Vita e Pensiero

This paper argues that ἐλασιβρόντας, a Pindaric epithet of Zeus, has to be interpreted as ‘guiding the thunder’. The examination of Greek phraseological material points out that a horse-riding metaphor may underlie the compound...

This paper suggests a comparative perspective on the interpretation of Athena Ἀξιόποινος (Paus. III 15, 6) as ‘who gives/has appropriate reparation’. In particular, the common features shared by the Anatolian goddess Maliya (= Gk. Athena) and A. Ἀξιόποινος will be discussed...

This paper analyses a Greek funerary epigram from Laodicea (SGO 14/06/12) which shows the introduction of evident Christian elements within a classical background. The short inscription is characterized by a traditional epic and epigrammatic language and other expressions derived from Christianity, such as the name of Christ, the reference to the ecclesiastical role of a character, and above all to the resurrection, leading, thus, to a new temporary function of the tomb, which protects the body of the deceased only until his return to life...

The aim of this paper is to provide some new elements to understand why in Vergil’s Fabula Aristaei (Georg. IV 315-558) we are told the never before coupled myths of Aristaeus and Orpheus, which have the task to explain the aition of bougonia. One key element could be the ancient mythical (i.e. Greek) and linguistic (i.e. Aeagean-Canaanite) homology by which we are shown that the *bee and the *nymph were paired, actually being the same creature (νύμφη-μέλισσα = the honey-making bee) that only later split into two different features...

The obscure epithet Ἐπιρνύτιος· Ζεὺς ἐν Κρήτῃ (Hesychius), to be analysed as Ἐπι-ρνύτιος (as proposed by Martín S. Ruipérez) conceals [epırnutios], i.e. an old compound with ἐπι°, the second member of which is an onomastic derivative of °ρνυ- (*°Hr-nu-), which may be traced back to *°h3r-nu- (ὄρνυ-) or to *°h1r-nu- (ἔρετο· ὡρμήθη)...

In the island of Anafi, belonging to the Cyclades, are attested two epithets of Apollo, Αἰγλήτης and Ἀσγελάτας. In this paper, I argue that these two terms are indipendent from each other in both meaning and etymology. It is likely that they represent two different cults of Apollo which developed in the island during the archaic period. Over time the cults lose their distinctive features and the formal similarity of the words leads to the overlapping of the two epithets...

Apollodorus’ interpretation of Hermes’ epithets ἀκάκητα, σῶκος and ἐριούνιος, from his theological treatise Περὶ θεῶν, can be reconstructed comparing the most important (and chronological near) witnesses of the work, the Homeric lexicon by Apollonius the Sophist (I sec. AD?), Cornutus’ allegorical manual (I sec. AD) and the Homeric allegories by Eraclitus (I-II AD). Apollonius’ lexicon is fundamental, inasmuch its author is not interested in altering Apollodorus’ interpretations. According to this reconstruction, Apollodorus intented ἐριούνιος as the «helpful» (from ὀνίνημι), σῶκος as the «strong» (from the Attic verb σωκέω, «to have the strength») – in this case Cornutus is useful to integrate Apollonius’ text – ἀκάκητα as the «giver of no evil» (perfectly complementary of the Homeric epithet δώτωρ ἐάων, «giver of goods»). These epithets reflect the highly positive nature of the god, seen by Apollodorus as the «reason» (λόγος). F. 5 Bernabé from the poem Phoronis, quoted in Et.M. s.v. ἐριούνιος, probably is mediated through Apollodorus’ Περὶ θεῶν (Appendix)...