previous next

[147] ἀμφιγύοισιν, generally supposed to mean ‘having a “γυῖον” at each end,’ i.e. the head at one end and the spike (“σαυρωτήρ”) at the other. But it is not explained how “γυῖον”, which is properly used of the flexible extremities, hands and feet, can be used of the point of a spear, nor how the adjective can be formed from it by dropping the “ι”. Others have explained it of the spearhead only, as ‘having a curve on both sides,’ i.e. being of what is known as the ‘leaf-shape’; others again as two-handed (wielded with both hands). But it is quite possible that the word may mean elastic, literally ‘bending to either side.’ The existence of the root “γυ”-, to bend, is abundantly proved; cf. “γυρός, γύαλον, γύης”, etc. For the use of the word in Soph. Trach. 505 see Jebb, ad loc.

The Iliad, edited, with apparatus criticus, prolegomena, notes, and appendices. Walter Leaf. London. Macmillan. 1900.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide References (1 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (1):
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 505
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: