it

[Progress]

I would like to ask native speakers of English the following thing.

And while Egypt submitted to death, Greece resisted and rejoiced and turned full-face to life. For somewhere among those steep stone mountains, in little sheltered valleys where the great hills were like castle walls and men could have security for peace and happy living, something quite new came into the world; the joy of life found expression. Perhaps it was born there, among the shepherds pasturing their flocks where the wild flowers made a glory on the hillside; among the sailors on a sapphire sea washing enchanted islands purple in a luminous air. At any rate, it has left no trace anywhere else in the ancient world. In Greece nothing is more in evidence.
The Greeks were the first people in the world to play, and they played on a great scale. All over Greece there were games, all sort of games………

#1 What does for mean?

#2 What does it stands for? If you had to choose the answer from the joy of life and expression, which is correct. I think it is expression

Thank you very much.

 

[Soup]

I can help out with #2.

something quite new = the joy of life found expression = it

 

[2006]

I would like to ask native speakers of English the following thing.

And while Egypt submitted to death, Greece resisted and rejoiced and turned full-face to life. For somewhere among those steep stone mountains, in little sheltered valleys where the great hills were like castle walls and men could have security for peace and happy living, something quite new came into the world; the joy of life found expression. Perhaps it was born there, among the shepherds pasturing their flocks where the wild flowers made a glory on the hillside; among the sailors on a sapphire sea washing enchanted islands purple in a luminous air. At any rate, it has left no trace anywhere else in the ancient world. In Greece nothing is more in evidence.
The Greeks were the first people in the world to play, and they played on a great scale. All over Greece there were games, all sort of games………

#1 What does for mean?
Here "For" is similar in meaning to 'Because'. But it actually means 'The reason I say this is because'.

#2 What does it stands for? If you had to choose the answer from the joy of life and expression, which is correct. I think it is expression
"it" is 'the expression of the joy of life'. So I agree, and I would also choose "expression" if I had to choose between the two.

Thank you very much.

2006

 

[Progress]

Thank you very much, Soup and 2006 :-o:-o:-o

 

[Progress]

I would like to ask native speakers of English the following.

What does "In Greece nothing is more in evidence" mean? Does it mean "there is full of evidence in greece?"

Thank you very much.

 

[2006]

I would like to ask native speakers of English the following.

What does "In Greece nothing is more in evidence" mean? It means that nothing in Greece is more (noticeable)(easy to see) than the expression of the joy of life.
Thank you very much.

2006

 

[Progress]

Thank you very much, 2006

Othe questions from the same text.

There strongly-built youth strove for an honor so desired as hardly anything else in Greece. An olympic victor - triumphing generals would give place to him. His crown of wild olives was set beside the prize od the tragic poets.

I think the first sentence means " there strongly-built youth strove for an honor which was so desired that there was hardly anything else in Greece. "

I cannot understand the structure of the second sentence, because an olympic victor is separated, but I think him means an olympic victor. Is there a name for such a structure?

What does the meaning of the thrid sentence? Should I take it literally?

Thank you very much.

 

[apex2000]

From your first post 'the joy of life found expression'(A) is not the same as 'the expression of the joy of life'(B). This is a very difficult interpretation. If the wording had been ' the joy of life's expression' then B would be correct. Found expression indicates a range of output. Joy of life is much more than words, pictures, exclamations.
Consequently 'it' refers to joy of life.

Now to your last post.
There strongly-built youth strove for an honor so desired as hardly anything else in Greece. An olympic victor - triumphing generals would give place to him. His crown of wild olives was set beside the prize od the tragic poets.

There, strongly built youth strove for an honour so desired there was hardly anything else in Greece to compare it with.
An Olympic victor - triumphant generals would make way for him. (no name for this - it is simply a way of making the emphasis greater for 'an Olympic victor').
Yes, you can take it literally.

 

[2006]

From your first post 'the joy of life found expression'(A) is not the same as 'the expression of the joy of life'(B). I don't agree. What is the difference? This is a very difficult interpretation. If the wording had been ' the joy of life's expression' then B would be correct. Found expression indicates a range of output. Joy of life is much more than words, pictures, exclamations.
Consequently 'it' refers to joy of life.

2006

 

[apex2000]

The joy of life was not simply expressed; it found expression through 'somewhere among those steep stone mountains, in little sheltered valleys where the great hills were like castle walls and men could have security for peace and happy living, something quite new came into the world'. This is the range of expression.

 

[2006]

The joy of life was not simply expressed; it found expression through 'somewhere among those steep stone mountains, in little sheltered valleys where the great hills were like castle walls and men could have security for peace and happy living, something quite new came into the world'. This is the range of expression.

But what does "the range" of expression have to do with its actual meaning? The expression of the joy of life could be a (single)(simple) expression or a "range" of expressions.

 

[apex2000]

But what does "the range" of expression have to do with its actual meaning? The expression of the joy of life could be a (single)(simple) expression or a "range" of expressions.

In this case it is not a single or simple expression; the quotation has a poetic style; defining the 'meaning' depends upon how each individual understands what is inherent in the script.
Do you have a distinct meaning?