| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative advances with epeita {ἔπειτα | é-pei-ta} “then,” marking sequence. The dative heterō {ἑτέρῳ | hé-te-rō} shifts to a second debtor. The question su de poson opheileis {Σὺ δὲ πόσον ὀφείλεις | sý dè pó-son o-phei-leis} places the pronoun sy first for emphasis, with poson preceding opheileis to highlight the inquiry of obligation. The second eipen {εἶπεν | eî-pen} delivers the response hekaton korous sitou {Ἑκατὸν κόρους σίτου | Hé-ka-ton kó-rous sí-tou} as a precise quantity. The transition to the historical present legei {λέγει | lé-gei} intensifies the steward’s directive. The paired imperatives dexai and grapson {Δέξαι... γράψον | Déx-ai... gráp-son} form a dual command: receive the debt instrument (sou ta grammata) and alter its content to ogdoēkonta {ὀγδοήκοντα | og-do-ḗ-kon-ta}, underscoring the steward’s shrewdness in reducing liability. |