| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hó-ti} ‘because’ introduces a causal clause linked to the prior judgment. The temporal dative phrase mia hora {μιᾷ ὥρᾳ | miâ hṓ-rā} ‘in one hour’ underscores suddenness. The aorist passive indicative eremōthē {ἠρημώθη | ē-rē-mṓ-thē} ‘was made desolate’ highlights completed divine action. The subject ho tosoutos ploutos {ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος | ho to-soû-tos ploû-tos} ‘such great wealth’ follows for emphasis. In the coordinated nominative sequence, pas ho plourkhos {πᾶς ὁ πλοῦρχος | pâs ho ploû-rkhos} ‘every shipmaster,’ hapasa hē triērēs {ἅπασα ἡ τριήρης | há-pā-sa hē tri-ḗ-rēs} ‘all the trireme’ used metonymically for those aboard, hoi nautai {οἱ ναῦται | hoi náu-tai} ‘the sailors,’ and hoi emporioi tēs thalassēs {οἱ ἐμπόριοι τῆς θαλάσσης | hoi em-pó-ri-oi tês tha-lás-sēs} ‘the sea traders.’ The aorist active indicative estēsan {ἔστησαν | é-stē-san} ‘stood’ marks the immediate response, and the present active participle apekhontes {ἀπέχοντες | a-pé-khōn-tes} ‘standing at a distance’ describes their posture. |