Translation of Text (1st edition)

[There is a lot of practically impossible to translate γάρ in this text. Like: λάμβανε γὰρ τὸ ἄροτρον. We would say: for I want you to take the plow, whereas the Greeks say: take for/because! This may sound strange to our ears, but is just perfect in Greek, concise and to the point.]

Dikaiopolis steps out of his house and calls Xanthias. Xanthias is a slave, a strong man, but lazy; for he doesn't work unless Dikaiopolis is there (=present). As for now, he's sleeping in the house. Dikaiopolis therefore calls him and says: - Come here, Xanthias. Why are you sleeping? Don't be so lazy but hurry up. - And so Xanthias slowly comes out of the house and says: - Why are you so harsh, master? For I'm not lazy but am already hurrying. - And Dikaiopolis says: - Come here and help; [for] take the plow and carry it to the field. For I drive the oxen. But hurry: for the field is small but the work is long.


Word-order in a foreign language
is best learnt by ear.

Tell yourself:
This way it sounds great, this way it is poetic but not every-day speech, and said this way, it sounds AWFUL (to them, and, after a while, to us as well). If at first you have problems coming to grips with the construction, compare it to our way of expressing the same idea. Practice saying it their way in our language and remember:
1. that's how they say it, in Greek (not in English I hope)
2. If we get it wrong, we sound just as barbaric (as they do when they get it wrong in English) and, quite often, what we say (or write) doesn't even make sense.

There are rules governing word-order, but, except for a brief explanation at the very beginning of apprenticeship, they are a hindrance more than a help. While you're still trying to work out the sentence according to the rule, you're missing the rest of the conversation and are left stranded with one sentence beautifully constructed and none the wiser for it. And when reading, you constantly have to resort to sentence analysis instead of just reading along, trying to enjoy the flow of language and grasp the meaning.