Re: [TIED] alphèstès

From: Piotr Gasiorowski
Message: 2439
Date: 2000-05-18

 
----- Original Message -----
From: Yves Deroubaix
To: cybalist@eGroups.com
Cc: cybalist@eGroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 9:52 PM
Subject: [TIED] alphèstès

 
Of course it's Homer, not Herodotus. Actually, alphEstEs means 'traders, seafarers, men of enterprise' and derives from alphE 'gain, produce', not from alphi 'barley flour'. Cf. Lithuanian alga 'wages, pay', Sanskrit arhati 'he earns'. The underlying PIE forms are reconstructible as *xalgWH-e- 'to gain', *xalgWH-ax- 'profit, reward', possibly related also to Hittite halkuessar (n.) 'harvest, produce set aside for offerings'.
 
Piotr
 
 
 
Yves asked:
Could someone help me: In the Odysseia Herodotos uses the word 'alphèstès'
as epitethon ornans for 'people'. Is it true this word means 'bread-eating'
or are there other theories? Let me know!