| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence opens with hotan {Ὅταν | hótan} ‘whenever’, a subordinating conjunction that introduces a general temporal condition. This is followed by klethes {κληθῇς | klēthês} ‘you are invited’, an aorist passive subjunctive second person singular indicating a potential action. Agency is marked by hupo tinos {ὑπό τινος | hupó tínos} ‘by someone’, using the genitive after the preposition. The phrase eis gamous {εἰς γάμους | eis gámous} ‘into wedding feasts’ situates the scenario in a social banquet setting. A prohibition is expressed with the negated subjunctive me kataklithes {μὴ κατακλιθῇς | mē kataklithês} ‘do not recline’, followed by the directional eis ten protoklisian {εἰς τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν | eis tḗn prōtoklisían} ‘at the place of highest honor’, reflecting the reclining custom as a marker of status. The particle mepote {μήποτε | mēpote} ‘lest’ introduces a potential consequence: entimoteros sou e keklemenos hupʼ autou {ἐντιμότερός σου ᾖ κεκλημένος ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ | entimóteros sou ē keklēmenos hupʼ autoû}, where entimoteros sou ‘more honorable than you’ employs a comparative adjective with a genitive of comparison, and e keklemenos combines the present subjunctive of eimi ‘might be’ with the perfect passive participle ‘having been invited’ to describe another guest whose invitation preceded yours. The closing hupʼ autou ‘by him’ ties this figurative scenario back to the same host, highlighting the social risk of presumption. |