Καταπέλτης
catapult
Translated by David Whitehead30 May 2008Vetting: high5 revisions
Translation
A kind of punitive-device.1
Also [sc. attested is]katapelta/sousin , meaning they will use javelins, they will overcome in war; for a pelte [is] a kind of machine, from which they launch javelins etc. Or [sc. meaning] they will overrun; for a pelte [is] a small shield which has no strap.2
Also [sc. attested is]katapeltafe/tai ["artillerymen"], [meaning] the men who despatch these things.3
"He appointed champions, who had thick wooden [spears] two cubits long and overlaid with iron, which they were intending to stick at close range, like catapults, into the elephants."4
The Logothete says in the Martyrdom of St. Thyrsus: "with hands in fetters, feet in catapults".5
Also [sc. attested is]
Also [sc. attested is]
"He appointed champions, who had thick wooden [spears] two cubits long and overlaid with iron, which they were intending to stick at close range, like catapults, into the elephants."4
The Logothete says in the Martyrdom of St. Thyrsus: "with hands in fetters, feet in catapults".5
Greek original · Adler’s text
Καταπέλτης· εἶδος κολαστηρίου. καὶ Καταπελτάσουσιν, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀκοντίσουσι, καταπολεμήσουσι· πέλτη γὰρ εἶδος μηχανῆς, ἀφ' ἧς ἀκόντια καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ ἀφιᾶσιν. ἢ καταδραμοῦνται· πέλτη γὰρ ἀσπὶς μικρὰ μὴ ἔχουσα ἱμάντα. καὶ Καταπελταφέται, οἱ ταῦτα πέμποντες. ἵστη δὲ προμάχους, ξύλα παχέα ἔχοντας διπήχεα σεσιδηρωμένα, ἃ ἔμελλον ὡς καταπέλτας ἐκ χειρὸς ἐς τοὺς ἐλέφαντας προσκολλᾶν. ὁ δὲ Λογοθέτης λέγει ἐν τῷ τοῦ ἁγίου Θύρσου μαρτυρίῳ· δεσμοῖς χειρῶν, καταπέλταις ποδῶν.
Betacode
*katape/lths: ei)=dos kolasthri/ou. kai\ *katapelta/sousin, a)nti\ tou= a)konti/sousi, katapolemh/sousi: pe/lth ga\r ei)=dos mhxanh=s, a)f' h(=s a)ko/ntia kai\ a)/lla tina\ a)fia=sin. h)\ katadramou=ntai: pe/lth ga\r a)spi\s mikra\ mh\ e)/xousa i(ma/nta. kai\ *katapeltafe/tai, oi( tau=ta pe/mpontes. i(/sth de\ proma/xous, cu/la paxe/a e)/xontas diph/xea sesidhrwme/na, a(\ e)/mellon w(s katape/ltas e)k xeiro\s e)s tou\s e)le/fantas proskolla=n. o( de\ *logoqe/ths le/gei e)n tw=| tou= a(gi/ou *qu/rsou marturi/w|: desmoi=s xeirw=n, katape/ltais podw=n.
Notes (5)
- 1Likewise in other lexica; see the references at Photius kappa325 Theodoridis. The headword is used in this sense at e.g. Diodorus Siculus 20.71.2 (on Agathocles); and cf. below at n. 5. ↩
- 2Aristophanes, Acharnians 160, with scholion. (The second of the two explanations given is the better, since
katapelta/sousin here needs to be construed as 'they will overcome with peltasts'.) See also pi 954, pi 955, pi 956. ↩ - 3Nominative plural of this very rare noun, presumably extracted from somewhere. ↩
- 4Repeated, in modified form, from alpha 4555: see the note there. ↩
- 5Symeon Metaphrastes PG 116.553c. ↩
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Revision history5 revisions · last 29 Apr 2016
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- tweaked a note — David Whitehead
- more x-refs — David Whitehead
- cosmetics, status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead