>On Mon, 17 Nov 1997, Jonathan Robie wrote:
>
>> At 10:02 PM 11/16/97 +0900, Arthur Barry wrote:
>> >Is there a word in Greek
>> >for "widower"? If not, could the term "unmarried" in 1 cor 7:8 embrace
>> >widowers?
>>
>> 1 Cor 7:8 talks about TOIS hAGAMOIS and TAIS CHRAIS. As I understand it,
>> TOIS hAGAMOIS refers to people who, for any reason, are not married, and
>> this term is sometimes used in contexts where it clearly includes widows or
>> divorced people. I believe that it is almost exactly equivalent to the
>> English "unmarried". TAIS CHRAIS refers to those who are widowed - in
>> general, we think of widows, not widowers, but it is quite possible that
>> this term could also refer to widowers. Wait until you see what others say
>> before you believe me too much ;->
>
>I would add only a couple notes to Jonathan's response:
>(2) There's no rough breathing on AGAMOS--the word is a simple combination
>of the so-called "alpha privative" prefix and the Greek word for marriage
>or sexual union. Also, there's an unresolved question that was raised on
>the list about a month ago as to whether this word really includes
>widowers or is restricted in meaning to those who have never been married.
>The lexica -- at least the standard unabridged Liddell & Scott, indicate
>that it can include those who have been married but are currently widowed
>or divorced, but the question as to whether this accurately expresses
>Hellenistic usage at the time the NT was composed is not really completely
>resolved until someone has time to study the passages in contemporary
>Greek texts disclosed by a search of the TLG database. I have those
>passages, but I haven't had time to look at them yet the way they need to
>be looked at.
First let me express apology for not having followed through yet on
looking up all the references on AGAMOS that were so kindly provided.
Between my duties in ministry and the activities related to the imminent
marriage of my daughter, I haven't gotten over to Maimi's central library
where some of the sources mentioned are available.
I have, however, looked up those references that are available
through Perseus, and upon putting them in chronological order (by century),
they are suggestive of a pattern. I have categorized these references as
follows:
VI or VII century BC
Homer
Iliad 3:40 - definitely "never married"
Hector expresses the vain wish that Paris had died unmarried because
the latter is unable to face the consequences of his having taken
Helen, and his bringing her to Troy has brought trouble to them all.
V century BC
Aeschylus
Suppliant Maidens 143 and 151 (identical expressions) -
Strongly suggests "never married"
Euripides
Alcestis 882 - Strongly "never married"
Admetus speaks of the experience of being widowed and says
that he envies the unmarried (AGAMOUS) and the childless
Suppliants 786 - Strongly "never married"
AGAMON M' ETI DEUR' AEI
XRONOS PALAIOS PATHER
WFEL' hAMERAN KTISAI
which is translated,
"Would that old Time, father of days, had kept me unwed even
till now"
Iphigeneia in Taurus 220 - "Never married" - Refers to Iphigeneia who,
according to Euripedes, was reared to be a virgin priestess
Helen 689 - Strongly implies "never married"
Apparently refers to the time before Hermione had been given
in marriage to Neoptolemos.
Helen 690 - GAMOS AGAMOS is an idiomatic expression meaning "unlawful
marriage" or something of the sort
Orestes 205 - "Never married" - refers to Electra before her marriage
to Pilades
Sophocles
Oedipus Rex 1214 - Again the idiomatic GAMOS AGAMOS (see above)
Oedipus Rex 1502 - Strongly expresses "never married"
Oedipus laments for his daughters that they will remain
unmarried for the scandle of his own unlawful marriage
Antigone 867 - Strongly expresses "never married"
Of unmarried Antigone. ARAIOS AGAMOS may refer to Oedipus'
prediction to his daughters.
IV century BC
Isaeus
Apollodurus 5 - May imply "never married"
Xenophon
Symposium 9:7 - May include all the unmarried
But note those who remain behind with Socrates are not
included in X's use of AGAMOS here
Plato
Symposium 192c - Apparently "never married"
Phaedrus 240a - Probably "never married"
Laws 774a - Definitely "never married"
Demosthenes
Against Leochares 19 - Apparently "never married"
Against Leochares 10 - Clearly "never married"
Against Leochares 32 - Possibly "never married"
Hyperides
In Defence of Lycophron 12 - Not clear whether previously married
I-II century AD
Plutarch
Cimon 4:3 - Apparently "never married"
II century AD
Pausanias
Description of Greece 9:37:3 - Probably "previously married"
Cf. the oracle's counsel, "To the old plough-tree put a new
tip.
Obeying the oracle he took to himself a young wife....
The strongest implication of "never married" and the most unanimous
testimony of this meaning is in the 7th- to 5th-century authors. We know
that Paul uses AGAMOS in reference to a previously married person (1C 7:11),
and Pausanias' use of the word seems to imply this meaning as well. So
there appears to be a shift in meaning between the 5th century and the Koine
period.
This is still based on incomplete data, since I haven't checked out
those references beyond Perseus and the few classics in Greek in my own
library. I hope to get at the other references when I have time available.
If anyone else does so in the meantime, that will be fine.
I will be away from my computer and e-mail for a number of days, so
will not be able to immediately answer responses to this post, if any.
Regards to all,
David Moore
David L. Moore
Miami, Florida, USA
Southeastern Spanish District of the A/G Dept. of Education
E-mail: dvdmoore@ix.netcom.com
Home Page: http://members.aol.com/dvdmoore