ἀεί + εἰμί
Word
Validation
Yes
Word-form
αἶσαν
Word-lemma
Transliteration (Word)
aisa
English translation (word)
destiny, share
Transliteration (Etymon)
aei + eimi
English translation (etymon)
always + to be
Century
ca 1 BC
Source
Idem
Ref.
De mundo 401b Bekker
Ed.
W.L. Lorimer, Aristotelis qui fertur libellus de mundo, Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1933
Quotation
καὶ Μοῖραν μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ μεμερίσθαι, Νέμεσιν δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἑκάστῳ διανεμήσεως, Ἀδράστειαν δὲ ἀναπόδραστον αἰτίαν οὖσαν κατὰ φύσιν, Αἶσαν δὲ ἀεὶ οὖσαν
Translation (En)
and Moira is called after the fact that it is the separate share, Nemesis from the distribution to everyone, Adrasteia because she is by nature the cause which no-one can avoid, and Aisa "destiny" because she is the "ever" (aei) "existing" (ousan)
Parallels
Stobaeus, Anthologium 1.5.22 (idem); Etym. Gudianum, alpha, p. 54 (Αἶσαν· μοῖραν βίου ἀεὶ οὖσαν)
Modern etymology
Within Greek, αἶσα belongs with αἴνυμαι "to take", αἰτία "cause", ἔξαιτος "chosen", αἰτέω "to ask", but the relationship is no longer perceived by speakers. PIE *h2ei- "to take" (Beekes, EDG)
Persistence in Modern Greek
Adjective "αίσιος", 'propitious, favorable' and nouns such as "αισιοδοξία", 'positivism' are used in Modern Greek.
Entry By
Le Feuvre
Comment
Compositional etymology keeping only the beginning of the first element [ai] and the end of the second one [sa]. Destiny is etymologized by reference to its being eternal, and even superior to the gods' will