Re: The last enemy

R A Brown wrote:
> Ph. D. wrote:
>
>> Mark J. Reed scripsit:
>>
>>>
>>> For those who want other reference points, here's the original Greek:
>>>
>>> εσχατος  εχθρος καταργειται ο θανατος
[snip]
>
> Mark J. Reed wrote:
>  > Well, we have the original, and I don't think the Greek "eschatos"
>  > shares that ambiguity.  So I don't think the intent is a matter of
>  > opinion.
>
> Quite so, the Greek is quite clear, especially both in the use of
> "eschatos" and as regards the context in which the verse occurs.
I meant to add also that the Greek, in its use of the definite article
with "thanatos" (death) but not with "eschatos echthros" (the last
[remaining] enemy), makes it clear that "death" is the grammatical
subject while "eschatos echthros" is a complement. The Greek is
grammatically more like: 'Death will be destroyed as the last enemy' or
'Death is the last enemy that will be destroyed.'

But those versions, of course, miss the emphasis thrown on "death" by
putting "ho thanatos" at the end of the sentence. The same BTW applies
to the Latin. "Death" is clearly an emphasized focus in both the Greek &
Latin.

I don't think it is possible in English to translate the sentence both
with "death" as the grammatical subject, with "eschatos echthros' as
complement, and also putting "death" in an emphatic position at the end
of the sentence. As the Italians say: 'Traduttore traditore'     :)

--
Ray
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