Ὀρείχαλκος
mountain-bronze
Translated by Ronald Allen12 Apr 2010Vetting: high8 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] bronze that is radiant.1
The excellent [kind].
"Having hollowed out a trunk of a pine tree, they fit mountain-bronze bells into it."2
In the Epigrams: "these chattering cymbals of mountian-bronze and a perfumed lock of hair he [Gallus, priest of Rhea] dedicates."3
Also [sc. attested is the phrase] 'mountain-bronze stele'.4
The excellent [kind].
"Having hollowed out a trunk of a pine tree, they fit mountain-bronze bells into it."2
In the Epigrams: "these chattering cymbals of mountian-bronze and a perfumed lock of hair he [Gallus, priest of Rhea] dedicates."3
Also [sc. attested is the phrase] 'mountain-bronze stele'.4
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὀρείχαλκος· ὁ διαυγὴς χαλκός. ὁ δόκιμος. φιτρὸν ἐλάτης κοιλάναντες ἐναρμόζουσιν εἰς αὐτὸν κώδωνας ὀρειχάλκους. ἐν Ἐπιγράμμασι· ταῦτ' ὀρειχάλκου λάλα κύμβαλα καὶ μυρόεντα βόστρυχον θήκατο. καὶ Ὀρείχαλκος στήλη.
Betacode
*)orei/xalkos: o( diaugh\s xalko/s. o( do/kimos. fitro\n e)la/ths koila/nantes e)narmo/zousin ei)s au)to\n kw/dwnas o)reixa/lkous. e)n *)epigra/mmasi: tau=t' o)reixa/lkou la/la ku/mbala kai\ muro/enta bo/struxon qh/kato. kai\ *)orei/xalkos sth/lh.
Notes (4)
- The headword is a masculine noun (but also serving an adjectival usage here) in the nominative singular; see LSJ s.v. The word is evidently a compound of
o)/ros (mountain) andxalko/s (bronze), but it was misinterpreted by the Romans to be aurichalcum, or gold-bronze; see OED s.v. aurichalcite. There is in fact no gold component; the mineral is a cuprous hydrozincite (Dana et al., p. 712). - 1The headword is identically glossed in the Synagoge, Lexica Segueriana 320.5, and Photius' Lexicon (omicron453 Theodoridis, with other references there). Adler also cites the unpublished Ambrosian Lexicon (424). ↩
- 2Quotation (again at tau 1164) unidentifiable. ↩
- 3Greek Anthology 6.234.5-6 (Gow and Page, vol. I, pp. 250-1), attributed to Erucius. A Gallus (Gallos) was a priest of Rhea, the Minoan goddess equivalent to the Phrygian Kybele (Cybele), and the sister of Cronus. See OCD(4) s.v. Cronus; gamma 41; and Gow and Page, vol. II, pp. 285-6. ↩
- 4The phrase is not otherwise attested in this precise form, but surely derives from Plato, Critias 119C: the laws of Poseidon are inscribed
e)n sth/lh| ... o)reixalki/nh| in his temple at the center of the island of Atlantis (web address 1). ↩
References
J.D. Dana, G.J. Brush, E.S. Dana, A System of Mineralogy, 5th ed., New York: Wiley & Son, 1869
A.S.F. Gow and D.L. Page, The Greek Anthology: The Garland of Philip, vol. I, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968
A.S.F. Gow and D.L. Page, The Greek Anthology: The Garland of Philip, vol. II, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968
A.S.F. Gow and D.L. Page, The Greek Anthology: The Garland of Philip, vol. I, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968
A.S.F. Gow and D.L. Page, The Greek Anthology: The Garland of Philip, vol. II, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from3 entries
- γ41ΓάλλοςGallus[Meaning a] eunuch. In the Epigrams: "Gallus the long-haired, the lately-cut, a Lydian from Tmolus who once shrieked long for dancers." Also [sc. attested is the plural] Galloi ["Galli"], eunuchs. "Gnaeus [Manlius], the…
- κ2680ΚύμβαλαcymbalsMusical instruments. In the Epigrams: "and sharp-clashing, hollow-lipped cymbals."
- φ472Φιτρῶνof boles, of logs[Meaning] of tree-trunks, of timbers.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history8 revisions · last 2 Mar 2023
- coding — Catharine Roth
- tweak n.3 — Ronald Allen
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- codings — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- Revised — David Whitehead
- coding, upgraded link — Catharine Roth
- another keyword; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Ronald Allen