previous next

[242] ἰόμωροι: a word of uncertain sense and derivation recurring only 14.479. We have “ἐγχεσίμωρος” 2.692, Od. 3.188, etc., “ὑλακόμωροι” of dogs Od. 14.29, and “σινάμωρος” in Herod. and Attic. (1) The analogy of “ἐγχεσίμωρος” makes it probable that the first element of the word is “ἰός”, an arrow, though this always has “ι_” in H.; we find, however, “ι^οχέαιρα” in Pindar (P. ii. 9). (2) Others refer it to “ἰά, ἰή”, voice, a rare word found in an oracle in Herod. (i. 85) and once or twice in Trag. “ὑλακόμωροι” is then analogous. (3) Död. “ἴον”, of the dark colour of the hair, comparing “ἰοπλόκαμος”, but this is improbable. The second element is equally uncertain; the derivations suggested are (a) smar, “μερ”, to think of, cf. “μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμἡς”, thinking of arrows, i.e. devoted to fighting with the bow. To call a hoplite an archer was to accuse him of cowardice, see the taunt of Diomedes to Paris, 11.385-7; cf. also 13.713-21. For the vowel cf. “δῶμα” by “δέμω”. Curt. compares for the weakened sense of the root the compounds of “φρήν, μελίφρων”, etc. (b) “μαρ” of “μάρναμαι”, fighting with arrows, or with shouts; but this hardly suits either “ὑλακόμωρος” or “σινάμωρος”. (c) “μαρ”, to glitter, “μαρμαίρω”, etc. So Ameis and Goebel with (2), eminent in shouting (and nothing else). (d) Skt. mUras, stormy, eager, earnest (Fick, Brugmann), for “μοϝ-ρος”, conn. with Latin mov-eo (cf. “μῶρον: τὸ ὀξύ, Κύπριοι” Hes., Et. M.), eager with arrows. This latter sense appears to suit all uses best, if the Skt. analogy can be relied upon, which is far from certain. ἐλεγχέες, MSS., but the correct form is certainly “ἐλέγχεα”, things of shame; the neuter adds a sting. The phrase recurs in 2.235, 5.787, 8.228, 24.260, and so we should read in 24.239. “ἐλεγχέες” is apparently a mere fiction invented to avoid a hiatus which is perfectly legitimate in the bucolic diaeresis; it is besides open to the same objection as “ψευδέσσι”, 235.

The Iliad, edited, with apparatus criticus, prolegomena, notes, and appendices. Walter Leaf. London. Macmillan. 1900.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide References (11 total)
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: