| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse is the content of a purpose clause introduced by hina {ἵνα | hína}, syntactically dependent on the prior summons to the birds in the preceding context. The aorist subjunctive phagete {φάγητε | phá-gē-te} expresses intended result rather than simple possibility: the goal of the invitation is that they actually eat. A series of direct objects, each introduced by sarkas {σάρκας | sár-kas} with different genitive modifiers (basileon {βασιλέων | basi-lé-ōn}, chiliarchon {χιλιάρχων | khi-li-ár-khōn}, ischyron {ἰσχυρῶν | is-chy-rôn}, hippon {ἵππων | híp-pōn}, panton {πάντων | pán-tōn} with its following genitives), creates a rhythmic, cumulative catalogue. The repeated kai {καὶ | kaí} is a clear case of polysyndeton, slowing the pace and highlighting each category of the judged. The coordinated genitives hippon and ton kathemenon ep auton {ἵππων καὶ τῶν καθημένων ἐπʼ αὐτῶν | híppōn kaí tōn kathē-mé-nōn ep autôn} portray horses together with those sitting upon them as a single combat unit. The climactic phrase sarkas panton eleutheron te kai doulon kai mikron kai megalon {σάρκας πάντων ἐλευθέρων τε καὶ δούλων καὶ μικρῶν καὶ μεγάλων | sárkas pán-tōn eleu-thé-rōn te kaí doú-lōn kaí mikrôn kaí megá-lōn} moves from the comprehensive "of all" to paired social contrasts ("free and slaves," "small and great"), underscoring that every status group is encompassed in the judgment. In the formal translation, the repetitive "and the flesh of..." is preserved to echo the Greek cadence, while the dynamic rendering groups some elements (for example, "horses and their riders") to maintain natural contemporary English flow yet retain the sense of totality. |