ἀσκελής + ἁφή
Word
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Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
English translation (word)
Transliteration (Etymon)
English translation (etymon)
Century
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Quotation
Ἀσκάλαφος· ὁ λίαν σκληρός· παρὰ τὸ ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς (NB : the Et. Magnum has παρὰ τὸ ἀσκαλὲς)
Translation (En)
Ascalaphos "owl": that is too rough; from askelēs "dried up" to the haphē, "touch".
Parallels
Suda, alpha, 4158 (Ἀσκάλαφος: παρὰ τὸ ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς, ὁ λίαν σκληρός); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p.154 (Ἀσκάλαφος: Παρὰ τὸ ἀσκαλὲς τῆς ἁφῆς, ὁ λίαν σκληρός); Etym. Symeonis, vol. 1, p. 250 (ἀσκάλαφος· ὁ λίαν σκληρός· παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς); Ps.-Zonaras, Lexicon, alpha, 311 (Ἀσκάλαφος. ὁ λίαν σκληρὸς, παρὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς); bT Scholion Il, 13.518 (ὁ δ’ Ἀσκάλαφον <βάλε δουρί, / υἱὸν Ἐνυαλίοιο>: τὸν Ἀσκάλαφον καὶ τὸν Ἰάλμενον (cf. Β 512. Ι 82) Ἄρεος λέγων παῖδας οὐδὲν περὶ αὐτῶν φησι, κωμῳδῶν τοὺς δίχα ἀρετῆς ἐπὶ γένει σεμνυνομένους (T). Ἀσκάλαφος δὲ παρὰ τὸ ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς, ὁ λίαν σκληρός (bT)); Geneva Scholion Il. 13.518 (Ἀσκάλαφος δὲ παρὰ τὸ ἀσκελὲς τῆς ἁφῆς, ὁ λίαν σκληρός)
Comment
Ἀσκάλαφος is a seldom word to designate an owl (cf. Arist. HA, II, 12, 30). This etymology is fanciful and relies on a phonetic proximity between ἀσκάλαφος and ἀσκελὴς τῆς ἁφῆς, supported by a semantic explanation: an owl is rough to the touch. It should also be noted the existence of an Homeric homonym warrior, Ascalaphos, from Orchomenus, son of Ares (Il. 2, 512): a scholia advances the same etymology as for the name of the owl: maybe there has been a confusion between both in Greek lexicons. The Latin poet Ovid narrates the metamorphose of an other Ascalaphos, son of the Acheron, in an owl (M. V, 546-550: Ille sibi ablatus fuluis amicitur in alis / Inque caput crescit longosque reflectitur ungues / Vixque mouet natas per inertia bracchia pennas;/ Foedaque fit uolucris, uenturi nuntia luctus,/ Ignauus bubo, dirum mortalibus omen).