φεύγω + ἴλη

Validation

Yes

Last modification

Tue, 06/01/2021 - 15:39

Word-form

φύξηλις

Transliteration (Word)

phuxēlis

English translation (word)

runaway

Transliteration (Etymon)

pheugō + ilē

English translation (etymon)

to flee + troop

Author

Porphyrius

Century

3 AD

Source

Idem

Ref.

Quaestionum Homericarum ad Iliadem pertinentium reliquiae, 17.143

Ed.

H. Schrader, Porphyrii quaestionum Homericarum ad Iliadem pertinentium reliquiae, Leipzig: Teubner, 1880.

Quotation

φύξηλις ἐστὶν ὁ φεύγων τὰς ἴλας, δειλὸς δὲ ὁ δεδιὼς τὰς ἴλας, μενεδήιος δὲ ὁ ὑπομένων τὴν δηιοτῆτα, ἐσθλὸς δὲ ὁ ἐθελοντὴς μαχόμενος, οἱονεὶ ἐθελός

Translation (En)

Phuxēlis "runaway" is the one who flees (pheugōn) before the troops (ilas), deilos "coward" is the one who fears (dediōs) the troops (ilas), menedēios "staunch" the one who awaits firmly the battle, esthlos "brave" the one who fights willingly, as though it were *ethelos

Comment

Compositional etymology relating correctly the word with φεύγω. The end of the word is identified as ἴλη "troop", yielding a Verb-Object compound of a regular type. It is semantically consistent. The etymology is paired with a parallel one for δειλός and maybe designed after it. Eustathius contests this etymology on phonetic grounds (see Parallels)

Parallels

Etym. Gudianum, phi, p. 559 (Φύξιλις, ὁ φυγὰς, ἄνανδρος, παρὰ τὸ φεύγειν τὰς ἰλὰς, ἤγουν τὰς συστροφὰς τοῦ πολέμου); Etym. Magnum, Kallierges, p. 802 (Φύξηλιν ἐόντα: Ἄνανδρον, φυγόν· παρὰ τὸ φεύγειν τὰς ἴλας. Καὶ φύξιν, τὴν φυγήν); Eustathius, Comm. Il. 3, 232 Van der Valk (Ἰστέον δὲ καὶ ὅτι τὸ «δειλός», ὁ δεδιὼς τὰς ἴλας, ὁ καὶ φύξηλις, ἐξ οὗ καὶ ἡ δειλία καὶ τὸ δειλαίνεσθαι, παρὰ τοῖς μεθ’ Ὅμηρον μάλιστα ἐπλεόνασεν); ibid., 4, 30 (Φύξηλις δὲ, εἰ μὲν ὁ φεύγων ἅλις, ἔχεται λόγου τὸ διὰ τοῦ ἦτα γράφεσθαι τὴν παραλήγουσαν, εἰ δὲ ὁ φεύγων ἴλας, ἤγουν τὰς ἐν πολέμῳ τάξεις, κατὰ τὸν παρὰ Πορφυρίῳ λόγον, ἔχει ἀπορίαν ἡ γραφή); Scholia Od. θ 351 Pontani (ἢ ὅτι δειλαὶ τῶν δειλῶν αἱ ἐγγύαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐγγυᾶσθαι τῶν δειλῶν ὑπάρχει. “δειλὸς” δὲ παρὰ τὸ “δεδιέναι τὰς ἴλας”, ὡς καὶ “φύξηλις”); Scholia in Claudium Aelianum 1.43 (‹φυγή·› ἀπὸ τοῦ φεύγω φυγή, ὅθεν καὶ φύξιλις ποιητικῶς, ὃ κοινῶς λέγεται δειλός· τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ φεύγειν τὰς ἴλας, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ δεδιέναι αὐτάς. ἐναντία τούτοις ποιητικῶς μὲν τὸ ἐσθλὸς ὁ ἐθελοντὴς δηλαδὴ μαχόμενος, κοινῶς δὲ τὸ ἀνδρεῖος.

Modern etymology

Derivative of φεύγω, belonging with φυγή, φύζα, πρόσφυξ. PIE *bheug- "to flee", cognate with Lat. fugio (Beekes, EDG)

Persistence in Modern Greek

No

Entry By

Le Feuvre