There were three maxims carved into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- γνῶθι σεαυτόν (know thyself)
- μηδὲν ἄγαν (nothing in excess)
- Ἐγγύα πάρα δ'ἄτη (a pledge comes from folly)
The first two maxims make sense to me grammatically. But I have many questions about the grammar of the third. I will list my questions in bullet-point to make them more readable.
- What dialect is this? Attic? Doric?
- A cursory search shows that Ἐγγύα comes from ἐγγύη. Is this a first-declension noun? If so, why the -α ending?
- Why is πάρα accented on the penultimate syllable instead of the ultima?
- Why is there a contracted δε?
- Why is ἄτη in the nominative case? παρά does not govern the nominative.
- Is there an implied ἐστὶν? i.e. "a pledge is from folly"?
I find it likely that my sources are inaccurate. I will list my sources in case this is so:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi#Temple_of_Apollo
- https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-three-Delphi-precepts-How-are-they-to-be-interpreted
I would much appreciate any corrections in either my Greek, or my translation and comprehension of the Greek. I suspect there might be problems with both.
Hope I have not inundated you... to use an aptly Latin word.