πάθος

Word

Validation

Yes

Word-form

πένθος

Word-lemma

LSJ

Etymon-lemma

LSJ

Transliteration (Word)

penthos

English translation (word)

grief

Transliteration (Etymon)

pathos

English translation (etymon)

passion, emotion

Author

Herodian

Century

2 AD

Reference

Peri pathôn, Lentz III/2, p. 289

Edition

A. Lentz, Grammatici graeci III/2, Leipzig 1870

Source

Epimerismi homerici

Ref.

Epimerismi Homerici ordine alphabetico traditi, pi 107

Ed.

A.R. Dyck, Epimerismi Homerici: Pars altera. Lexicon αἱμωδεῖν [Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker (SGLG) 5.2, Berlin - New York: De Gruyter, 1995: 59-761.

Quotation

πένθος […] ὁ Ἡρωδιανὸς παρὰ τὸ πάθος φησὶ γεγενῆσθαι πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ α εἰς ε πένθος, ὡς βάθος βένθος

Translation (En)

Penthos ("grief")… Herodian says it comes from pathos ("passion"), through adjunction of [n] and change of the [a] into [e], as in bathos ("depth") / benthos ("abyss").

Comment

This is the correct explanation, although the detail of course is not correct from our modern point of view. The relationship between πένθος and πάθος is the same as between βένθος and βάθος. For the Greeks, the less common word form (πένθος, βένθος) must be derived from the more common one (πάθος, βάθος), and the derived form is obtained by adding something to the etymon (here a consonant, [n])

Parallels

Orion, Etymologicum, pi 127 (Ἡρωδιανὸς δὲ φησὶ, παρὰ τὸ πάθος, μεταθέσει πέθος, καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν, πένθος, ὡς βάθος βένθος); Etym. Genuinum, beta 95 (Βένθος (Α 358 ...)· τὸ βάθος· παρὰ τὸ βάθος βέθος καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν βένθος, ὡς πάθος πέθος καὶ πένθος); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 1, 155 (σημείωσαι δὲ ὅτι [τὸ μὲν πένθος ἐκ τοῦ πάθος μετηλλάγη, καθὰ καὶ τὸ βάθος ἐκ τοῦ βένθος, οἷον «ἡμένη ἐν βένθεσιν ἁλός»); Etym. Magum, Kallierges p. 195 (Βένθος: Τὸ βάθος. Παρὰ τὸ βάθος, βέθος, καὶ βένθος πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν, ὡς πάθος, πέθος, καὶ πένθος); ibid. p. 660 (Ὁ δὲ Ἡρωδιανὸς παρὰ τὸ πάθος λέγει); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 426 (βένθος (Α 358)· τὸ βάθος· παρὰ τὸ βάθος βέθος <καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ α εἰς ε> καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν βένθος, ὡς πάθος <πέθος> πένθος ); ibid., epsilon 981, s.v. εὐρώς (καὶ τροπῇ τοῦ α εἰς ε εὐρώς, ὡς πάθος πένθος, καὶ βάθος βένθος); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, pi, p. 1536 (ὁ δὲ Ἡρωδιανὸς, παρὰ τὸ πάθος πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν καὶ τροπῇ πένθος); ibid., beta, p. 384 (Βένθος. τὸ βάθος. παρὰ τὸ βάθος καὶ πλεονασμῷ τοῦ ν βένθος· ὡς πάθος πένθος)

Modern etymology

Πένθος is the older neuter meaning "passion, that which s.o. suffers", whereas πάθος is a remodeled form with a zero grade. The root is that of πάσχω, *bhendh- (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

Πένθος is still used in Modern Greek to designate: 1. 'the grief over a loss of a beloved person', 2. 'the period of time during which several procedures are followed after a person's death, 3. 'the sign of a loss', e.g., a blak ribbon on the slieve.

Entry By

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