The omitted phrases

Question

In his poem, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_and_Days, the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece poet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesiod possibly between 750 and 650 BC, defined five successive http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_Man: 1. Golden, 2. Silver, 3. Bronze, 4. Heroic and 5. Iron.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-age_system#cite_note-1 Only the Bronze Age and the Iron Age are based on the use of metal:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-age_system#cite_note-2"... then Zeus the father created the third generation of mortals, the age of bronze ... They were terrible and strong, and the ghastly action of Ares was theirs, and violence. ... The weapons of these men were bronze, of bronze their houses, and they worked as bronzesmiths. There was not yet any black iron."&lt;Source: "Origin" of "Three age system" in WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-age_system&gt;I think "living" has been omitted before "between", "the ghastly" before "violence, "was theirs" after "violence", and "they made" after "of bronze."So, I'd like to know if my thought is right.Thank you in advance for your help.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

park sang joonI think "living" has been omitted before "between", "the ghastly" before "violence, "was theirs" after "violence", and "they made" after "of bronze."

Let me remind you again that in English nothing is omitted. I think you believe things are missing whenever it is necessary to insert more words when you translate to your own language. Just guessing.

"living" has been omitted before "between" Actually it's guessing that Hesiod's act of defining those ages took place during that time period, not necessarily that Hesiod lived during that entire period of time.

"the ghastly" before "violence" No. "the ghastly" only applies to "action of Ares".

"was theirs" after "violence" Yes.

"they made" after "of bronze." Not exactly, but you're on the right track. This is inverted word order, which is not surprising in poetry.

The weapons of these men were bronze, of bronze their houses, ...
~
The weapons of these men were bronze, and their houses were made of bronze. ...

At least, that's what I think the text is saying. Nevertheless, I'm doubtful because I've never heard of houses made of bronze.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim, for your very valuable and helpful answer.

Let me remind you again that in English nothing is omitted.
Then, how about "implicit/ implied" in lieu of the word "omitted" when I ask the like of this question?

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonThen, How about "implicit/ implied" in lieu of the word "omitted"

Much better. It will cause fewer raised eyebrows.

CJ

Deadrat · Answer

A side trip to Wikipedia finds that Hesiod's life period must be inferred from other events, and indeed that inference is somewhere between 750 BCE and 650 BCE, but the syntax of the sentence makes that the period of his writing in which he defined the Ages of Man.

Only one "ghastly." The text means what was theirs was "the ghastly action of Ares and violence." Ares is the *** of war, so what they had was war and violence beyond war. The word order is likely imitative of the Greek, so it's a bit strange in English.

"The weapons of these men were bronze, their houses [were] of bronze, ...."

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, deadrat, for your very valuable answer.

But I can't understand the clause "the syntax of the sentence make that the period of his writing"

Deadrat · Answer

Sorry, that wasn't particularly clear.  The sentence says that Hesiod defined five successive ages of man between 750 BCE and 650 BCE.  Now, it's true the century mentioned is when Hesiod lived, as best as we can figure out, but the sentence says that's when he wrote the poem defining the the five ages.

The omitted phrases

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