--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com,
"Joao S. Lopes" wrote:
> [Greek kantharos 'beetle'] akin to Skt gandha-
"smell", in a sense
> of stinky insect?
According to a number of philologists the Greek word
kantharos has multiple meanings, among which are
'dung-beetle (Scarabaeus pilularius)', 'the Egyptian
scarab beetle', and 'a sort of drinking-cup with two
vertical handles and a deep, footed bowl'.Any direct
connection between the 'beetle' and 'wine cup' meanings
seems unlikely. However, both meanings of kantharos might
be related to kantho:n and kanthe:lios, 'pack-ass'. The
common factor linking kantharos as 'wine cup' with
kantho:n 'ass' might be the typical high handles of the
cup (called "ears" in Greek), similar to the ass's large
ears. Likewise, between the dung-beetle (kantharos) and
the ass (kantho:n) some sort of link runs, most probably
mediated by the beetle's connection with dung (cf. also
kanthis 'ass-dung'). In Aristophanes, Trygaeus, who rises
to heaven on the back of a huge dung-beetle, addresses his
mount as kantho:n ( 'ass'), and not as kantharos.
According to an ancient Greek belief, beetles were
produced from the bodies of asses. The error presumably
arose from the beetle's alleged habit of laying eggs in
asses' dung.
In the ultimate analysis, we are left with the Greek word
kantho:n, itself of non-IE origin and, therefore, without
an etymon.
As to the proposed comparison with Sanskrit gandha-
'smell' (RV), according to A. Lubotsky only the
Proto-Indo-Iranian form of this root, *g(h)andh-/t- 'to
smell', can be arrived at. The root has apparently no IE
cognates. The vacillation dh/t in the PIIr. root (cf. RV
gandh- vs. YAv. gain.ti- 'bad smell', an irregular
correspondence in inlaut) strongly suggests borrowing --
perhaps from the language(s) of Bactria-Margiana?
Kindest regards,
Francesco