, where kat {κατ᾽ | kat} plus the genitive autou {αὐτοῦ | au-toú} conveys “against him,” and aitias {αἰτίας | ai-tí-as} denotes formal “charges.” Thus the structure presents a legal expectation: sending the prisoner should be accompanied by formally indicating the accusations. The English renderings mirror this by using an impersonal “it seems” with an infinitive-like clause (“to send a prisoner … without also telling”), preserving both the logical flow and the judicial emphasis of the Greek. |