Eleusis, the city of the Mysteries. And its king, Cercyon, who has never lost a wrestling match.
Theseus: The Road to Athens · C1
Labour Five: The Wrestler
Inversion after never, hardly and not only, cleft sentences, the impersonal passive, the subjunctive, perfect participle clauses, mixed conditionals, didn’t need to and needn’t have, and it’s high time: C1 grammar in the wrestling ring at Eleusis.
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SOPHIA
MARCOS
Never?
The story
After the old stories of Theseus
King Cercyon of Eleusis is said to have killed more than a hundred travellers. He forced every stranger to wrestle with him, and nobody had ever beaten him. Not only was he cruel to strangers, but he was cruel to his own daughter, Alope.
A priestess of Demeter insisted that Theseus be careful. Having watched the king wrestle, Theseus understood his weakness: Cercyon relied on his strength alone.
Hardly had Theseus stepped into the ring when the king charged. But it wasn’t strength that won the match. It was skill. Theseus lifted the huge king off his feet and threw him.
In the end, Theseus didn’t need to use his sword at all: he had left it at the palace gate. If he hadn’t beaten Sciron, he wouldn’t be in Eleusis now.
Inversion after negative adverbs
MARCOS
Never had anyone seen such a wrestler!
SOPHIA
After never, rarely, hardly, not only, little at the start of a sentence, English inverts, like a question: Never had anyone seen… Not only was he cruel… Hardly had he stepped in when…
Cleft sentences; the impersonal passive
PHILO
It wasn’t strength that made Theseus famous. It was skill. And Cercyon is said to have killed a hundred men.
SOPHIA
It is / was + X + that… puts the focus on X. is said / believed to + verb (now), to have + past participle (past), reports what people say.
The subjunctive; participle clauses
DEMETRIA
The priestess insisted that Theseus be careful. Having watched the king, he understood.
SOPHIA
After insist, demand, recommend, suggest, formal English uses the base form: that he be. Having + past participle shows one action finished before another.
Mixed conditionals; needn’t have
MARCOS
If he hadn’t beaten Sciron, he wouldn’t be here now.
SOPHIA
Past condition, present result: a mixed conditional. And careful: didn’t need to use = it wasn’t necessary, so he didn’t. needn’t have used = he did, but it wasn’t necessary.
It’s high time
DEMETRIA
It’s high time somebody stopped that king!
SOPHIA
It’s (high) time + subject + past simple: something should already be happening. The past form, but the meaning is now.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| Never / Hardly / Not only + inversion | emphasis | Never had anyone seen such a wrestler. |
| It was X that… | cleft sentence: focus | It wasn’t strength that won. |
| is said to (have)… | impersonal passive | He is said to have killed a hundred men. |
| insist that + base form | subjunctive | She insisted that he be careful. |
| Having + past participle | earlier action | Having watched him, Theseus… |
| didn’t need to / needn’t have | not necessary (not done / done) | He didn’t need to use his sword. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Never ___ such a crowd in Eleusis.
2. It was Theseus ___ won the match.
3. Cercyon is said ___ a hundred men.
4. The priestess recommended that he ___ at dawn.
5. ___ the king’s weakness, Theseus planned his move.
6. It’s high time the king ___ his cruelty.
B · Write
Write the missing word.
7. Hardly had he entered the king attacked.
8. Not only he strong, but he was clever.
9. If he hadn’t trained, he be the champion now. (mixed)
10. He needn’t brought his sword: he never used it.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Not only he was cruel, but he was proud.”
12. “Having watched the king, Theseus understood.”
13. “She insisted that he is careful.”
Now play Labour Five yourself, in the ring at Eleusis.Play the gamebook →