# Middle / passive voice: cases



## Angelo di fuoco

Hello once again!

I have two sentences with different cases

1. Ὁ ἰατρὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου πείθεται.
2. Ὁ ἰατρὸς τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πείθεται.
The first sentence is a clear sentence with agent and patient:
1. The physician is ... by...
However, I'm not sure what to think about the second one:
2. The physician...
What is the difference in meaning between the two sentences, if there's a difference at all?


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## fdb

1. The doctor is convinced by the messenger.
2. The doctor believes (or trusts) the messenger.

Similar, but not the same.


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## bearded

'Aggelos might well also be an angel (like Angelo di fuoco).


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## Angelo di fuoco

fdb said:


> 1. The doctor is convinced by the messenger.
> 2. The doctor believes (or trusts) the messenger.
> 
> Similar, but not the same.



Thanks. I fear it may take me yet quite a time to disentangle the subtle differences between the two voices.



bearded man said:


> 'Aggelos might well also be an angel (like Angelo di fuoco).



I appreciate the allusion , but it's Ancient Greek and in my book there's no sign of Christianity yet, only the Greek pantheon.


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## fdb

Think of it this way:

πείθει (active) “he convinces (someone)”

πείθεται (passive) “he is convinced (by someone)”

πείθεται (middle) “he convinces himself (as to the veracity of someone, dative)”


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## Angelo di fuoco

Merci encore unefois. J'essaierai, mais c'est un peu difficile quand même.


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## Αγγελος

πείθεται + dative also means "obeys so-and-so"


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