πάσχω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

The four principal parts of the verb display the e-grade, o-grade, and zero-grade (πぱいεいぷしろんνにゅーθしーた-, πονθ-, πぱいαあるふぁθしーた- (penth-, ponth-, path-)) of a root of uncertain identity.

The root is traditionally taken to be a Proto-Indo-European *kʷendʰ- (“to suffer, endure”), with the principal parts mentioned above reflecting *kʷendʰ-, *kʷondʰ-, *kʷn̥dʰ. In this case, cognate with Old Irish césaid (“to suffer”), Lithuanian kentė́ti (“to suffer”) (1st-person present singular kenčiù (“I suffer”)), pakanta (“patience”). Note, however, that in addition to phonetic issues (the Lithuanian expected form would be *kendė́ti, for example), the structure of the hypothetical root *kʷendʰ- is atypical for Proto-Indo-European.

As an alternative, Beekes and others have connected the word to Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to bind”) with semantic shift “to be bound” > “to suffer”. Cognates would then include Ancient Greek πενθερός (pentherós, “father-in-law”).

The present πάσχω (páskhō), like the aorist ἔπαθον (épathon), comes from the zero-grade πぱいαあるふぁθしーた- (path-), but with the inchoative suffix -σしぐまκかっぱωおめが (-skō) added *πάθ-σしぐまκかっぱ-ωおめが (*páth-sk-ō) and subsequent loss of θしーた (th) before σしぐま (s) and transference of aspiration from θしーた (th) to κかっぱ (k), resulting in χかい (kh). The future stem πείσομαι (peísomai) developed from *πενθ-σしぐま-ομαι (*penth-s-omai), from e-grade πぱいεいぷしろんνにゅーθしーた- (penth-) with the tense-suffix σしぐま (s), with subsequent cluster simplification νにゅーθしーたσしぐま > σしぐま (nths > s) and compensatory lengthening *εいぷしろん > εいぷしろんιいおた (*e > ei). The future stem πείσω (peísō) of the verb πείθω (peíthō, “persuade”) is identical.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /pás.kʰɔː/ → /ˈpas.xo/ → /ˈpas.xo/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /pás.kʰɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈpas.kʰo/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈpas.xo/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈpas.xo/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈpas.xo/

Verb

πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいωおめが • (páskhō)

1. to undergo, experience (as opposed to acting)
2. (with another person involved) have someone do something to oneself, to be treated a certain way by someone (with ὑπό (hupó) and genitive, sometimes with adverb of manner)
   1. (in a negative sense) suffer at someone's hands
      • 442 BCE, Sophocles, Antigone 927–929:

        Ἀντιγόνη   εいぷしろんἰ δでるた’ οおみくろんἵδでるた’ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μみゅーὴ πλείω κかっぱαあるふぁκかっぱὰ
        πάθοιεν ἢ κかっぱαあるふぁὶ δでるたρろーῶσしぐまιいおたνにゅー ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

        Antigónē   ei d’ hoíd’ hamartánousi, mḕ pleíō kakà
        páthoien ḕ kaì drôsin ekdíkōs emé.

        Antigone:   But if they are wrong [to treat me as a criminal], let them suffer no worse than they are doing unjustly to me.

   2. (law) to suffer a punishment
3. (without a person involved) to experience something, have something happen to one, undergo something
   1. to be in a certain situation (with adverb of manner)
   2. to feel an emotion or impulse
   3. (in negative sense) suffer
   4. to be ill or injured in a certain way (with accusative of part affected)

      Πάσχω τたうὴνにゅー καρδίαν.

      Páskhō tḕn kardían.

      I suffer in the [my] heart.

      Κかっぱαあるふぁκかっぱῶς πάσχειν.

      Kakôs páskhein.

      To suffer badly.

