Diodorus Siculus 17.100.4

[Archimedes]

This clause has usually been translated to mean that since the Macedonians and the king were of the same people, they supported or favored Koragos, a fellow Macedonian:

καὶ τῶν μὲν Μακεδόνων ὁμοεθνῶν ὄντων τῷ Κοράγῳ καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως συμφιλοτιμουμένου,

However, the participle συμφιλοτιμουμένου (middle/passive "join in zealous efforts" = support, favor, root for) is singular, having βασιλέως as its subject. So how do the translators get τῶν Μακεδόνων in there as a subject as well?

[Archimedes]

Here's the link to the Perseus online text, where one can also toggle back and forth to the English translation:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... g=original

[Qimmik]

ὁμοεθνῶν ὄντων τῷ Κοράγῳ is attributive to τῶν Μακεδόνων, not the predicate of the genitive absolute construction. τῶν ... Μακεδόνων is parallel to τοῦ βασιλέως: these are the two subjects of the genitive absolute. Although there are two subjects, συμφιλοτιμουμένου, which is the predicate of the genitive absolute, nevertheless agrees in number with τοῦ βασιλέως because it is nearer to τοῦ βασιλέως, and perhaps also because Alexander is perceived as the most important fan.

There's a certain amount of flexibility in subject-verb agreement where there are more than one subject. See Smyth 967-8 (emphasis added):

967. (II) With several subjects referring to different persons the verb is in the plural; in the first person, if one of the subjects is first person; in the second person, if the subjects are second and third person: “ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐγὼ τάδε λέγομεν” but you and I say this” P. L. 661b, ἡμεῖς καὶ οἵδε οὐκ ἄλλην ἄν τινα δυναίμεθα ᾠδὴν ᾁδειν we and these men could not sing any other song 666 d, οὐ σὺ μόνος οὐδὲ οἱ σοὶ φίλοι πρῶτοι ταύτην δόξαν ἔσχετε not you alone nor your friends are the first who have held this opinion 888 b.

968. But the verb may be singular if it refers to the nearer or more important or more emphatic subject: πάρειμι καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ οὗτος Φρυ_νίσκος καὶ Πολυκράτης. I am present and so are Phryniscus here and Polycrates X. A. 7.2.29.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... ythp%3D967

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... ythp%3D968

Hope this helps.

[Archimedes]

That hits the nail right on the head. Thanks.