Τερθρεία
hair-splitting, quibbling
Translated by David Whitehead24 Mar 2010Vetting: high4 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] verbal pedantry; for there is a particular light rope on ships, which is called a terthron. Some say that [terthra are] the upper holes of the mechanism on the mast, from which hangs the mast's yardarm; but others say that terthreia is waffling. Also [sc. people refer to] the so-called battle in the two parts. But1 some [say] that it was customary for the ephebes, after they had become border-patrollers of the territory, to go on campaign, if a war occurred, but not with the others; instead, in 'parts' not exposed to the dangers of the battle. Hence the campaign [sc. of this kind] is called the one 'in the parts'.2 [Terthreia] also means deceit, and meddling.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Τερθρεία· ἡ λεπτολογία· ἔστι γάρ τι σχοινίον ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις λεπτόν, ὃ καλεῖται τέρθρον. φασὶ δέ τινες τὰ ἄνω τρημάτια τοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἱστῷ ὀργάνου, ἀφ' οὗ ἤρτηται τοῦ ἱστοῦ ἡ κεραία· ἄλλοι δὲ τερθρείαν φασὶ τὴν φλυαρίαν. καὶ τὴν ἐν τοῖς δύο μέρεσι καλουμένην μάχην. οἱ δέ, ὅτι ἔθος ἦν τοὺς ἐφήβους μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι περιπόλους τῆς χώρας στρατεύεσθαι μέν, εἰ συμβαίη πόλεμος, μὴ μέντοι μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ἄλλ' ἰδίᾳ ἐν μέρεσι τοῖς ἀκινδύνοις τῆς μάχης. διὸ τὴν στρατιὰν καλεῖσθαι τὴν ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι. σημαίνει καὶ ἀπάτη, καὶ περιεργία.
Betacode
*terqrei/a: h( leptologi/a: e)/sti ga/r ti sxoini/on e)n toi=s ploi/ois lepto/n, o(\ kalei=tai te/rqron. fasi\ de/ tines ta\ a)/nw trhma/tia tou= e)pi\ tw=| i(stw=| o)rga/nou, a)f' ou(= h)/rthtai tou= i(stou= h( kerai/a: a)/lloi de\ terqrei/an fasi\ th\n fluari/an. kai\ th\n e)n toi=s du/o me/resi kaloume/nhn ma/xhn. oi( de/, o(/ti e)/qos h)=n tou\s e)fh/bous meta\ to\ gene/sqai peripo/lous th=s xw/ras strateu/esqai me/n, ei) sumbai/h po/lemos, mh\ me/ntoi meta\ tw=n a)/llwn, a)/ll' i)di/a| e)n me/resi toi=s a)kindu/nois th=s ma/xhs. dio\ th\n stratia\n kalei=sqai th\n e)n toi=s me/resi. shmai/nei kai\ a)pa/th, kai\ periergi/a.
Notes (2)
- Same entry in Photius (tau174 Theodoridis); similar ones elsewhere.
cf. generally tau 343 (and under iota 15). - 1A clause seems to be missing here: see Theodoridis. ↩
- 2On ephebes (and 'border-patrollers', peripoloi) cf. epsilon 3888, epsilon 3889, epsilon 3890, pi 1259, pi 1260, pi 1261. ↩
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Revision history4 revisions · last 9 Jan 2014
- Revised — David Whitehead
- augmented notes; another keyword — David Whitehead
- another x-ref — David Whitehead
- set status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — David Whitehead