The commands in Greek

[hoplite14gr]

ΓΟΝY ΚΛΙΝΑΤΕ-Goni klinate = bent you knee - kneel
ΦYΛΑΞΙΣ-Filaxis = cover with shield and present spear
ΣΤΟΙΧΟΙΘΕΙΤΕ-Stichithite = dress ranks
ΣYΝΑΣΠΙΣΑΤΕ-Sinaspisate = Lock shields
ΕΠΙ ΔΟΡY ΚΛΙΝΕ-Epi Dori Kline = turn to the spear - right
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔI ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Ionic dialect)
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔA ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Doric dialect)
-Empros trochadin marsh = on the double!
ΜΕΤΑΒΟΛΗ-Metavoli = About face.
ΕΝΑ ΑΡΙΣΤΕΡΟ-Ena aristero = one left - strike down left foot when marching.
ΤΟYΣ ΖYΓΟYΣ ΛYΣΑΤΕ-Tous zigous lisate = Dismissed - turn right, strike left foot and break ranks.
ΣΙΩΠΗΣΑΤΕ-Siopisate = Be silent
ΕΦΟΔΟΣ-Efodos = charge.

Battle cries

Artemis Agrothera= Artemis field huntress, Spartan
Zevs Aegetor = Zeus leader, Spartan when leading allies
Athina Itonia = Bold Athena, Thessalian
Ennosigeos = shaker of the world (Poseidon), Korinthian
Zevs Ideos = Zeus of mount Idi, Cretan
Sin Athini Cheira kini = Aid of Athena move your arm, Athenian rowers

Zevs Sotir Niki = Zeus Savior Victory, Greeks at Kunaxa.

[Tib. Gabinius]

Greetings.
From which source(s) does these commands come?

[hoplite14gr]

Thanks to the aid of the lads at hoplitesmores especially Themistokles, I can give the following:

War in Ancient Greec Stainhouer page 95

kathes ta dorata-charge with the spear presented (POLIENOS 3.9.8 )

themeni ta opla-shields down-Xenofon Ellinika 2.4.10-13

Askepiodotus:
"ΕΠΙ ΔΟΡY ΚΛΙΝΕ-Epi Dori Kline = turn to the spear - right
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔI ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Ionic dialect)
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔA ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Doric dialect) "

EPI THANATO EXODOS comand of Leonidas from Plutrach. In means comig out to die and make maximum damage to the enemy.


Spartan battle cries come also from Plutarch and the others from Pausanias.

The simple commands like attention and about face are being used even in modern Greek

Hope I helped

[Tib. Gabinius]

Yes, you did, thank you very well!

Erm, and by the way Dory or Dori for the hoplite spear?

[hoplite14gr]

Well both are correct because ancient Greeks pronounced diferently the Y from I.
I is vrachi = short -sharply pronounced.
Y is "dicrono" = two timed - sometimes sharp sometimes long.
Doric dialect is more "harsh" compaired to Ionic. You can also not be very sure what dialect the author or the later copyst was favoring. In modern Greek there is no difference in pronouciation.
You might want to check the "Greek language" thread.
Kind regards

[Anonymous]

ΓΟΝY ΚΛΙΝΑΤΕ-Goni klinate = bent you knee - kneel
ΦYΛΑΞΙΣ-Filaxis = cover with shield and present spear
ΣΤΟΙΧΟΙΘΕΙΤΕ-Stichithite = dress ranks
ΣYΝΑΣΠΙΣΑΤΕ-Sinaspisate = Lock shields
ΕΠΙ ΔΟΡY ΚΛΙΝΕ-Epi Dori Kline = turn to the spear - right
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔI ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Ionic dialect)
ΕΠ' ΑΣΠΙΔA ΚΛΙΝΕ-Ep Aspidi Kline = turn to the shield - left (Doric dialect)
-Empros trochadin marsh = on the double!
ΜΕΤΑΒΟΛΗ-Metavoli = About face.
ΕΝΑ ΑΡΙΣΤΕΡΟ-Ena aristero = one left - strike down left foot when marching.
ΤΟYΣ ΖYΓΟYΣ ΛYΣΑΤΕ-Tous zigous lisate = Dismissed - turn right, strike left foot and break ranks.
ΣΙΩΠΗΣΑΤΕ-Siopisate = Be silent
ΕΦΟΔΟΣ-Efodos = charge.

Battle cries

Artemis Agrothera= Artemis field huntress, Spartan
Zevs Aegetor = Zeus leader, Spartan when leading allies
Athina Itonia = Bold Athena, Thessalian
Ennosigeos = shaker of the world (Poseidon), Korinthian
Zevs Ideos = Zeus of mount Idi, Cretan
Sin Athini Cheira kini = Aid of Athena move your arm, Athenian rowers

Zevs Sotir Niki = Zeus Savior Victory, Greeks at Kunaxa.

This is very interesting stuff, Stefanos. We in The Hoplite Association have researched the commands and it's gratifying to see that you confirm mcuh of what we have been using. "Epi dory klinai" is a fair, phonetic rendering of the right turn command we have been using. Your version suggests the ending should sound more like "ay" in "say". I can see the reason for spelling dori with an "i" rather than a "y".

We don't have all the commands you have listed, and some of the new ones will be very useful, "goni klinate", for example. Also, we have some slight differences in a few cases. For example, we have been saying "Sin aspides ete" and "epi aspis klinai". It seems to me that we may have failed to achieve a "natural" Greek construction because our reseachers have re-constructed the commands from individual parts of speech, rather than finding them as complete phrases.

Bigger differences are that we have used "Kosmete" for "dress the line" and "Apercete" ("Go fishing"?) for "Dismiss".

Presumably, "Metabole" is in the singular? We use "Metabol ete" for groups of men.

I'm trying to learn some basic elements of Classical Greek and I am beginning to recognise some words and structures.

In your next post, you give the command for "shield to front, spear to the attack". We have used "Proptosis" for this - what do you think?

[hoplite14gr]

Paul you are commendable for your efforts. Please allow me to help.
When you give a command the idea is to put a formation in a state not just an individual. It saves time and the inventors of quick sharp sentences are possibly the Spartans. TO LAKONIZIN ESTI FILOSOFIN = Talking like Spartans (few words) is
the way of the philosopher.
Example:
You use the imperative form METAVALATE of the verb METABALO = to change.
It is correct when you address a group of individuals.
I advise to use the noun METAVOLI to set the state the officer wants the unit to be in. Even in modern armies the leader is giving most orders as a noun describing the action that he wants his men to do.
Example: PROSCHI! = Atention! EFODOS! = Charge! EMPROS! = Forward!
Most drill instructors give the one word orders by pronouncing syllables for emphasis.
Example: META-VOLI !
In English it used as two words but any war film with barking sergeant shouting attention can demonstrate this better.
Ideally commands should be one word but not all commands fall into this category.
Hope I helped.
List of commands in this link courtesy of the hoplite mores renanctor group:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MATEQ4tUhA ... OPLITE.txt

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/megistias ... SHOPLITE.t \\
xt
This might answer your querry about spears.
If not tell me
Kind regards

[Hoplitesmores]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/megistias ... XON/files/

[hoplite14gr]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/megistiasA...XON/files/

Efxaristo Paidia
Thanks guys

[Anonymous]

Olvios really has perfected the "Laconic" style of communication!

[Olaf The Viking]

I read somewhere that Macedonians used " alalalalalalalai" as a battle cry when they were charging. Do you know anything about that?

[Anonymous]

I've heard of someone's war-cry being rendered as "Eleleleu!" - same sort of thing.

[tlclark]

Battle cries

Artemis Agrothera= Artemis field huntress, Spartan
Zevs Aegetor = Zeus leader, Spartan when leading allies
Athina Itonia = Bold Athena, Thessalian
Ennosigeos = shaker of the world (Poseidon), Korinthian
Zevs Ideos = Zeus of mount Idi, Cretan
Sin Athini Cheira kini = Aid of Athena move your arm, Athenian rowers

How about Kyrie Eleison?

[hoplite14gr]

Travis this was used only by the Byzantines if the odds looked bad and actually some devine intervention would come handy.
It worked against the Avars and the Arabs but perhaps they abused it or God was fed up with them and it did not halp in 1204 and 1453.

Aklexandru " alalalalalalalai" or "Eleleleu!" are dialect variations doric and ionic. They are as old as Greece itsself and they are an invocation to the solar victorius deity. Plus they serve to keep the rythm of the formation.

"seLAS" aeolic dialect for light. I t survives in some form in many European languages.

hELLEO hELLO I gatther the army for war.
Survives in the franch language in the word "elan".

HELLENES = the one who fight together. (early phalanx???)

ELENI (Helen) the lunimus one OR the one that for her sake armies are gathered.

ELENA (ionic) ELANA (doric) the shock of impact of the phalanx when it crushes on the enemy.

Hope I helped

[tlclark]

Travis this was used only by the Byzantines if the odds looked bad and actually some devine intervention would come handy.
It worked against the Avars and the Arabs but perhaps they abused it or God was fed up with them and it did not halp in 1204 and 1453.

I know I say it a lot while writing my dissertation.:o

Seriously, I know they invoked the name of various saints and the virgin was always a popular invocation, but do you know of any specific Byzantine war crys?

Also, khaire ceases to be used as a common salutation in Byzantine religious texts, as I think it tends to be reserved for the Panagia and Christ in specifically religious contexts.

What about common everyday speech? What did byzantine soldiers say to greet each other?

Travis