Ἀνεῖλεν
prophesied, took up, took away, killed
Translated by Jennifer Benedict5 Nov 2000Vetting: high12 revisions
Translation
Meaning presaged. For the word has two meanings.1
The Lacedaimonians built a wall across the Isthmus. At first the god prophesied to the Athenians when they consulted the oracle that they should flee, but when they persisted, he responded to them: "far-seeing Zeus grants to the Triton-born [i.e. Athena] that the wooden wall alone will not fall; it will protect you and your children. But do not be idle and wait for the massive cavalry and infantry force coming from the continent, but turn your backs and leave the country: yet sometime you will face them. O divine Salamis, you will destroy the women's children either when Demeter is sowing or when she is reaping."2 Themistocles the son of Neocles, who was disinherited on account of his liberality,3 interpreted these things, saying the wooden walls were the ships. [And he said that] the god would not call Salamis "divine" if she was to destroy the children of the Greeks. He advised them to wage a sea-battle near Salamis (and on account of this he was called wise and was appointed general) and to put aside their enmity for the Aeginetans, and to abandon the city and to leave their families with the Troezenians and the Aeginetans for safe keeping. And again: "The Spartans sent to question the oracle, longing to get a cure for the curse, and it prophesied thus: 'I hold Delos and Calabria the same and sacred Pytho and wind-swept Taenarum.'"4
Since5 there are times whena)nei=len means murdered. But a)nelei=n is prophesying, either from taking up the spirit from above and being filled by the god, or from taking away ignorance. We also say the same a)nelei=n in application to murdering, either from taking away the spirit deep within a man, or from the opposite, from taking up an inquiry. *)Anelei=n is also used for the taking up and raising of exposed babies, and simply whatever someone might take up.6
The Lacedaimonians built a wall across the Isthmus. At first the god prophesied to the Athenians when they consulted the oracle that they should flee, but when they persisted, he responded to them: "far-seeing Zeus grants to the Triton-born [i.e. Athena] that the wooden wall alone will not fall; it will protect you and your children. But do not be idle and wait for the massive cavalry and infantry force coming from the continent, but turn your backs and leave the country: yet sometime you will face them. O divine Salamis, you will destroy the women's children either when Demeter is sowing or when she is reaping."2 Themistocles the son of Neocles, who was disinherited on account of his liberality,3 interpreted these things, saying the wooden walls were the ships. [And he said that] the god would not call Salamis "divine" if she was to destroy the children of the Greeks. He advised them to wage a sea-battle near Salamis (and on account of this he was called wise and was appointed general) and to put aside their enmity for the Aeginetans, and to abandon the city and to leave their families with the Troezenians and the Aeginetans for safe keeping. And again: "The Spartans sent to question the oracle, longing to get a cure for the curse, and it prophesied thus: 'I hold Delos and Calabria the same and sacred Pytho and wind-swept Taenarum.'"4
Since5 there are times when