λαφύσσω

Validation

No

Last modification

Sat, 12/30/2023 - 21:52

Word-form

λάφυρα

Transliteration (Word)

laphura

English translation (word)

spoils

Transliteration (Etymon)

laphussō

English translation (etymon)

to gulp down

Author

Athenaeus

Century

2-3 AD

Source

idem

Ref.

Deipnosophistae 8.64

Ed.

G. Kaibel, Athenaei Naucratitae deipnosophistarum libri xv, 3 vols., Leipzig: Teubner, 1-2:1887; 3:1890 (repr. 1-2:1965; 3:1966)

Quotation

λαφύττειν γὰρ καὶ λαπάζειν τὸ ἐκκενοῦν καὶ ἀναλίσκειν, ὅθεν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πορθεῖν τὸ ἀλαπάζειν οἱ ποιηταὶ τάττουσι, καὶ τὰ διαρπαζόμενα κατὰ τὴν λάφυξιν λάφυρα

Translation (En)

Laphuttein "to gulp down" and lapazein mean "to empty" and "to spend" – this is why the poets use alapazein for "to plunder" – and what is seized in the voracity are the laphura "spoils"

Comment

Derivational etymology, because the two words have the same beginning /laph/. The etymon means "to devour" and the lemma "spoils", hence "booty", which is taken away and metaphorically "devoured"

Parallels

Eustathius, Comm. Od., vol. 1, p. 52 (ὅθεν καὶ τὰ διαρπαζόμενα ἐν τῷ ἀλαπάζεσθαι ἤγουν πορθεῖσθαι πόλιν, λάφυρα λέγεται παρὰ τὴν λάφυξιν)

Modern etymology

Unclear (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

MG still has λάφυρο "spoils" as a learned word

Entry By

Le Feuvre