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Kaegi's Greek Grammar (Dover Language Guides)

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Kaegi published his GREEK GRAMMAR for schools in 1884, and James A. Kleist, S.J. prepared an English translation of it in 1902. As it is public domain now, Dover brought out this reprint in 2007. Kaegi's grammar was meant to be a quick reference grammar suitable for beginners, easier to look details up in than the massive tomes of Goodwin and Gluck or Smyth. An unusual detail in the grammar is some attention to etymology. For example, Kaegi shows how to remember that some Homeric words had digamma by showing that there are Latin cognates with /w/.

I feel that as a classroom quick reference, Kaegi's grammar has been superseded by the Oxford Grammar of Classical Greek. The Oxford layout is easier on the eyes. Kaegi's "tables for repetition", verbs with irregular principles parts, are just a mess. And the typesetting of Kaegi's grammar is made all the worse by Bolchazy-Carducci's poor photocopy. The Oxford grammar for taking to class and the Smyth grammar for working at home are a perfect combination, while in comparison Kaegi seems neither fish nor fowl.

If you *really* want Kaegi's grammar, at least this Dover reprint is cheaper than the Bolchazy-Carducci reprint of the mid-1990s. As both are just facsimiles, it's the exact same thing.