Middle point

A more regular system was developed in the schools of Alexandria, its invention being ascribed to Aristophanes of Byzantium (260 B.C.). This was the use of the full point with certain values in certain positions (θέσεις) : the high point (στιγμὴ τελεία), equivalent to a full stop; the point on the line (ὑποστιγμή), a shorter pause, equivalent to our semicolon; and the point in a middle position (στιγμὴ μέση), an ordinary pause, equivalent to our comma. In the Codex Alexandrinus the middle and high points are pretty generally used. But the middle point eventually disappeared; and about the ninth century the comma was introduced.

The point at the top of the line (·) (στιγμὴ τελεία, 'high point’) was a full stop; that on the line (.) (ὑποστιγµή) was equal to our semicolon, while a middle point (στιγµὴ μέση) was equivalent to our comma. But gradually changes came over these stops till the top point was equal to our colon, the bottom point became the full stop, the middle point vanished, and about the ninth century A.D. the comma (,) took its place.

In the earlier system a full stop was represented by a high point (στιγμὴ τελεία); the pause of our semi-colon was represented by a low point (ὑποστιγµή); and the pause of the comma was signaled by a middle point, (στιγµὴ μέση) (though, according to Bruce Metzger, the value assigned to these last two marks could vary among scribes). The use of the middle point eventually died out, its place having been taken by the comma starting about the ninth century. In contrast, Bryennios noted that in H54 the στιγμὴ τελεία/fullstop was represented by a low point; the (more common) pause of a semi-colon was signaled by a στιγµὴ μέση or ἄνω, i.e., a middle or high point; and the modern comma sign had now become the ὑποστιγµη, i.e. the shortest pause.