Aspect in Ancient Greek - Nijmegen Centre for Semantics

6.2 Temporal patterns 135 ν έ σ τ η.anestē.rise.from.pst.AOR.3sg“Alyattes built not one but two temples of Athena at Assesos, andrecovered from his illness.” Hdt. 1.22.4Nevertheless, the natural interpretation of (160) is that the recovery followsthe building process. 1With a sequence of imperfective forms, on the other hand, the interpretationis often that the described eventualities overlap, as in (161) and (162) (cf.Rijksbaron 2002:12):(161) δµε̋dmōesslaves.nomοhoisome.nomοhoisome.nomλλοιalloiothers.nomσχάρα̋escharashearths.accπρ̋prostoµνmenprtδd’prtργονergonπάντε̋pantes ε σ α νhiesanχέρα̋cheras.work.acc all.nom send.pst.IPFV.3pl hands.accσφαγεονsphageionsacrificial.bowl.acc ρ ο νēirontake.up.pst.IPFV.3pl φ ε ρ ο ν,epheron,bring.pst.IPFV.3plκαν,kana,baskets.accδ πρ ν π τ ο ν µφί τde pur anēpton amphi t’prt fire.acc kindle.pst.IPFV.3pl round prtλέβητα̋lebētas ρ θ ο υ νōrthoun.πσαpasaδd’cauldrons.acc set.upright.pst.IPFV.3pl whole.nom prt κ τ π ε ιektupeiστέγηstegēdrone.pst.IPFV.3sg roof.nom“The slaves all set their hands unto the work. Some brought the bowlof slaughter, some took up the baskets; the fire some kindled, andthe cauldrons set over the hearths: with tumult rang the roofs.” E.El. 799-8021 Lacking native speakers of Ancient Greek, we would not be completely sure about this,were it not that it is indicated in the previous sentences in the story that Athena’s templehas to be rebuilt in order for Alyattes to recover.