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996. Collective Singular.—A noun in the singular may denote a number of persons or things: ““ὁ Μῆδος” the Medes” T. 1.69, τὸ Ἑλληνικόν the Greeks 1. 1, τὸ βαρβαρικόν the barbarians 7. 29, ἡ πλίνθος the bricks 3. 20, ““ἵππον ἔχω εἰς χι_λία_ν” I have about a thousand horse” X. C. 4.6.2, ““μυ_ρία_ ἀσπίς” ten thousand heavy armed” X. A. 1.7.10. On the plural verb with collectives, see 950. Cp. 1024, 1044.

a. So with the neuter participle: τὸ μαχόμενον almost = ““οἱ μαχόμενοι” the combatants” T. 4.96.

b. The name of a nation with the article may denote one person as the representative (King, etc.) of a class: ὁ Μακεδών the Macedonian (Philip) D. 7.6.

American Book Company, 1920.

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