timla

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.]

acc. sg.

timlu

TL 44c.49 (Xanthos)

Shevoroshkin 1971a:213 suggests separating the word into ti and mlu, recovering a relative pronoun in ti (likewise Gehrisch 2018a:81f.). However, a Lycian A relative pronoun instead of expected Lyc. B ki is not convincing. Schürr 2003b:114 (and Schürr 2016d:171) leaves the word unified, but does not offer any translation (thus also Melchert in DLL:130, Neumann 2007a:364). Sasseville 2021a:207 brings further evidence to the interpretation of a single word by adducing the Lydian personal name Timle-.

[D.S.]

Taking timlu as a single word, the idea of seeing a compound is attractive, i.e. ti- + mla- ‘votive offering’ (thus DLL:130, contra Schürr 2003b:114 n. 10) timla- could hence denote a kind of offering. The word timlu is modified by the genitival adjective wizttasppazñ ‘of Hystaspes’ and is the direct object of the verb mawate ‘he made fourfold (?)’. The clause also contains an indirect object with turaxssali natri ‘Apollo Thyrxeus’, which further supports the connection with mla- c. ‘votive offering’:

                turaxssali : na{:}tri timlu mawate : waxsadi : wizttasppazñ (TL 44c.47-48)

                ‘He (scil. Gergis) made the timla-offering of Hystaspes for Apollo of Mount Thorax fourfold with bread.’

Sasseville 2021d brings further contextual evidence by providing a translation and a historical interpretation of the context. However, the first member of the compound, i.e. ti-, remains obscure.

[D.S.]

For the lemma head see Lyc. mla-.