Inflection

   Present: πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいωおめが

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいωおめが	πぱいᾰ́σχεις	πぱいᾰ́σχει	πぱいᾰ́σχετον	πぱいᾰ́σχετον	πぱいᾰ́σχομεν	πぱいᾰ́σχετε	πぱいᾰ́σχουσῐ(νにゅー)
	subjunctive	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいωおめが	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいῃς	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいῃ	πぱいᾰ́σχητον	πぱいᾰ́σχητον	πぱいᾰ́σχωμεν	πぱいᾰ́σχητε	πぱいᾰ́σχωσῐ(νにゅー)
	optative	πぱいᾰ́σχοιμῐ	πぱいᾰ́σχοις	πぱいᾰ́σχοι	πぱいᾰ́σχοιτον	πぱいᾰσχοίτην	πぱいᾰ́σχοιμεν	πぱいᾰ́σχοιτε	πぱいᾰ́σχοιεν
	imperative		πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいεいぷしろん	πぱいᾰσχέτω	πぱいᾰ́σχετον	πぱいᾰσχέτων		πぱいᾰ́σχετε	πぱいᾰσχόντων
		active
infinitive		πぱいᾰ́σχειν
participle	m	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいωおめがνにゅー
	f	πぱいᾰ́σχουσᾰ
	n	πぱいᾰ́σしぐまχかいοおみくろんνにゅー
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἔπぱいᾰσしぐまχかいοおみくろんνにゅー, ἐπぱいᾰσχόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔπぱいᾰσしぐまχかいοおみくろんνにゅー	ἔπぱいᾰσχες	ἔπぱいᾰσしぐまχかいεいぷしろん(νにゅー)	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχετον	ἐπぱいᾰσχέτην	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχομεν	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχετε	ἔπぱいᾰσしぐまχかいοおみくろんνにゅー
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐπぱいᾰσχόμην	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχου	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχετο	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχεσθον	ἐπぱいᾰσχέσθην	ἐπぱいᾰσχόμεθᾰ	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχεσθε	ἐπぱいᾰ́σχοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: πείσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	πείσομαι	πείσῃ, πείσει	πείσεται	πείσεσθον	πείσεσθον	πεισόμεθᾰ	πείσεσθε	πείσονται
	optative	πεισοίμην	πείσοιο	πείσοιτο	πείσοισθον	πεισοίσθην	πεισοίμεθᾰ	πείσοισθε	πείσοιντο
					middle
infinitive					πείσεσθαι
participle	m				πεισόμενος
	f				πεισομένη
	n				πεισόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἔπぱいᾰθしーたοおみくろんνにゅー

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔπぱいᾰθしーたοおみくろんνにゅー	ἔπぱいᾰθες	ἔπぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろん(νにゅー)	ἐπぱいᾰ́θετον	ἐπぱいᾰθέτην	ἐπぱいᾰ́θομεν	ἐπぱいᾰ́θετε	ἔπぱいᾰθしーたοおみくろんνにゅー
	subjunctive	πぱいᾰ́θしーたωおめが	πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃς	πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃ	πぱいᾰ́θητον	πぱいᾰ́θητον	πぱいᾰ́θωμεν	πぱいᾰ́θητε	πぱいᾰ́θωσῐ(νにゅー)
	optative	πぱいᾰ́θοιμῐ	πぱいᾰ́θοις	πぱいᾰ́θしーたοおみくろんιいおた	πぱいᾰ́θοιτον	πぱいᾰθοίτην	πぱいᾰ́θοιμεν	πぱいᾰ́θοιτε	πぱいᾰ́θοιεν
	imperative		πぱいᾰ́θしーたεいぷしろん	πぱいᾰθέτω	πぱいᾰ́θετον	πぱいᾰθέτων		πぱいᾰ́θετε	πぱいᾰθόντων
		active
infinitive		πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖνにゅー
participle	m	πぱいᾰθών
	f	πぱいᾰθしーたοおみくろんῦσしぐまᾰ
	n	πぱいᾰθόν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: πぱいᾰ́θしーたοおみくろんνにゅー (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	πぱいᾰ́θしーたοおみくろんνにゅー	πぱいᾰ́θες	πぱいᾰ́θしーたεいぷしろん(νにゅー)	πぱいᾰ́θετον	πぱいᾰθέτην	πぱいᾰ́θομεν	πぱいᾰ́θετε	πぱいᾰ́θしーたοおみくろんνにゅー
	subjunctive	πぱいᾰ́θしーたωおめが, πぱいᾰ́θωμῐ	πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃς, πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃσしぐまθしーたᾰ	πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃ, πぱいᾰ́θしーたῃσしぐまῐ	πぱいᾰ́θητον	πぱいᾰ́θητον	πぱいᾰ́θωμεν	πぱいᾰ́θητε	πぱいᾰ́θωσῐ(νにゅー)
	optative	πぱいᾰ́θοιμῐ	πぱいᾰ́θοις/πぱいᾰ́θοισθᾰ	πぱいᾰ́θしーたοおみくろんιいおた	πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖτたうοおみくろんνにゅー	πぱいᾰθείτην	πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖμみゅーεいぷしろんνにゅー	πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖτたうεいぷしろん	πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖεいぷしろんνにゅー
	imperative		πぱいᾰ́θしーたεいぷしろん	πぱいᾰθέτω	πぱいᾰ́θετον	πぱいᾰθέτων		πぱいᾰ́θετε	πぱいᾰθόντων
		active
infinitive		πぱいᾰθしーたεいぷしろんῖνにゅー/πぱいᾰθέμεν(αあるふぁιいおた)
participle	m	πぱいᾰθών
	f	πぱいᾰθしーたοおみくろんῦσしぐまᾰ
	n	πぱいᾰθόν
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: πέπονθᾰ

