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[203] ζωρότερον: an old crux; the earliest commentary on it is that of Aristotle （Poet. xxv.) “οὐ τὸ ἄκρατον ὡς οἰνόφλυξιν ἀλλὰ τὸ θᾶττον” . Apparently he took it to mean ‘in more lively fashion.’ But he has all Greek usage against him; “ζωρός” is used of strong, unmixed wine from Empedokles downwards (“ζωρά τε πρὶν κέκρητο” quoted by Aristotle ibid.; so Herod.vi. 84 “ἐπεὰν ζωρότερον βούλωνται πιεῖν, “ἐπισκύθισον” λέγουσι”, and numerous other cases in Lexx.; cf. also the discussions in Qu. Conv. v. 4, and Athen. x. 6, p. 423). The question is whether the word is connected with “ζα” (“ζῆν”), lively, or “ζες”, fervent (i.e. “ζο”（“ς”）“αρός”). Both etymologies are tenable (see G. Meyer Gr. § 36, Schulze Q. E. p. 25, cf. Hesych. “ζοή: τὸ ἐπάνω τοῦ μέλιτος”, evidently from “ζες”, with by-form “ζώη”, also = cream). Martial certainly adopted the former, misceri iussit amicis Largius Aeacides vividiusque merum (viii. 6. 11). But the complete restriction to wine is strongly in favour of the latter; against Martial may be quoted Horace, “fervidiore mero,” Epod. xi. 14 . Athenaios loc. cit.) seems to regard the two as identical; “τινὲς .. σημαίνειν φασιν .. θερμὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ζωτικοῦ καὶ τῆς ζέσεως. ἔντυνον”: “ἔντυνε” Bentley.

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

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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • Aristotle, Poetics, 1460b
    • Herodotus, Histories, 6.84
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