pruxssi

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.]

dat./loc. sg. (?)

pruxssi

TL 44d.53 (Xanthos)

The interpretation as dat./loc. sg. (as suggested in DLL:125) is supported by the syntax of the sentence:

xba[da]siz tuwemedi : lijenuwez : muwaxã : ppe[…]zi : kibe : pruxssi : rbbinezi{s} (51-53)

‘I strengthened the nymphaea of the river-valley(s) with standing offerings for the pruxssi of ppe…zi or of Arbinas.’

Since two words show the same morpheme -zi-, it is likely that they are connected by the disjunction kibe ‘or’. Schürr 2018b:67 emends rbbines^!is, seeing a gen. adj. acc. pl c. agreeing with lijenuwez, which is hardly convincing, since they already belong to the river-valleys. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the last letter to obtain a gen. adj. in the dat. sg. (despite the -z- instead of expected -s- before i, which might be analogical to the acc. sg. gen. adj. -zñ). No solution is offered by Gehrisch 2018a:95.

[D.S.]

Based on the context presented above, pruxssi should be something belonging to Gergis’ son, Arbinas, that benefits from the dedications made to the nymphaea of the river-valley(s). Shevoroshkin 2012a:474 suggests the meaning ‘purification rites’, implying an etymological connection with Hitt. parkui- ‘pure’, which is phonologically untenable and semantically unattractive. Schürr 2018b:76 proposes a compound made of Lyc. B pruwa and waxssa, which is far-fetched and unsupported. See also Neumann 2007a:286 for various etymological suggestions involving proper names in Greek Transmission. No meaning is offered by Melchert (DLL:125) or Gehrisch 2018a:95 and none is suggested here.

[D.S.]

The stem of pruxssi cannot be determined.

[D.S.]