Βοήθοον

hastening to the battle cry; aiding

Translated by Jennifer Benedict · 18 Apr 2002 · Vetting: high · 9 revisions

Translation

Meaning I/they used to run in battle. But not e)boh/qoun ["I/they used to hasten to the battle cry"], that is, I/they used to be [someone's] ally.¹
Also [sc. attested is] bohqei= ["he/she/it hastens to the battle cry for"]: [used] with a dative. Meaning fights.² "This flock of women at the door hastens once again to the battle cry."³

Greek original

Βοήθοον· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐν μάχῃ ἔτρεχον. ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τὸ ἐβοήθουν, τουτέστι συνεμάχουν. καὶ Βοηθεῖ· δοτικῇ. ἀντὶ τοῦ μάχεται. ἐσμὸς γυναικῶν οὑτοσὶ θύρασι βοηθεῖ.

Betacode

*boh/qoon: a)nti\ tou= e)n ma/xh| e)/trexon. a)ll' ou)xi\ to\ e)boh/qoun, toute/sti sunema/xoun. kai\ *bohqei=: dotikh=|. a)nti\ tou= ma/xetai. e)smo\s gunaikw=n ou(tosi\ qu/rasi bohqei=.

Notes (3)

On this compound adjective and others from boh/, 'a cry (for help or for the start of battle)', and qe/w, 'I run, dart', see P. Chantraine, Dictionnaire étymologique 182-83, 433. These compounds are also used for remedies in medicine.
1This would be odd glossing for a headword transmitted as bohqo/on, i.e. an adjective in the accusative singular. Hesychius has it also, but with suitable glossing ("swift in the battle"), and Latte regards it as quoted from Homer, Iliad 17.481. As regards the Suda, though, Adler notes that boh/qoon was printed as boh/qeon in the editio princeps. Apparently the Suda compiler thought the headword was an unaugmented imperfect from a verb bohqo/w (or bohqe/w), to be distinguished from the verb bohqe/w that means "help." ↩
2This is rather misleading: the dative with bohqe/w, 'I hasten to the battle cry for', refers to the person being aided while the dative with ma/xomai, 'I fight', refers to the person being fought against. ↩
3Aristophanes, Lysistrata 353 (see web address 1 below for the text), with comment from the scholia there. Henderson in his edition ad loc. points out that there are two words e(smo/s, one apparently from e(/zomai and meaning any crowd that settles, such as a swarm of bees (apparently that intended here), the other from i(/hmi of streams of liquid such as milk and honey that are released. Is there by any chance a pun on women's milk that arrives at the cry of a baby, the only cry that (properly domesticated) women should run to?

↩

References

Aristophanes, Lysistrata, edited with introduction and commentary by Jeffrey Henderson (Oxford 1987)

External resources

Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu

Linked from (1)

β359ΒοηθῶI aid; I hasten to the battle cry

Neighbours in Adler order

β355Βοαδρόμοςone running to help β356Βοηδρομεῖνto run to help β357ΒοηδρομίαBoedromia β358Βοήθοονhastening to the battle cry; aiding β359ΒοηθῶI aid; I hasten to the battle cry β360Βόθυνοςbothunos β361Βολβόςbulb, tuber

Revisions (9)

21 Sep 2015David Whitehead
28 Jun 2012Catharine Rothtweaked and expanded note 1, upgraded link
29 May 2012David Whiteheadanother note, now n.1; tweaking
26 Jul 2006David Whiteheadmore keywords
17 Dec 2002David Whiteheadadded bibliography and keyword; cosmetics
16 Dec 2002Catharine Rothcosmetics
16 Dec 2002Robert DyerAdded initial etymological note, extended note 2, cosmetics, raised status
18 Apr 2002Jennifer Benedicttranslated

Translation

Greek original

Betacode

*boh/qoon: a)nti\ tou= e)n ma/xh| e)/trexon. a)ll' ou)xi\ to\ e)boh/qoun, toute/sti sunema/xoun. kai\ *bohqei=: dotikh=|. a)nti\ tou= ma/xetai. e)smo\s gunaikw=n ou(tosi\ qu/rasi bohqei=.

Notes (3)

On this compound adjective and others from boh/, 'a cry (for help or for the start of battle)', and qe/w, 'I run, dart', see P. Chantraine, Dictionnaire étymologique 182-83, 433. These compounds are also used for remedies in medicine.

1This would be odd glossing for a headword transmitted as bohqo/on, i.e. an adjective in the accusative singular. Hesychius has it also, but with suitable glossing ("swift in the battle"), and Latte regards it as quoted from Homer, Iliad 17.481. As regards the Suda, though, Adler notes that boh/qoon was printed as boh/qeon in the editio princeps. Apparently the Suda compiler thought the headword was an unaugmented imperfect from a verb bohqo/w (or bohqe/w), to be distinguished from the verb bohqe/w that means "help." ↩

2This is rather misleading: the dative with bohqe/w, 'I hasten to the battle cry for', refers to the person being aided while the dative with ma/xomai, 'I fight', refers to the person being fought against. ↩

3Aristophanes, Lysistrata 353 (see web address 1 below for the text), with comment from the scholia there. Henderson in his edition ad loc. points out that there are two words e(smo/s, one apparently from e(/zomai and meaning any crowd that settles, such as a swarm of bees (apparently that intended here), the other from i(/hmi of streams of liquid such as milk and honey that are released. Is there by any chance a pun on women's milk that arrives at the cry of a baby, the only cry that (properly domesticated) women should run to?