qre-^(ti)

This lexeme is attested in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).

[D.S.]

3sg. impv. act.

qretu

TL 44d.5 (Xanthos)

The word qretu is correctly identified by Shevoroshkin 1977a:135 as a verbal form in the 3^rd person singular imperative. However, the following putu should be taken as the direct object and not as a second imperative verb (contra Shevoroshkin ibid.). The grammatical assignment of qretu is followed by Melchert (DLL:127), and Neumann 2007a:307. Schürr 2018b:79, 95 suggests instead that it is a plural form with denasalization of the ending, assuming that the mortals (as opposed to the gods) are subjects. The only plural animate subject mentioned in the passage is xbadiz ‘the river-valleys’, referring to the inhabitants. To take them as the subject of qretu is not attractive considering that a clear singular verb qttide comes a few lines after. Thus, the most likely candidate for the covert subject is the Lycian king Gergis.

[D.S.]

The meaning of the verb is obscure, but it should reflect a root of the shape *H^u̯er- or (before back vowels) *k^u̯er- (outdated Shevoroshkin 1977a:135 “to Hitt. ḫarra-/ḫarr-⁽ⁱ⁾ ‘to crush’” and consequently Gehrisch 2018a:90). Shevoroshkin 2014a:240 suggests a connection with the Hittite root ḫuwar(n)- ‘to sprinkle’ (see PAnat. *Hu̯r̥néH-/Hu̯r̥nH-´), which is phonologically more adequate, but semantically incompatible, since the direct object of the verb is puta-, a sacrificial animal.

              qretu=pe tulijelije putu trlluba zrppeduni=ke qezm͂mi (TL 44d.5-6)

              ‘He must qretu the putu-sacrificial animal for the trlluba of the assembly and for Sarpedon qezm̃mi.’

No semantic assignment is suggested here.

[D.S.]

No etymology possible.

[D.S.]