Καταιβάτης
Descending, Kataibates
Translated by David Whitehead17 Jul 2001Vetting: high5 revisions
Translation
[An epithet of] Zeus amongst Athenians; from his sending-down of thunderbolts. Or from his descending [sc. to earth] through love of women.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Καταιβάτης· Ζεὺς παρ' Ἀθηναίοις· παρὰ τὸ καταβιβάζειν τοὺς κεραυνούς. ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ καταβαίνειν δι' ἔρωτα τῶν γυναικῶν.
Betacode
*kataiba/ths: *zeu\s par' *)aqhnai/ois: para\ to\ katabiba/zein tou\s keraunou/s. h)\ a)po\ tou= katabai/nein di' e)/rwta tw=n gunaikw=n.
Notes
- The two could be the same, as the myth of Zeus and Semele (mother of Dionysos) shows. See OCD(4) s.v. Semele.
For Zeus Kataibates see e.g. Aristophanes, Peace 42 (web address 1), and LSJ s.v. (which shows that the epithet was by no means confined to Athens).
References
W. Burkert, Greek Religion (Cambridge Mass. 1985) 126
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from1 entry
Neighbouring entries
Revision history5 revisions · last 4 Aug 2014
- Revised — David Whitehead
- upgraded link — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- more keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Added link; added italics; raised status — Elizabeth Vandiver
- Translated — David Whitehead