Προστρόπαιος
penitent, avenging
Translated by William Hutton8 Sep 2013Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
[Meaning he who has] turned to [someone], beseeching as a suppliant. Sophocles [writes]: "sit as a penitent, holding in your hands my locks and hers and your own as a third, a supplicatory treasure." A supplicatory possession, which is the hairs.1
And elsewhere: "and avenging [spirits] of those who came to misfortune on his account."2
And elsewhere: "and avenging [spirits] of those who came to misfortune on his account."2
Greek original · Adler’s text
Προστρόπαιος· προστετραμμένος, ἱκέτης παρακαλῶν. Σοφοκλῆς· θάκει δὲ προστρόπαιος, ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων κόμας ἐμὰς καὶ τῆσδε καὶ σαυτοῦ τρίτου, ἱκτήριον θησαυρόν. ἱκέσιον κτῆμα· ὅ ἐστι τὰς τρίχας. καὶ αὖθις· καὶ προστροπαίους τῶν δι' ἐκεῖνον ἠτυχηκότων.
Betacode
*prostro/paios: prostetramme/nos, i(ke/ths parakalw=n. *sofoklh=s: qa/kei de\ prostro/paios, e)n xeroi=n e)/xwn ko/mas e)ma\s kai\ th=sde kai\ sautou= tri/tou, i(kth/rion qhsauro/n. i(ke/sion kth=ma: o(/ e)sti ta\s tri/xas. kai\ au)=qis: kai\ prostropai/ous tw=n di' e)kei=non h)tuxhko/twn.
Notes (2)
- The two quotations offered here exemplify two different connotations of the adjective headword (see n. 1 below). For other forms and relatives of this word see pi 2828, pi 2830, pi 2832, pi 46, alpha 3297.
- 1Sophocles, Ajax 1173-5, with commentary from the scholia. The first gloss, perfect middle participle of the verb
prostre/pw relates to the etymology of the word, which is an adjectival reflex of the same verbal stem meaning 'turn toward'. The adjective can refer to 'turning toward' someone or some authority for absolution, for protection (as here) or for vengeance (as in the next quotation). For the second gloss see also Photius pi1370 and elsewhere. ↩ - 2Polybius 23.10.2, via the Excerpta de virtutibus of Constantine Porphyrogenitus; quoted more fully at pi 3092. ↩
Linked from5 entries
- π46Παλαμναῖοςviolent man[Meaning a] murderer, or one polluted [sc. by blood-guiltiness]. For those who commit homicide with their [sc. bare] hands are called palamnaioi from palamê ["palm of the hand"]. Also [sc. attested is] Zeus Palamnaios,…
- π2828Προστρόπαιονpenitent"Living the penitent life for a woman, she [...]" Meaning supplicatory.
- π2829Προστρόπαιονpollutant[Meaning] a curse, defilement. So Aeschines. And invocation [sc. to a god to remove pollution] is something said because of this: at any rate in the [speech] Against Ktesiphon the orator places the words in parallel.
- π2832Πρόστροποιsuppliants[Meaning they] having fallen down before [someone], having supplicated. Sophocles [writes]: "we all beseech you thus as suppliants, to find some defense for us."
- π3092Ποινήpayment'Payment' is used in reference to a single remittance of money. "[...] he has accepted payment, or for his son who had died." And again: "but the one remains in the community having repaid a great amount, and the heart…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history3 revisions · last 20 Oct 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- expanded n.1; another keyword; tweaking — David Whitehead
- set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — William Hutton