Σκάλοπας
diggers, mole-rats
Translated by Ronald Allen31 Oct 2013Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] certain mice, which we call blind-rats.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Σκάλοπας· μύας τινάς, οὓς φαμὲν ἀσπάλακας.
Betacode
*ska/lopas: mu/as tina/s, ou(\s fame\n a)spa/lakas.
Notes
- The headword is the accusative plural of the masculine noun
ska/loy (digger); see generally LSJ s.v.
The entry exactly follows the scholia to Aristophanes, Acharnians 879 (web address 1), where the headword occurs (in the context of the Theban trader offeringska/lopas , mole-rats, for sale to Dicaeopolis, apparently as a food item).
The blind-rat seems to be Spalax typhlus, the blind mole rat of eastern Europe and Asia; see LSJ s.v.a)spa/lac . Aristotle, History of Animals 605b31 (Balme, pp. 196-7), notes that this species thrives in Orchomenus, Boeotia (Barrington Atlas map 55 grid D4), northwest of Attica.
References
D.M. Balme, trans. & ed., Aristotle: History of Animals, Books VII-X, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1991
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Neighbouring entries
Revision history4 revisions · last 29 Dec 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- typo — Catharine Roth
- tweaks and cosmetics; raised status — David Whitehead
- coding, supplied link — Catharine Roth
- Translated — Ronald Allen