λαφύσσω
Word
Validation
No
Word-form
λάφυρα
Word-lemma
Etymon-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
laphura
English translation (word)
spoils
Transliteration (Etymon)
laphussō
English translation (etymon)
to gulp down
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"
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
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"