# Infinitive form



## kamilbc1

Hi guys,
Can anybody help me with the verb *μυραίνει*, please? What is the infinitive form of it and what does it mean? I've tried to look it up in a few different dictionaries with no luck.

I found the word in a song phrase.
Θα με δεις ν' αναζητώ του χρόνου τ' άστρα τ' αναρίθμητα για να δω ποια μοίρα θα *μυραίνει* τώρα την καρδιά


Thanks


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## sotos

Μυραίνειν. Applying myrrh to somebody or something. Often μοίρα and μύρο are used together in proverbs etc, because they sound as relevant, although etymologically are not.


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## Perseas

kamilbc1 said:


> Θα με δεις ν' αναζητώ του χρόνου τ' άστρα τ' αναρίθμητα για να δω ποια μοίρα θα *μυραίνει* τώρα την καρδιά


In dictionaries I found the verb "*μυρώνω*". "*μυραίνω*" appears in texts very rarely.
μυρώνω - Ελληνοαγγλικό Λεξικό WordReference.com

In any case, Modern Greek has no infinitives. The first person singular of present indicative (this is how you find verbs in dictionaries) is *μυρώνω (μυραίνω).*


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## kamilbc1

Thanks guys for your replies! It's all clear


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## ioanell

kamilbc1 said:


> Θα με δεις ν' αναζητώ του χρόνου τ' άστρα τ' αναρίθμητα για να δω ποια μοίρα θα *μυραίνει* τώρα την καρδιά


I ‘m afraid there’s no such verb “1st *μυραίνω*/3rd *μυραίνει*” in Greek. As Perseas notes, only the verb “μυρώνω” exists in dictionaries and it means “to anoint or sprinkle sb/sth with aromatic extract, that is myrr (or, in ecclesiastical use, with Holy Oil)”. Perhaps your song phrase says “μοιραίνει”, which is 3rd person singular of the verb “*μοιραίνω*”. This verb (found in older literature and folk songs) means “to predestinate sb’s course and fate in life at the time one is born”, an action done by Μοίρες [=the Fates, Greek godesses] in Greek mythology and folklore tradition. As the Μοίρες *δεν* μύρωναν (this makes no sense in the case of Μοίρες), αλλά μοίραιναν, the most logical rendition, in my opinion, is “για να δω ποια μοίρα θα μοιραίνει τώρα την καρδιά”, which means “in order to see/so I can see which fate will now determine (the course of) the heart”. In case you ‘ve written these words by only hearing them, it’s rather a spelling mistake of yours, otherwise, in case you ‘ve seen them written, it ‘s probably either a typo or a copying mistake or, finally, I ‘m afraid an ignorance of the matter on the part of the Greek lyricist. As Perseas wrote, Modern Greek has no infinitives (that is in the form of the AG ones ending in -ειν).


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## sotos

Yes, modern greek doesn't have infinitives (or, not many) but one may want to create one, like the "στρίβειν" (διά του αρραβώνος), the "μπανίζειν" κ.ά.


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## kamilbc1

ioanell said:


> I ‘m afraid there’s no such verb “1st *μυραίνω*/3rd *μυραίνει*” in Greek. As Perseas notes, only the verb “μυρώνω” exists in dictionaries and it means “to anoint or sprinkle sb/sth with aromatic extract, that is myrr (or, in ecclesiastical use, with Holy Oil)”. Perhaps your song phrase says “μοιραίνει”, which is 3rd person singular of the verb “*μοιραίνω*”. This verb (found in older literature and folk songs) means “to predestinate sb’s course and fate in life at the time one is born”, an action done by Μοίρες [=the Fates, Greek godesses] in Greek mythology and folklore tradition. As the Μοίρες *δεν* μύρωναν (this makes no sense in the case of Μοίρες), αλλά μοίραιναν, the most logical rendition, in my opinion, is “για να δω ποια μοίρα θα μοιραίνει τώρα την καρδιά”, which means “in order to see/so I can see which fate will now determine (the course of) the heart”. In case you ‘ve written these words by only hearing them, it’s rather a spelling mistake of yours, otherwise, in case you ‘ve seen them written, it ‘s probably either a typo or a copying mistake or, finally, I ‘m afraid an ignorance of the matter on the part of the Greek lyricist. As Perseas wrote, Modern Greek has no infinitives (that is in the form of the AG ones ending in -ειν).


Ioanell a massive thank you for the explanation. The song was transcribed by a girl who's Greek and she may have made a typo and that's why I could not find the word anywhere. I know the ifinitive does not exist in modern Greek and the 1st person singular is the basic verb form. Greek is wicked and I love it  but too difficult at times hahah


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## sotos

kamilbc1 said:


> The song was transcribed by a girl who's Greek and she may have made a typo and that's why I could not find the word anywhere.


