Αἴλουρος
cat
Translated by Catharine Roth7 Nov 2000Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
The animal [of that name].
Greek original · Adler’s text
Αἴλουρος· τὸ ζῷον.
Betacode
*ai)/louros: to\ zw=|on.
Notes
- See also kappa 1062, omicroniota 64.
Cats arrived in Europe from Egypt, where they were regarded as sacred. They were familiar in Rome by the first century CE. (Previously, ferrets had performed the function of domestic rodent-control.)
Herodotus has some curious information on cat behavior (Histories 2.66, accessible via LSJ at web address 1 below).