βόσκω

Word

Validation

No

Last modification

Sun, 03/19/2023 - 10:57

Word-form

βῶλος

Word-lemma

LSJ

Etymon-lemma

LSJ

Transliteration (Word)

bōlos

English translation (word)

lump of earth

Transliteration (Etymon)

boskō

English translation (etymon)

to feed

Author

Philoxenus

Century

1 BC

Reference

fr. *75

Edition

C. Theodoridis, Die Fragmente des Grammatikers Philoxenos [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 2. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1976

Source

Orion

Ref.

Etymologicum, beta, p. 35

Ed.

F.W. Sturz, Orionis Thebani etymologicon, Leipzig: Weigel, 1820 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1973): 1-172

Quotation

Bῶλος· παρὰ τὸ βῶ, τὸ τρέφω· αἱ γὰρ βῶλοι τῶν καρπῶν τὰς ἀναδόσεις ποιοῦνται· ὅθεν Ὅμηρος (Ι 329, al.) „ἐρίβωλον“ καὶ „ἐριβώλακα“ (Γ 74, al.) τὴν γῆν λέγει. καὶ παρωνύμως βῶλος βῶλαξ καὶ ἐριβῶλαξ, ὡς λίθος λίθαξ.

Translation (En)

Bōlos "lump of earth": from *bō, "to feed"; because the lumps of earth [bōloi] make crops grow; hence, Homer calls the earth (Il. 9.329, al.) "eribōlon" and "eribōlaka" (Il. 3.74, al.). And by derivation bōlos yields bōlax "lump of earth" and eribōlax "with large clods", as lithos "stone" yields lithax "stony".

Other translation(s)

Bōlos « motte de terre » : de *bō, « nourrir » ; car les mottes de terre [bōloi] font croître les récoltes ; c’est pourquoi Homère appelle la terre (Il. 9.329, al.) « eribōlon » et « eribōlaka » (Il. 3.74, al.). Et par dérivation bōlos donne bōlax « motte de terre » et eribōlax « aux mottes fertiles », comme lithos « pierre » donne lithax « de pierre ».

Comment

Derivational etymology, relying on the fact that the root of βόσκω has a few derivatives built on the stem βω- (συβώτης), and that the word is related to the notion of fertility: the lumps of earth feed the crops as the herdsman feeds his animals

Parallels

Etym. Genuinum, beta 299 (Βῶλος (*Philox. fr. 75)· ἡ γῆ· παρὰ τὸ βῶ, τὸ τρέφω, ὅθεν καὶ βότης καὶ συβώτης καὶ βῶστρον, γίνεται βῶλος καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ βῶλαξ, ὡς λίθος λίθαξ.); Etym. Gudianum, beta, p. 292 (Βῶλος· παρὰ τὸ βῶ τὸ τρέφω· οἱ γὰρ βῶλοι τοὺς καρποὺς ἀνάγουσιν); ibid., beta, p. 292 (Βῶλος· παρὰ τὸ βῶ, τὸ τρέφω· αἱ γὰρ βῶλοι τῶν καρπῶν τὰς ἀναδόσεις ποιοῦνται· ὅθεν Ὅμηρος <I 329 alibi> ἐρίβωλον καὶ <A 155 alibi> ἐριβώλακα τὴν γῆν λέγει· καὶ παρωνύμως βῶλος βῶλαξ καὶ ἐριβῶλαξ, ὡς λίθος λίθαξ); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 217 (Βῶλος: Ἡ γῆ· παρὰ τὸ βῶ, τὸ τρέφω· ὅθεν καὶ βῶστρον. Ἐξ αὐτοῦ βῶλαξ, ὡς λίθος, λίθαξ); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 518 (βῶλος (*Philox. Fr. 75)· ἡ γῆ· παρὰ τὸ βῶ, τὸ τρέφω, ὅθεν καὶ βῶστρον, γίνεται βῶλος, ἐξ αὐτοῦ—519, 4 κοπτομένη.); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, beta, p. 412 (Βῶλος. ὄνομα κύριον. καὶ βῶλος τὸ βωλάκιον, καὶ βῶλος ἡ γῆ. παρὰ τὸ βῶ τὸ τρέφω, ὅθεν καὶ βῶστρον, γίνεται βῶλος, ἐξ αὐτοῦ βῶλαξ, ὡς λίθος λίθαξ)

Modern etymology

Unknown (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Eva Ferrer
View PDF