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	πέπονθᾰ	πέπονθᾰς	πέπονθε(νにゅー)	πεπόνθᾰτたうοおみくろんνにゅー	πεπόνθᾰτたうοおみくろんνにゅー	πεπόνθᾰμみゅーεいぷしろんνにゅー	πεπόνθᾰτたうεいぷしろん/πέπασθε/πέποσθε	πεπόνθᾱσしぐまῐ(νにゅー)
	subjunctive	πεπόνθω	πεπόνθῃς	πεπόνθῃ	πεπόνθητον	πεπόνθητον	πεπόνθωμεν	πεπόνθητε	πεπόνθωσῐ(νにゅー)
	optative	πεπόνθοιμῐ, πεπονθοίην	πεπόνθοις, πεπονθοίης	πεπόνθοι, πεπονθοίη	πεπόνθοιτον	πεπονθοίτην	πεπόνθοιμεν	πεπόνθοιτε	πεπόνθοιεν
	imperative		πέπονθε	πεπονθέτω	πεπόνθετον	πεπονθέτων		πεπόνθετε	πεπονθόντων
		active
infinitive		πεπονθέναι
participle	m	πεπονθώς
	f	πεπονθυῖᾰ/πぱいεいぷしろんπぱいᾰθしーたυうぷしろんῖᾰ
	n	πεπονθός
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: πέποσχᾰ (Doric)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	πέποσχᾰ	πέποσχᾰς	πέποσχε(νにゅー)	πεπόσχᾰτたうοおみくろんνにゅー	πεπόσχᾰτたうοおみくろんνにゅー	πεπόσχᾰμες	πεπόσχᾰτたうεいぷしろん	πεποσχᾰ́τたうιいおた, πεπόσχᾰνにゅーτたうῐ
	subjunctive	πεπόσχω	πεπόσχῃς	πεπόσχῃ	πεπόσχητον	πεπόσχητον	πεπόσχωμες	πεπόσχητε	πεπόσχωντῐ
	optative	πεπόσχοιμῐ, πεποσχοίην	πεπόσχοις, πεποσχοίης	πεπόσχοι, πεποσχοίη	πεπόσχοιτον	πεποσχοίτᾱνにゅー	πεπόσχοιμες	πεπόσχοιτε	πεπόσχοιεν
	imperative		πέποσχε	πεποσχέτω	πεπόσχετον	πεποσχέτων		πεπόσχετε	πεποσχόντω
		active
infinitive		πεποσχέναι
participle	m	πεποσχώς
	f	πεποσχυῖᾰ
	n	πεποσχός
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: ἐπεπόνθειν

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐπεπόνθειν, ἐπεπόνθη	ἐπεπόνθεις, ἐπεπόνθης	ἐπεπόνθει(νにゅー)	ἐπεπόνθετον	ἐπεπονθέτην	ἐπεπόνθεμεν	ἐπεπόνθετε	ἐπεπόνθεσᾰνにゅー
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Synonyms

• (to be in a certain situation): ἔχかいωおめが (ékhō)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “undergo”): δράω (dráō), ῥέζω (rhézō)

Derived terms

• πぱいᾰ́θしーたηいーた (páthē)
• πάθησις (páthēsis)
• πぱいᾰθητός (pathētós)
• πぱいᾰθητικός (pathētikós)
• πぱいᾰ́θημα (páthēma)
• πぱいᾰθηματικός (pathēmatikós)
• πぱいᾰ́θος (páthos)
• πぱいᾰθικός (pathikós)
• πένθος (pénthos)

Further reading

• “πάσχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “πάσχω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “πάσχω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• πάσχω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• πάσχω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• “πάσχω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G3958 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), Bern, München: Francke Verlag