Res: [tied] Oedipus

----- Original Message -----
From: Joao S. Lopes
To: cybalist@... s.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:02 PM
Subject: Res: [tied] Oedipus

Oidipos seems more archaic than Oidipous (through influence of "swollen
foot"). Since we don't know its origin (Greek, Pre-Greek, Dialectal Greek,
any IE non-Greek adstratum, or anymore else) everything is possible.
Oidipo(u)s' etymology is so cloudy as Laios and Labdakos, his ancestors. I
think Oidipos and Melampos shared the same suffix, but this *-pos didnt mean
"foot", as the folk-etymologies sugested. Oidipos was a Labdacid, descending
of dragon-teeth- born Spartoi, and Melampos was an Aeolid, son of Amythaon.

JS Lopes

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What is the reason you reject the traditional analysis of Oidipo(u)s as
being "swollen foot" (or swollen penis) ?

It definitely looks like Greek made with Greek components inherited from
PIE.

Arnaud