THE ARTICLE IS AN ADJECTIVE:
Like all adjectives, it always has the same case, number and gender as the noun it describes.
When reading, match articles to nouns by
their case, number and gender.
SOME SPECIAL USES OF THE ARTICLE:
1. when possession is evident, the article is used instead of a possessive adjective (KuVroj fileiV to\n ui(o/n, "Kyros loves his son")2. with participles, the article can be translated "he/she/it/those who" (oi(feu/gontej, "those who are fleeing"; o( boulo/menoj, "he who wishes"). 3. if an article and adjective are used without a noun, supply the word "man", "woman" or "thing" depending on the gender (oi( a)gaqoi/, " the good men"; ta\ kaka/, "the bad things")
note i: this usage extends to articles with words used as adjectives:
prepositiona phrases: oi( e)n t$= po/lei, "the men in the
city";
possessive genitives: ta\ Ku/rou, "the things of Kyros";
and even adverbs: oi( to/te, "the men at that time")note ii: sometimes context will suggest another noun other than
man/woman/thing;
e.g. in a passage dealing with ships ai( twVn 'A)qhnai/wn
would likely be "the ships of the Athenians," not their women
DO NOT CONFUSE THE ARTICLE WITH THE RELATIVE PRONOUN (o(/j, h(/, o(/, "who, which")
(warning: Perseus sometimes does)