Mark 4:26

Should cast [β α λ η]. Lit., should have cast, the aorist tense, followed by the presents sleep and rise [κ α θ ε υ δ η α ν δ ε γ ε ι ρ η τ α ι]. The whole, literally, "As if a man should have cast seed into the ground, and should be sleeping and rising night and day." The aorist tense indicates the single act of casting; the presents the repeated, continued sleeping and rising while the seed is growing.

Seed [τ ο ν σ π ο ρ ο ν]. The seed; that particular seed which he had to sow. Such is the force of the article.