Not necessarily a mistake. In spoken greek many pronounce "μυραίνω" instead of _μυρώνω_, in various forms (να μυράνω, μύρανε etc. ) This word (more spoken than written) is metaphysically related to _μοίρα_, resulting in another "non existing" verb, "_μοιραίνω_". For example, in the well-known song 

Τα τρένα που φύγαν / αγάπες μου πήρανε. / Αγάπες που κλαίνε / ποια μοίρα τις *μοίρανε. *

I don't have access to the original lyrics, but could be *μύρανε*. Another one: "να μυράνει " Ποίημα για την Παναγία την Μυροβλίτισσα - ΒΗΜΑ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑΣ


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## Konstantinos

To me, μυραίνω sounds ten times more natural than μυρώνω. Μυρώνω makes me think about some local dialects far from Athens.


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## sotos

To  me, μυρώνω smells old academic dictionary.


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## ioanell

kamilbc1 said:


> The song was transcribed by a girl who's Greek and she may have made a typo




No doubt, a mistaken transcription of this specific lyrics.

Some information regarding the verbs: μοιραίνω and μυρώνω

Ποια μοίρα κακή μας μοίρανε; Έλεος

Ποια μοίρα κακή μας μοίρανε; Έλεος | Η ΡΟΔΙΑΚΗ

ΤΑ ΤΡΕΝΑ ΠΟΥ ΦΥΓΑΝ (The trains that went away) Μουσική: Σταύρος Ξαρχάκος Στίχοι: Βαγγέλης Γκούφας. Πρώτη ερμηνεία: Βίκη Μοσχολιού

Τα τρένα που φύγαν αγάπες μού πήρανε. Αγάπες και κλαίνε, ποια μοίρα τις *μοίρανε*; And, of course, it couldn’t be: τις μύρανε, for the reasons explained above.

το μελλάμενο εκ την αρχή του αθρώπου οι Μοίρες το μοιραίνουσι (Φαλιέρ., Ενύπν. 58)·

Επιτομή Λεξικού Κριαρά

*Βιτσέντζος Κορνάρος, Ερωτόκριτος *

κι όλες τσι χάρες π’ Ουρανοί και τα ΄στρη εγεννήσα[ν], μ’ όλες τον εμοιράνασι, μ’ όλες τον εστολίσα[ν].

See also the proverb: «Η μάνα γεννάει, μα δεν μοιραίνει», δηλ. δεν μπορεί να καθορίσει τη μοίρα του παιδιού της [=The mother gives birth, but she can’t determine her child’s destiny].

The aorist indicative of μυρώνω is: μύρωσα/ες/ε and the aorist subjunctive is: να μυρώσω/εις/ει

[μσν. _μυρώνω_ < αρχ. _μυρ(ῶ) -ώνω_]

Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής

μυρώνω.

*1)* Αλείφω με μύρο:

εγκαινίασέν τον (ενν. ο πατριάρχης τον σταυρόν) και εμύρωσέν τον (Μαχ. 7029).

*2)* (Εκκλ.) αλείφω με άγιο μύρο μετά το βάφτισμα: (Διγ. O 1207).

[αρχ. _μυρόω_. Η λ. και σήμ.] And all ancient verbs in -όω changed into -ώνω in Modern Greek, e.g. see [δῆλος>] δηλόω>δηλώνω, [ἁπλόος{ἁπλοῦς}>] ἁπλόω>απλώνω, [μάστιξ/μάστιγ-ος>] μαστιγόω>μαστιγώνω, [μῦρον>] μυρόω>μυρώνω

Επιτομή Λεξικού Κριαρά

Ιερέας δεν μύρωσε γυναίκες λόγω... παντελονιού! | Flash.gr

Ιερουσαλήμ - 2007       Στιχοι

The aorist imperative of μυρώνω: μύρωσε

μυρώνω - Βικιλεξικό

Of course, it can’t be excluded that some times ignorance might lead to mistaken forms such as e.g. μυραίνει present indicative 3rd person singular, να μυράνω aorist subjunctive 1st person singular and μύρανε as aorist indicative 3rd person singular and aorist imperative 2nd person singular.


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## sotos

All the above dictionaries and things don't offer any analytical insight on the relation between μοίρα and μύρον.  The spelling with "moi-" in medieval texts reflects a superficial relation with Moirai in order to be logically correct,  but here the question is the subconscious relation between Moirai and Myrrh. Notice btw that in Erotocritos the v. "moiraino" is connected to the v. "stolizo" (to decorate), and thus is closer to the function of myrrh than to the fate.

An analytical approach could elaborate on the number three and the death (and rebirth) in both words. The Moirai are three, ultimately combined leading to death. The Myrrhophorai are again three, brinking myrrh to the dead Jesus, who is reborn before they reach him. Greek folk culture is certainly aware of the icons of the three women around the dead Jesus or the empty tomb (I was about to write womb), while still holding the myrrh. Everyone knows also that the priest applies myrrh on the baptized (else "born from above", John 3.3), i.e. he anoints (χρίζει), making the baby _christon/christin, _with the number three and death and birth appearing again and again during the ceremony. But I am getting off topic, and I am not exactly a psychoanalyst.


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