PURA. Purism In Antiquity: Theories Of Language in Greek Atticist Lexica and their Legacy

Lexicographic entries

λιθάριον, λιθίδιον
(Phryn. Ecl. 398)

A. Main sources

(1) Phryn. Ecl. 398: λιθάριον πάνυ φυλάττου λέγειν, λιθίδιον δὲ λέγε.

Definitely guard yourself from saying λιθάριον (‘pebble’, ‘gem’), say instead λιθίδιον.


B. Other erudite sources

(1) Thom.Mag. 222.15: λιθίδιον λέγε, ἀλλὰ μὴ λιθάριον.

Say λιθίδιον, but do not [say] λιθάριον.


C. Loci classici, other relevant texts

(1) Pl. Phd. 110d.7–e.2: ὧν καὶ τὰ ἐνθάδε λιθίδια εἶναι ταῦτα τὰ ἀγαπώμενα μόρια, σάρδιά τε καὶ ἰάσπιδας καὶ σμαράγδους καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα· ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐδὲν ὅτι οὐ τοιοῦτον εἶναι καὶ ἔτι τούτων καλλίω.

We even have prized fragments of these gemstones down here: carnelians, jaspers, emeralds, and everything of this kind; but up there there’s nothing that’s not of this kind and they’re even more beautiful than those here. (Transl. Emlyn-Jones, Preddy 2017, 497).


(2) Thphr. HP 3.7.5: σπάνιον δὲ παραφύει καὶ λιθάριον κισηροειδὲς ἐπὶ πλεῖον, ἔτι δ’ ἄλλο τούτου σπανιώτερον φυλλικὸν συμπεπιλημένον πρόμηκες σφαιρίον.

It (i.e. the oak) also occasionally produces a small stone which more or less resembles pumice-stone; also, less commonly, there is a leaf-like ball, which is oblong and of close texture. (Transl. Hort 1916, 201).


Bibliography

Emlyn-Jones, C.; Preddy, W. (2017). Plato. Vol. 1: Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Edited and translated by Chris Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Cambridge, MA.

Hort, A. F. (1916). Theophrastus. Enquiry into Plants. Vol. 1: Books 1–5. Translated by Arthur F. Hort. Cambridge, MA.

CITE THIS

Elisa Nuria Merisio, 'λιθάριον, λιθίδιον (Phryn. Ecl. 398)', in Olga Tribulato (ed.), Digital Encyclopedia of Atticism. With the assistance of E. N. Merisio.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30687/DEA/2974-8240/2024/01/029

ABSTRACT
This article collects the erudite texts on the diminutives λιθάριον and λιθίδιον and the ancient loci classici concerning them.
KEYWORDS

Diminutives-άριον‑ίδιον

FIRST PUBLISHED ON

28/06/2024

LAST UPDATE

28/06/2024